In September 2014, Boots, aka Jordy Asher, released “Mercy,” a bluesy, psychedelic pop record that touched upon the artist conundrum of confidence versus fragility. The track’s music video was a single scene; a close-up of Boots cut and bruised, that today reveals itself as a vignette from his forthcoming 30-minute film, Motorcycle Jesus. And similar to the rest of Asher’s hands-on visual output, it is self directed by the Miami-born, New York-bred, Los Angeles-based musician recognized for his experimental solo drops and now-infamous co-writing and production credits for Beyoncé, Run the Jewels, FKA twigs and Autolux. Boots’s post apocalyptic world created in Motorcycle Jesus is in part an unorthodox record release. New music to be first heard as the film’s soundtrack. The NOWNESS trailer—cut by Asher—features the haunting “Only,” pounding alongside the artist’s noirish vision.

As a cinephile, what do you want to create visually?
Boots: With Motorcycle Jesus I’m trying to make something right on that line between futuristic and classic. I loved the way you’d see those old Michael Jackson videos where there were seven minutes of story before the music even started. He was making great short films unlike anyone else. Music videos now are a dime a dozen and they’re often boring. Someone scouts a great location and it’s just somebody dancing in front of a rock formation. That was my DOP Hunter Baker's quote, which I loved.

How do you feel about affecting pop culture, similar to what Beyoncé and Run the Jewels have done?
B: As far as working with Beyoncé and Run the Jewels goes, for me working with the two of them feels the same. Creating a body of work that we’ve never heard before, challenges the audience and rewards you with each repeated listen. If you give anybody the chance to make something in their own voice, the way that want to, and has the ability to affect pop culture in a mass way, everybody would do it. There is nothing bad about wanting to change pop culture. You can make it great again.

How about collaborating with FKA twigs and other new projects?
B: She works fast, I work fast and we both go on our instincts when we work together. Sometimes you can get buried in a project and cook something for too long or not long enough, but that was the perfect period of gestation. More recently, I finished the Autolux album, which is a monster. [Producing] is elevating the record to the potential set by the songs. The sounds and playing on it are insane. By the time I’d got there they’d made an incredible album and just needed a little push.

Watch the full length Motorcycle Jesus at Bootsonboots.com.