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.

Garrett explains that she wanted her video to be representative of one’s mental state having a significant effect on their worldview:

I wanted to hold onto the idea of being mentally trapped inside a space and only occasionally being able to see clearly. Turning this into a physical world seemed to make sense, with the exterior being really rich and filled with natural life, and the interior space being dark and claustrophobic.

“Stolen Days” is Short’s first release since his debut album in 2017, Still. Short hasn’t yet announced if the single will be part of a larger project. You can check out the video for “Stolen Days” below, along with The Naked and Famous’ 2012 Daytrotter session.