Space Above’s New Single “Stolen Days” Is Rife with Synth-Driven Bliss

Space Above’s latest single, “Stolen Days,” is a resonant electronic dive into the waters of mental captivity. The project is the indie-electronic undertaking of Aaron Short, a previous member of The Naked and Famous. On the single, Short’s shimmering array of synths opens the song up to reveal a heavenly aura that changes shape throughout.

“Stolen Days” features vocals from Short’s former Naked and Famous bandmate Alisa Xayalith, who says the song’s lyrics came from a feeling of being strongly affected by forces outside of one’s control, yet working to overcome them. “There’s hope in the lyrics of this song,” she says, “because I believe in the little victories that can lead you out of feeling emotionally winded and stranded.”

The animated video for “Stolen Days”—directed by Isabel Garrett—presents us with two starkly different settings: a magical green forest and a dark box suspended within the natural scene. The video’s main character—a marionette woman—sits trapped within the blackened box, peering longingly into the forest outside. With enough willpower, she can make the box disappear and dance freely in the world, but only for a brief moment before she must return to her confinement.