The singer was commissioned to write the song as the theme for a newly-launched crime series, The Last Panthers, airing on Sky Atlantic in Europe. The 6-episode program, which debuted on November 12, stars Samantha Morton, Tahar Rahim and John Hurt.

The video and TV series are directed by Johan Renck. "I showed Mr. Bowie the two first episodes in the rough state they were at the time, and he liked what he saw very much," says Renck. "We discussed the various aspects of the show; naturally the plot line, but also the underlying currents of guilt and personality flaws.

"We talked about the dark heart of Europe. We talked about the biblical aspects of human nature. He asked if there was anything else to see, so I showed him the first concept board I had just made for the title sequence - images from the show laced with chimaeras and demons from the worlds of Bosch and Grunewald.