Grimes is the perfect pop star. The video for ‘Go’ is proof. Co-directed by Roco-Prime (i.e. Claire/Grimes and Grimes’ brother Mac Boucher) with art direction and concept by Claire Boucher aka Grimes (well that was complexed). The video sees an almost sequel to the Genesis video with Grimes taking on the warrior role from Brooke Candy and a neon scraped back blonde hair club moment for the Blood Diamonds produced dancier and Rihanna-intended elements of the track.
The clip was inspired by Dante’s Inferno, and opens with a reading from the book narrated by screenwriter David Hayter. Grimes said: “In the inferno, people’s actions in life echo eternally. Mike (Virgil) and I (Dante) wander through the circles of hell. It’s not a traditional hell, it kind of reflects stuff that’s going on today. We shot a bunch at the Salton Sea, which is basically an apocalyptic wasteland filled with dead fish because of human carelessness, [and in] a hallway of bullet holes a la Korn “Freak On a Leash,” etc. If you look closely you can find clues. But in the usual fashion it is also abstract enough to just be a trippy visual accompaniment to the song.”
The video references pop cultural iconography throughout in a somewhat subversive and intelligent way, something that Grimes has carved into an art form rather than mimicry. Fashion featured includes Iris Van Herpen, Rodarte, Manish Arora, Alexander McQueen and Steve Madden.
