Brighton-based Australian artist Penelope Trappes is releasing a new album called Penelope Three at the end of May, and today she’s shared the second single from it, “Fur & Feather”. She says:
“I wrote ‘Fur & Feather’ after becoming inspired by the Celtic mythological tale of The Selkie, which is about ‘homing’ – returning to a sense of Self. I found this treasure within the well-known book Women Who Run With Wolves by Dr. Clarissa Pinkes Estés. In preparation for the inevitable day that my sole daughter would leave home after 18 years, I carried a great sense of bittersweet loss in my heart. The Selkie reminded me of how I always knew the time would come when I’d be physically and emotionally alone and because of this I have always kept my own identity intact.”
“Fur & Feather” has a still and riveting atmosphere, where you can hear Trappes’ every breath and the piano creaking beneath, which will immediately bring to mind the quiet contemplation of Grouper’s Ruins. However, “Fur & Feather” isn’t about wallowing, it rises very subtly from this place of meandering thoughts to a place of celebration, vaporous synths working like spectral hands to elevate Trappes’ voice and piano, so even though we can’t make out every word, we are left in no doubt that she’s shrouding herself in positivity and warmth. A purifying listen.
The video for “Fur & Feather” was directed by Trappes herself, and you can watch it below.
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.
