Villagers - Cecelia & her Selfhood

Laid bare against the wavering notes of Conor O’Brien’s voice, this haunting new Villagers video presents itself bleakly and simply, and yet at the same time is seamlessly intricate.

Cecelia & Her Selfhood has long been a favourite setpiece for O’Brien during his live shows, and has finally been honoured, like the monument that is central to the song, with a downloadable release and video animated by Adrien Merigeau .

Reminiscent of shadow puppets, silent movies and sketchy childhood cartoons, the video, which is split into chapters, carves a bare-boned narrative that revolves firmly around the loneliness, tiredness and desperation that seep through the notes of the song. In various shades of black and red, the central figures restlessly move through the flimsy scenery in a way that resonates with the controlled dam of emotion that hovers behind O’Brien’s tense and incredible voice.

Watch the video now, and head to Villagers’ website to pick up a free download of the song.