Ya Tseen - Close the Distance

What this video is

Released February 10, 2021, 'Close the Distance' serves as the debut single and visual statement for Ya Tseen, the musical project of Nicholas Galanin — a Tlingit and Unangax̂ artist from Sheet'ka (Sitka, Alaska) whose practice spans sculpture, video, installation, and music in service of Indigenous sovereignty and environmental justice. The video arrives during a period of acute pandemic-era physical isolation,…

Why it matters

A landmark in Indigenous experimental pop, 'Close the Distance' situates Ya Tseen at the intersection of electro-soul, art-pop, and decolonial visual culture. Its conceptual video practice — using biological, mechanical, and cosmic imagery to embody desire — extends a lineage of Pacific Northwest…

The director

Seattle-based director, cinematographer, and editor operating under Gray Matter Productions. Credits span 22 directed music videos per IMVDb, with 8 DP credits. Notable prior work includes Shabazz Palaces' 'Dawn in Luxor' (2016). 4x Vimeo Staff Pick winner…