Everyone handles grief and pain differently, some shut down, some need to process their feelings by talking and then there are some people who use this thunderstorm of emotions and turn it in something so moving and so beautiful. With her newest release “Return,” Emma Ruth Rundle shows the world once again how she transforms some of the deepest darkest feelings a human can have, into something breathtaking.
“Return” is the first single off her upcoming record, Engine Of Hell, which is set to be released on November 5 via Sargent House. Like “Return” the record deals with the vulnerability of humanity and our imperfections. “Here are some very personal songs; here are my memories; here is me teetering on the very edge of sanity dipping my toe into the outer reaches of space and I’m taking you with me and it’s very f****d up and imperfect,” Rundle says about the album. Engine of Hell promises to be a very intimate and piano heavy release, just like her new track and the video for it.
Shot in black and white and directed by the artist herself, the video shows Rundle dancing in the streets in a rather light fashion, dressed in white. In other shots we see her dressed all in black with theatrical makeup. It comes with no surprise that the video was heavily influenced by Jean Cocteau’s ‘Orpheus’ and Wim Wenders’ ‘Wings of Desire.” Like the song itself, the video has a very interesting and intense darkness and light.
Rundle says about “Return,” “An examination of the existential. A fractured poem. Trying to quantify what something is definitely about or pontificating on it’s concrete meaning defeats the purpose of art making. I’m not a writer. I make music and images to express things that my words cannot convey or emote. I’ve been studying ballet and the practice of expression through movement, which I incorporated into the video. I choreographed a dance to the song – some of which you see. Pieces show through. Since completing Engine of Hell, I’ve stepped away from music more and more and into things like dance, painting and working on ideas for videos or little films. ‘Return’ is the result of the efforts.”
While Rundle doesn’t think of herself as a writer, cryptic lyrics like “A rich belief that no one sees you / Your ribbon cut from all the fates and / Some hound of Hell looking for handouts / The breath between things no one says,” show that she is indeed a very talented writer.
This year, Rundle teamed up with another talented singer-songwriter, Chelsea Wolfe. Together the duo released a hauntingly beautiful track called “Anhedonia.”
Engine of Hell Track Listing:
1. Return
2. Blooms of Oblivion
3. Body
4. The Company
5. Dancing Man
6. Razor’s Edge
7. Citadel
8. In My Afterlife
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
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