Over the past nine months, we’ve shared selections from multi-talented Milwaukee musician, model, and photographer Valerie Lighthart‘s “By Moonlight” EP series. On Saturday, April 23, the trilogy will be completed with the release of the third and final installment (which will also include a show at the Cactus Club). The finale, entitled Pt. III: The Banshee, follows Lighthart’s recent release of Pt. I: The Goddess and Pt. II: The Witch.
Unlike its predecessors, which showcased warm and vibrant offerings under the sonic umbrellas of pop and folk, The Banshee displays a decidedly darker and more chaotic feel. Over the course of three tracks, Lighthart’s delicate and dreamlike vocals chronicle a character’s newfound power and fury. Lighthart—with contributions by producers such as Steve Hybicki and Rod Wortham—saved her best “By Moonlight” installment for last, as The Banshee builds on the ambitious and otherworldly elements of the previous EPs with the addition of booming beats (best expressed in “Walkin’ Slowly”) and the electronic-tinged emotion of “Backwoods.”
“I wanted the character to reclaim her narrative in a dominating and insidious soundscape that feels deeply chilling while still inviting you to dance,” Lighthart tells Milwaukee Record. “I wanted her energy to radiate through every track like an intoxicating miasma.”
You can stream “Backwoods” above. Valerie Lighthart will release Pt. III: The Banshee at Cactus Club on Saturday, April 23. Joining the Milwaukee multi-hyphenate in this release show extravaganza is Lila Realm (Amanda Huff’s artistic alter ego) and Bisca Rae. The lineup also features the work of up-and-coming local designer Maria Olsson.