Following last month’s convulsive bad-bitch anthem “Nonbinary,” Venezuelan singer, producer and dark fairy, Arca, has unveiled a brand new video single titled “Time,” the latest glimpse into her hotly anticipated album KiCk i out on June 26 via XL Recordings. In contrast to “Nonbinary,” “Time” showcases a much more vulnerable side of Arca—the shapeshifting provocateur who wants to be loved, lusted and cared for like the rest of us, albeit in dizzyingly singular fashion.
The MANSON-directed clip for “Time” was filmed throughout an evening at Arca’s 2019 performance residency Mutant;Faith, which took over New York City performing arts space The Shed for four days and brought dozens of awestruck attendees into her immersive, mind bending world. Flashes of Arca writhing atop a mechanical bull while wearing a laser eye prosthesis lead into courtship from a dashing purple demon who seems right out of The Buffy The Vampire Slayer series. While the song’s gauzy vocals and pulsating bass line intertwine, so does your new favorite power couple—spilling out of The Shed and into the city streets, hooking up in a limousine, wreaking havoc at a karaoke parlor and drunkenly cracking a pink Catwoman whip on the sidewalk. It’s a wild evening filled with tender romance, paired exquisitely with the song’s throbbing emotional build up of fluttering synths and dreamy whisper singing.
Along with “Time,” Arca has also unveiled more details surrounding KiCk i, including a full tracklist and a parade of blockbusting features from Björk, SOPHIE, Rosalía and Shygirl. This is the first time Arca welcomes outside collaborators into her sonic universe, instead frequently scouted to bring her challenging genius to acclaimed albums by the likes of Kanye West and FKA Twigs. As on her self-titled 2017 album, KiCk i will continue exploring Arca’s gender identity and Latin American heritage with playful, colloquial songs like “Mequetrefe,” “KLK” and “Machote”—the latter including samples from Latin Dreams’ iconic reggaeton bop “Quiero Una Chica.
Watch the video here: