Properties of Ice is the new single from Bristol based composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Bethany Stenning, under her performing alter ego Stanlæy. Properties of Ice is taken from Bethany’s debut album, The Human Project, a multi-faceted audio-visual project which involved 70+ musicians, artists, actors/actresses and videographers all under the direction of Bethany. Properties of Ice follows Bethany’s two previous singles from The Human Project, The Mountain Collector and Ode To Ovid, released in November 2018.
The music of STANLÆY has been influenced by a diverse genre pool of folk/jazz and cosmic atmospheres, drawing influence from artists such as Joanna Newsom, The Dirty Projectors and Sigur Rós. Akin to these artists, the lyrical narratives of STANLÆY explore surrealist takes on how human life in the modern world is juxtaposed with our ancient relationship to nature. Properties of Ice is an ethereal sound world composed by Bethany and inspired by her fascination with the dualities of the natural world, in this case the ever-flowing nature of our identities, as reflected by the fluid relationship between ice and water. This theme is explored through dance and symbolism in the Dalí-inspired music video directed by Bethany.
Stanlæy have previously performed live in venues in across the UK and Ireland. The Human Project film was premiered at Harbour Lights Cinema, Southampton Docks, May 22nd 2017. The music itself has since received the Southampton Hazel Muras-Osborn Composition award. The film for The Mountain Collector has received the TMCLFF Award of Recognition, won the Feel The Reel London film festival award, and received recognition from several international film festivals. The Human Project album was composed and recorded by Bethany, mixed by Bethany with London producer VVilhem and mastered by Oliver Baldwin, engineer at the legendary RealWorld studios. The STANLÆY project began in late 2016, when Bethany started to develop a creative vision which married her passion for composition, videography, mythology and story-telling. The Human Project embodies seven elements, within seven songs and videos where each song comes to personify an element in a unique and distinct way. Since the release of The Mountain Collector and Ode To Ovid STANLÆY has been lauded by the likes of legendary blogs Folk Radio UK and God Is In The TV, and the band have performed a live session for the legendary Dexter Bentley’s Hello Goodbye show on Resonance FM in London.
facebook.com/StanleyStenning
@Stanlaey_art
Music by Stanlaey
Written and directed by Bethany Stenning
Director of Photography Rob Ellis: robelliscinematography.com