Hazel Iris - 'Diana'
Hazel Iris channels the Bronte sisters on her haunting new single ‘Diana’.
Based in Berlin, the California indie-pop artist’s latest track is lifted from her new album ‘May Queen’, which is out now.
’Diana’ evokes a sense of dusky twilight accompanied by tremolo-heavy electric guitars where Iris' velvety vocals and a lonely bass create the mood of a spark-filled night. The song is accompanied by a stunningly shot video by Filmmaker Mona Najma. She explains: "The music video for Hazel Iris’ ‘Diana' begins with a soft red light glowing like an ember at the back of an ancient cavern. It cuts to a deserted Brontë-like landscape filled with longing and anticipation, where neither Heathcliff nor Mr. Rochester is in sight. I gave a humble nod to the legendary Maya Deren by taking pleasure in imagery, in the play with shadows, light, textures and shapes. As Diana is about abandoning common sense and embracing joy and desire, the filmmaking took a route into something that isn’t logical but is more of a sensory, atmospheric experience.”
Echoing sparks of Kate Bush, Florence Welch and Tori Amos, May Queen pays homage to all facets and stages of womanhood with the final piece having been inspired by the late science fiction novelist Ursula K. LeGuin.
A mercurial spirit, classically trained artist Hazel Iris is driven by ancient tales and melancholy moods With previous releases including a sonic portrait gallery (Misfortunate Tales), a collection of Indie-Folk art songs (Nine Sisters), and an original folktale accompanied by a chorus of electric guitars (The Forest and the Girl), her newest venture, May Queen, is a full-length album that might best be described as a 1980’s synthesizer-filled Dream Pop orgy. It is also a study of the power of feminine sexuality.
