Through the Golden Filter

The New York-based duo tells their story with more than just music

By Daniela Garcia
Published: June 12th, 2010 | 2:00pm

The Golden Filter singer Penelope Trappes and synth programmer Stephen Hindman were once just next-door neighbors who chatted about photography and film before realizing they also had a love of music in common. So began their original project, Lismore, an infectious electro-disco band that once had been compared to the likes of Ladytron. Yet, despite a well-received debut album, Lismore quietly faded into the background a couple of years later as the twosome started evolving their style.

“We had this desire to create some slightly different compositions and change up the style,” Trappes notes of the band's progression in a recent interview. “The new material wasn’t really going to mesh under the Lismore name, so we started the Golden Filter."

The duo’s self-produced LP, Voluspa (Brille) is a testament to this new aesthetic. While the same synth-based sound remains, their new brand of electro-pop goes back and forth between dark and delicate yet danceable, all the while held up by Trappes’ echoing and haunting vocals. Splashes of various other instruments (ranging from strings to tambourines to hand claps) temper lyrics that weave together mythological stories of magic and mystery such as the latest single, “Hide Me,” one of many dreamy yet eerie tracks set to a steady electronic beat.

The driving force behind the Golden Filter's debut is the album title itself. While on a trip to Iceland, Trappes and Hindman became inspired by Nordic history. Trappes found herself in research mode after speaking to a guide about ancient Nordic texts that mirrored the original language of Vikings. One of the first things she came across was Voluspa, a poem that tells the story of the beginning and end of the world. “We felt we could really identify with the concept of the beginning, the battle, and the end result. It correlated with our previous incarnation as Lismore and the current state of making this album,” Trappes says.

The Scandinavian inspiration didn’t end there though, as the band touched on the mystical realm with hidden “stars” that were included in the UK release of the album. A handful of lucky purchasers received a bonus Polaroid snapshot of Trappes holding a handmade star, each one uniquely named, like “Kamadeva” and “Milda.”

“Astrology and cosmology were a big thing for ancient civilizations,” Trappes notes of the idea. “And I’m a bit of stargazer myself so we thought it would be really lovely to include the photos in 20 randomly chosen [pre-orders]. It’s cute, but the stars also tie into some of the more powerful images that we feel represent our writing.”

Imagery and photography are indeed two assets that the duo considered vital for the Voluspa project. The band cites nature—oceans, rivers, mountains, and wooden landscapes—as sources of visual inspiration. What they describe as visual story-telling is interwoven throughout their music, through videos, album artwork, and even their Tumblr blog where the band posts daily photographs in the hopes of stimulating the imagination of their listeners. “We’re really trying to encourage listeners to get into the dreamscape as much as possible by using other mediums,” Trappes says. “And depending on the individual, it can take you as far as you want it to go."

But for a band that believes imagery is just as important as the music they make, Trappes and Hindman prefer to remain behind the scenes, which adds what may or may not be an intentional air of mystery to the band. Trappes says that’s it’s mainly due to an attempt to remove egos from the equation. “In this industry, people encourage the opposite of what we’re doing. We’re removing the focus from us and making it more about the music and the listeners so that they can have their own personal experiences to evaluate and understand our songs in their own way."

As understated as their presence may be in their work, Trappes describes the Golden Filter's live shows as “filled with high energy.” Along with the accompaniment of a live drummer, the band has an assortment of percussion at their fingertips. Not to mention stunning visual elements including elaborate lighting design and, soon, projection of what will essentially act as an indoor forest. “[The projection] will be on all four walls, the stage, and the center of the room,” Trappes says. “And hopefully everyone who comes to the show will be a part of the experience.”

The Golden Filter official site

The Golden Filter MySpace page

Brille Records