The video for James Blake's "Retrograde" tells the story of a female protagonist revisiting her past. Throughout the video, she is isolated and the only one aware that time has frozen for everyone else. Scenes show her exploring an abandoned house from her past, with signs that her friends have left. Random comet debris represents the crumbling of her past. By the end, the comet's arrival has destroyed everything and the protagonist has lost her sanity, reflecting the themes of isolation and loss in the song. The video uses camera shots, lighting, costume, and editing to visually represent the lyrics and their message about a fragmented past.