Kelly Moran has released a new video for the track “Love Birds, Night Birds, Devil-Birds” off her “Origins” EP out this past May on Warp Records. The visuals are directed by Moran’s close friend Cassie McQuater, who also designed the record’s evocative cover art. Collaboration on the project began when McQuater asked Moran to contribute music to a video installation she was preparing for LA Frieze this year.
The resulting piece was an immersive, three-channel video work projected on 18-foot walls at the relocated Transfer Gallery in Los Angeles. Discussing the video, McQuater explains that it is a “re-imagining of the surrealist story “The Debutante” by artist Leonora Carrington.” Exploring “the mythological idea of women’s bodies as dangerous and poisonous gardens, ” the visuals also make reference to “Nathaniel Hawthorne‘s story “Rappaccini’s Garden”–with the artist noting that that work is also “the origin story of Batman’s Poison Ivy.”
Carrington’s tale deals with a young woman who exchanges places with a hyena “masked in a suit of human skin” for her societal debut. Visually influenced by the authors surrealist language, McQuater explains:
“Extravagant dresses made of anatomical parts, glass, and pink light swirl in pastoral landscapes populated by undulating fluorescent flowers, strange monsters and deconstructed birds, who paint the sky.“
The perfect description for McQuater’s gorgeous visual treatment, Kelly Moran goes on to disclose:
“There’s always an incredible level of depth in everything Cassie creates – if you look at a single screenshot of her work, there are so many intricate details you can get lost within. The layers contained within her digital landscapes are really evocative for me as a composer because I can draw upon several aspects of her designs as inspiration.”
Kelly Moran’s “Origins” EP is out now on Warp Records. While you’re at it don’t miss our recent review of the track “Night Music,” as well as the video for “Water Music” directed by Katharine Antoun. Both are standouts from Moran’s newest EP effort. In addition, her excellent 2018 LP Ultraviolet (Warp) was our Favorite Album of the last year…
