The MagazineCanada

Months before the release of Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend unveiled Ya Hey, a new track that came with a lyric video and quickly drew listeners into a moodier, more shadowed sonic space than the band had embraced on prior records. Ya Hey signals a different shade for the band, one that leans into atmosphere as much as hooky rhythm, inviting listeners to brace for a record that blends sunny guitars with a gravity that wasn’t as upfront on their earlier work. The lyric video itself is a little celebration and a quiet invitation at the same time, opening with an image-heavy rooftop scene above New York City. A group of people, including the band members, raise glasses and exchange smiles while the skyline glows in the late afternoon light. The clip feels playful but sly, because after the toast comes the moment when the song’s chords slip into a more contemplative pocket. For audiences across Canada and the United States, the release offered a chance to hear how the band’s voices could sit inside a larger, more cinematic soundscape while still delivering the guitar-driven energy that has defined them. It’s a hint at the album’s direction and a promise that the band is pushing past its earlier, more instantly infectious mood for something broader and more lasting.