By Gerard Marcus
New York City is a place that bombards you with information. Stimulus seems to come from everywhere and silence can sometimes feel like a luxury. For some people, the constant barrage is fine, but for others like myself, finding ways to tighten focus is necessary for mental clarity.
LEYA’s latest video for “Cats,” directed by Corbin Ordel, is a perfect example of finding that focus. Filmed in one take, the camera follows the band from a street in Brooklyn to a private performance space, depicting transition and shifting focus in a beautiful way. In the first section of the video, there is no “music” per se, but only ambient sound from the street. The camera floats behind the band in as if a wandering, observant presence, only to stop in front of a door as the band enters and walks away down a hall. You slowly hear the presence of music. The rich, hypnotic sounds of LEYA seem to resonate from the hallway, calling you in. The camera advanced and suddenly you find yourself at the end of the hallway, worlds away from the noise of the busy street, in an intimate room with LEYA playing. The sound, comprised of long violin tones, sparse harp, angelic voices, and electronics, floats as the camera dances around LEYA, bringing an intimacy to their performance that holds all of your attention. It’s a beautifully simple video for a beautifully simple song, and sometimes at the end of a long day, you just need something simple.