Penelope Trappes - Redeux MP3

After the release of her sublime, critically acclaimed sophomore solo album ‘Penelope Two’, Penelope Trappes and Houndstooth are pleased to announce ‘Redeux’; an album of top-drawer reworks of tracks from ‘Penelope Two’, which showcase not only the intrinsic brilliance of Penelope’s composition and performances, but also her far-reaching and all-encompassing musical influences and significance. 

“There were no preconceived notions of how the reworks would work together, just total freedom. I’m absolutely in love with all of these! I never really thought I’d get the chance to collaborate with such an array of creative artists who have inspired me, but at this point, I’ve learned to never say never” explains Penelope. 

On ‘Redeux’ ‘Penelope Two’s’ themes of life and death and of hope and dismay are still prevalent, being brought to the surface in a myriad of ways. Scottish post-rock legends Mogwai stretch out ‘Burn On’ into a scorching, warbling drone that flips the original sombre subtlety for grandeur and in-your-face majesty. Factory Floor member Nik Colk Void offers up a wayward, statically charged reworking of ‘Nite Hive’ which reimagines the track’s solemn beauty as a heads down roller and Throbbing Gristle’s Cosey Fanni Tutti’s dystopian, avant-garde and jazz tinged electronics are deployed alongside her signature Cornet to flip the album single ‘Carry Me’.    

Other reworks are proffered by Shelter Press label founder, producer and visual artist Félicia Atkinson, off the back of an incredible 2018 for both her and the label, Félicia’s rework of ‘Burn On’ digs for the skeletal awe by stripping away many of Penelope’s multi-layered effects and pushing the bare vocals to the front with manipulated field recordings. Throwing Snow demonstrates his ineffable brilliance, delivering an elastic yet powerful subdued rework of ‘Farewell’. Icelandic multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Jófríður Ákadóttir aka JFDR injects nimble rhythms and guitar into piano ballad ‘Maeve’. 

Poppy Ackroyd, composer, violinist and pianist, Hidden Orchestra member and One Little Indian signee transposes ‘Kismet’ onto the piano adding eerie percussive embellishments. Savages producer Jonny Hostile takes ‘Farewell’ and utilises the space within to add more noise and energy. Oneohtrix Point Never, Ben Frost and Tim Hecker collaborator and Sigur Ros’ musical director Paul Corley, delivers a forlorn take on ‘Nite Hive’, whilst Swedish techno duo Aasthma (Peder Mannerfelt and Pär Grindvik) - the former of the pair having just finished work on live version for tracks on Fever Ray’s ‘Plunge’ world tour - take album single ‘Connector’ to an entirely different realm. Adding rattling drum patterns and skidding synth leads which overthrow the sober original to a joyous dancefloor slayer. 

Penelope Trappes is a London based Australian born vocalist, musician and soundscape artist signed to Houndstooth. She spent 2016 writing and recording what would become her first solo album, ‘Penelope One’ in a piano studio in East London. Composed of mostly percussion-less, reverb-heavy atmospherics with dystopian themes, the LP was released via Optimo Music in 2017 on vinyl and as a photo book. 

Penelope signed to Houndstooth in 2018 and released her sophomore LP (and photo book) ‘Penelope Two’ in October 2018. The minimalist, ethereal album was built around field recordings, meditations, guitars, synth drones, piano and reverb, and deals with mortality, predestination and empathy. Previously known for her work in the electronic duo The Golden Filter”

Under the latter moniker the duo released albums with Brille, Vinyl Factory and Optimo that were praised by The FADER, Pitchfork, NME, Gorilla Vs Bear and Resident Advisor. Additional endeavours included sound-tracking short films and feature films and are currently releasing new material.
When not making music Penelope works on photography, video and performance art as part of a visual arts collective, Agnes Haus. 

Praise for ‘Penelope Two’:

“Summoning the great ghosts of vintage 4AD and Kranky, the Australian singer and producer makes inky dream pop that’s as heavy and welcoming as a weighted blanket.” Pitchfork

“A hauntingly spectral Under the Skin vibe, with harrowing but hopeful themes…beautifully blurring the lines between eerie conjuring and meditative lullaby.” Gorilla vs Bear

“Like Scott Walker collaborating with Julee Cruise” FACT

“Penelope offers up remarkably sparse torch balladry” The Wire

“Heavy with both hope and portent, it’s a moving listen from a deeply centred artist.” Crack 

“Trappes’ vocals float over minimal soundscapes, wrought with emotion and ambience. The results are quite beautiful.” DJ Mag