Leandrul's Harrowing "Interim" Psychosis Video.
A lot of artists have tackled themes of psychological turmoil from David Bowie to PinkFloyd, Grandmaster Flash to Nine Inch Nails. It sometimes seems like every other dreampop singer or singer-songwriter who comes in has songs about depression. But few have done it so nakedly and honest as Leandrul. Leandrul is Crosby Morgan and much of her 3 decades have been filled with psychological turmoil. She got it all out last year on her album. Psychosis of Dreams.
Crosby Morgan: I have depression and I was also diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. It was pretty obvious to me when I got diagnosed that oh, I’ve been experiencing this for a long time or what felt like a long time. You know, and like in high school it was bad, but I just didn’t know what it was.
A lot of artists have talked about their mental issues, but few have plumbed the true depths of it like Leandrul, who endured Electroconvulsive Therapy, popularly known as Electro-Shock Treatments. It’s not the quack therapy that became their reputation through films and books like One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. It’s now a carefully controlled and targeted treatment, but as she wrote in the song, “Electroconvulsive Memory,” it still fries your brain.
All the songs on Psychosis of Dreams reveal her journey. And while her writing is rich in metaphor, she doesn’t hide her condition behind it. She also doesn’t hide it in her harrowing video for the song, “Interim,” which portrays some of her psychological journey in terms that are as frightening, and visually traumatizing. Images might remind you of some of the effects from “The Ring” movie. That Crosby immerses her experience in compellingly beautiful music just shows you the strength and wonder of her mind. She’s just released a new EP, Versions, featuring remixes and alternate versions of some songs from Psychosis of Dreams
You can hear Leandrul’s interview in the Echoes Podcast.
Leandrul’s themes include depression, self-harm, and suicide. So if these are sensitive issues for you, please beware before you watch this video.