With her new album Penelope Three coming out next Friday, Penelope Trappes has given us a final taste of what to expect with a new song and short film, “Blood Moon”. She says:
“I consider the moon a temple, a mirror of our emotions. The blood moon symbolically represents the beginning, the ending and a clean slate. ‘Blood Moon’ is about being uncompromisingly true to oneself despite societal expectations. Everyone should be free to express femininity in their own individual way. The burdens and expectations instilled in us at childhood weigh us down and hold us back. This song is about never giving in to this pressure and dismantling a system of oppression that is carried within our bodies. A metamorphosis.”
A spectral song, “Blood Moon” begins with shimmering tones like the pale moon resplendently reflected on a body of water. From there, the song gradually builds as Trappes seems to draw strength and hope from the moon, giving her subtle but powerful self-belief. The silvery essence of the orb is translated into rustling and sparkling layers of synth that coil around the singer, protecting her as they embolden her.
On the video – which is quite something – she says:
“The short film ’Blood Moon’ is a modern take on the goddess Isis if she were around to face today’s world. Isis is the protector of women and children and the healer of the sick – but despite her powers, she would still be weighed down by societal expectations of what is expected of women.”
Watch it below or listen to “Blood Moon” on streaming platforms.
Penelope Trappes’ new album Penelope Three arrives on May 28 via Houndstooth (pre-order/save). You can find her on Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
