Æternum companion EP to ‘A Requiem’ out October 31st

Following the release of April’s critically acclaimed ‘A Requiem’, Brighton-based Australian artist Penelope Trappes returns with a selection of companion pieces that make up ‘Æternum’, out October 31st via One Little Independent Records. The accompanying material includes seven previously unreleased compositions, drawn from the prolific and emotionally raw recordings that birthed ‘A Requiem’.

‘Æternum’ will be available as a “black label” edition vinyl featuring a minimal all-black outer sleeve and black printed labels. Limited copies will include a unique, signed and numbered Polaroid photo of Penelope taken by Agnes Haus affixed to the jacket.

The title, ‘Æternum’ (Latin for “eternal”) evokes the record’s enduring thematic gravity and conceptual link to grief, healing, and the passage of time. “I wrote about 35 pieces in the sessions for A Requiem,” Trappes explains, “some as minimal studies, some as mood trials, and some as full songs that just didn’t seem to completely fit on the album. I love all these songs so much, but I think they are of a time and a place that maybe I don’t want to linger in too long for future releases, hence letting them out in the world loosely forever tied to ‘A Requiem’.”

Written during an isolated period in the Scottish Highlands, Trappes composed these pieces across meditative, candle-lit sessions. Amidst deep introspection and a desire to cleanse long-buried trauma, she found herself drawn instinctively to the cello, despite no formal training. “The nerve-like strings of the cello became external chords of my vocal folds,”she reflects. “I scratched on them, leaned into them, and conjured all of the textures I could muster.

”The ‘Æternum’ tracks are rich with powerand experimentation, extending the legacy of ‘A Requiem’ as a living, spiritual document. The new material spans sparse folk meditations, haunting choral drones, and lyrical exorcisms.These tracksreveal deeper layersof Penelope Trappes’ creative and emotional world, expanding the intimate universe of ‘A Requiem’. They feel like unearthed relics, ghostly and rhythmic invocations. There’s a sense of freedom in their unfinished edges and cathartic immediacy, as if Trappes is inviting the listener to peek behind the curtain. ‘Æternum’ captures the fragile beauty of an artist working in complete vulnerability and trust in her instinct.

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