OPVS NOVUM: A Requiem Reworked Penelope Trappes

• 1 Bandorai (Klara Lewis Rework) 07:29
• 2 Platinum (Saint Etienne Rework) 05:06
• 3 Second Spring (Flora Yin-Wong Rework) 03:12
• 4 Sleep (Gazelle Twin & PRIZMA9 Rework) 03:41
• 5 A Requiem (Midwife Rework) 06:26
• 6 Anchor Us to Seabed Floor (Sarahsson Rework) 10:12
• 7 Red Dove (Smote Rework) 04:51
• 8 Caro (Stephen Mallinder Rework) 04:08
• 9 Torc (Dania Rework) 02:47
• 10 Thou Art Mortal (Julia Holter Rework) 04:26
• Total Runtime 52:18

Info for OPVS NOVUM: A Requiem Reworked

Opvs Novum: A Requiem Reworked finds Penelope Trappes collaborate with a number of talented artists to help create a new vision of her album A Requiem. Conceived as more than a conventional remix record, the project reframes the original work through ten distinct artistic voices. Where the original album was stark, ritualistic, and inward facing, these reinterpretations expand its emotional architecture. Klara Lewis and Flora Yin-Wong sculpt their tracks into glacial drones, Gazelle Twin and PRIZMA9 heighten the gothic unease, while Midwife and Julia Holter draw out its devotional melancholy into something almost hymnal. Contributions from Stephen Mallinder (Cabaret Voltaire), Saint Etienne, Smote, Dania, and Sarahsson underline Trappes’ unique position between sacred lament and avant electronic ritual, transforming her songs into a series of spectral mirrors that refract grief through industrial pulse, haunting ambience, and dream state pop.

On the new version of ‘Platinum’, long-running London trio Saint Etienne bring their renowned affinity for blending electronic textures with pop sensibility to Trappes’ world, drawing out the track’s underlying sense of drama and reshaping it into a driving, hypnotic piece that balances tension with release. Leaning into the original’s melodic core and rich instrumentation, they build a dense, immersive arrangement.

Pete Wiggs from Saint Etienne tells us; “I love the slightly dark and cinematic moods of Penelope’s music. Platinum was a great track to mix with its haunting melody and heavenly cello arrangement – it felt just right for an ear pummeling trance-inducing rework”

Trappes expands; “It takes a collective energy to bring anything to life, and some of my favourite artists came together to bring their own beautifully unique energy to reinvent ‘A Requiem’. I wanted Opvs Novum to feel like an original album with an aura all of its own.

Penelope Trappes

Penelope Trappes
is a London-based, Australian-born vocalist, musician and ethereal soundscaper. 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 haunting atmospherics with dystopian themes, the LP was released via Optimo Music in 2017 on vinyl and as a photo book. The first single ‘Puppets’ premiered by opening the Fendi SS17 runway show.

Penelope signed to Houndstooth in 2018 and released her sophomore LP ‘Penelope Two’ to critical acclaim. The minimalist, ethereal album was built around field recordings, meditations, guitars, synth drones, piano and reverb, and deals with mortality, predestination and empathy. 2019 saw the release of ‘Penelope Redeux’ consisting of reworks of songs from ‘Penelope Two’ by Cosey Fanni Tutti, Mogwai, Félicia Atkinson, Nik Colk Void and more. ‘Penelope Three’ will be out in Spring of 2021 on Houndstooth.

When not making music Penelope works on photography, video and performance art as part of a visual arts collective, Agnes Haus.

“Referencing Scott Walker and This Mortal Coil, Trappes uses a minimal palette to frame her spellbinding, spectral songs in a starkly beautiful sound, suggesting a collaboration between Mazzy Star and Leyland Kirby, or Felicia Atkinson writing for Lynch. Truly remarkable” Boomkat

“A shiver inducing introspective work, drawing influence from Nick Cave and Grouper” The FADER

“A majestic collection of dystopian lullabies” 20 Jazz Funk Greats

This album contains no booklet.