Part of the new Penelope Trappes album, Penelope Three, released on May 28th via Houndstooth, “Blood Moon” is a highly atmospheric and moody single/short film directed by Agnes Haus.
The piece gives you a haunting look at a contemporary take on the goddess Isis of Egyptian mythology. With its combination of dreamlike visuals set in a parking lot and empowering lyrics about transforming the fear inside of oneself, Haus’ film beautifully complements the music that it is visualizing.
There are interesting and awesome touches that help to visualize the Isis motif wonderfully throughout the video. There’s the beautiful close-up of the crown and the connection to the power within but what makes this a rewarding experience is that it’s a gripping portrait done in a wonderful six-minute video. Not to mention that the payoff of the actual Blood Moon is perfectly done.
The stunning shot of Isis as the music crescendos and we hear Trappes’ ethereal vocals with the blood moon illuminating the night encapsulates the video’s symbiotic relationship with its music.
As Haus gives us the close-ups of the moon, she never forgets about the experience of Isis and her journey across the contemporary world. “Blood Moon” is not only a powerful look at transformation but also one that is told with a striking sense of spirituality and raw emotion.
You can tell that Haus is interested in capturing the full experience of Isis in this situation and that is what makes the video such a compelling visual story that is in harmonious symphony with the song itself.
The mix of the graceful vocals of Trappes, the powerful themes stated in the lyrics, the low angle Steadicam shots, and sharp cinematography (complete with beautiful shallow depth of field shots) of Haus’ camera gives “Blood Moon” it’s truly dreamy quality.
By Oscar Garza
Twitter: @garzaoscar
Instagram: @ofgarza