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Live Review: Lupa J draws us in with hypnotic 'Moth' video

30 October 2017 | 9:37 am | Molly McLaughlin

Lupa J's eerie video for "Moth" captures the essence of the song; a twisted, too-close-to-home portrayal of objectification and materialism.

Sydney-based artist LUPA J is a rising star on the electro scene, turning heads with her single "Numb" in 2016, and a slew of impressive releases since, plus rave-reviewed shows at BIGSOUND this year. Her latest EP, A House I Don't Remember, proves that she still has so much more to give.

Lupa J, aka Imogen Jones, wrote, recorded and produced all the tracks on the album, and has single-handedly crafted a haunting, evocative electro-pop dream. She also recently released an eerie video for "Moth" that captures the essence of the song; a twisted, too-close-to-home portrayal of objectification and materialism.

In the clip, Lupa J wanders a department store, confronted with a barrage of advertising images of women so perfect and happy that she can't look away. "Moth toward light/ Glowing windows/ Drained of all fight/ Surrender slow," she sings, as if almost hypnotised. The dissonant synths and racing drum beat emphasise her frantic confusion. But her angelic, layered vocals convey her corrupted innocence. In the end, Lupa J runs away with one of the mannequins, liberating it from a prison of shiny glass and steel.

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Lupa J describes the video as both funny and dark. "It’s about feeling worn down after growing up as a girl, struggling to develop an identity while everyone and everything reinforces the idea that first and foremost you are seen as a body to be perfected or consumed – and yet you’re still helplessly drawn to these images like a moth to artificial light," she explains. "I'm so far gone I can't tell the difference between myself and a mannequin anymore."

In an impressive balancing act, Lupa J's work combines light and shadows, naivety and cynicism, dreams and nightmares to create songs that transcend all categorisation. She will be launching the A House I Don't Remember EP at The Chippendale Hotel on Saturday, November 11th, tickets and more info here.

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