It’s a superstar affair on a new collaborative single by Oneohtrix Point Never and The Weeknd called “No Nightmares,” which is also accompanied by a music video directed by Reliquary House, led by Nate Boyce. This follows the artists’ collaborative single “Scared to Live,” which debuted on Saturday Night Live earlier this year.
“No Nightmares” is a 3-D animated video, which sees a figure in a space suit going through an out of body experience, which quickly turns into a hellscape. Oneohtrix Point Never’s unique experimental pop production and The Weeknd’s trademark vocals create an otherworldly blend, that are able to capture both the monkey’s anxieties in the video and paint a vivid picture of the animated world around it.
According to Boyce, this single was inspired by Fear of the Inexplicable by Rilke and his own anxieties about the story of Isaac in the bible. “So, as it happens in the animation, this process of individuation through archetypal projection starts with heroic ideations that devolve into anxiety and fear, culminating in a carnivalesque mockery of the faith required to confront these fears,” Boyce explained.
The Weeknd is having an incredible year, despite his lack of Grammy nominations, which many have described as a “snub.” His latest studio album After Hours was a giant commercial and critical success, spearheaded by singles such as “Too Late.” He has more recently collaborated with the likes of Calvin Harris and the late Juice WRLD and will be performing at next year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Oneohtrix Point Never has also been keeping busy, releasing a new studio album of his own called Magic back in October. He also released a five song suite called “Midday Suite,” which featured the songs “I Don’t Love Me Anymore” and “Bow Ecco.”