GAYLETTER

In one of my first dance classes, the instructor told us never to open our mouths when the choreography called for a head cast back or something of the sort. I still hear her snarling, “mouths open are ugly!” Olly Alexander, in Years & Years new music video for ‘Worship,’ completely disregards this formality. Instead, he throws his head and his mouth wide open, bringing it within inches of another man’s, in the suggestive latest music video from the electronic trio.

Worship, off of the band’s 2016 album Communion, is light on the surface, but the lyrics and video reveal a love rooted in a dark place (literally, “Gotta keep my lips shut / I’ll do what you tell me to / Cause in darkness I follow you”) that functions below. The video, taking place in a grimey parking lot and parking garage sheds light on these darker moments hidden in the song.

Throughout the video, Olly is on some kind of kick. He seems vengeful; trying to bring some form of justice to himself while an older man sits motionless in a car before him. However, he also seems horny… Olly thwarts several hot guys (the one with the mustache drove me nuts with that trade look) away from him and instead, manipulates their direction to what I assume to be the oppressive-daddy character in the car. Whether Olly is seeking vengeance or a good fuck might be not so important. Both sex and retribution are indiscernible here, mostly because, like any kind of worship, these feelings operate on the fine line between a sickness and a healing.

This duality that relationships exist in is the biggest takeaway from Worship. It’s neither happy nor sad. Olly is both dominant and submissive. The throws of a relationship are always like this — confusing! If this is Years & Years attempt at making sense of a relationship, they didn’t do a bad job. To all of my indecisive, emotionally flummoxed people… you’re not alone.

Peep the video below.