By: Ann Verrill
Pleasant Peasant’s latest music video for their EP, East Of The Sun, offers a captivating blend of music, movement, and storytelling—an experience that pushes the boundaries of traditional folk and experimental sounds, creating something distinct and thought-provoking. Brooklyn-based musician Gavi Kutliroff has crafted an ethereal world within these four songs, guiding listeners on a mesmerizing journey through the mystical landscapes of Appalachia.
The story begins in a lush forest, where a young spirit is born into existence, surrounded by five other mystical women who gently guide her through her awakening. The visual narrative follows our protagonist, the young spirit, played by Naz Tokgöz. As the video opens to the melancholic strains of Handsome Molly, the camera sweeps across breathtaking valleys and towering trees.
We then shift focus to wise spirits gracefully exploring a nearby river before the camera slowly reveals our protagonist lying motionless atop a bed of moss and grass. She begins to stir awake. From the dead? It is unclear. But her presence seems to alert the spirits, who approach with warmth.
Encircling the waking figure, the spirits form a quiet yet powerful tableau. Their hands reach for her—grazing her face, cheeks, shoulders. As the first song fades, our young spirit inhales deeply—perhaps her first true breath—and shuts her eyes to the sky, as if surrendering to this new existence.
From the very start, Tokgöz’s performance is compelling—imbued with a subtlety that makes every glance, every moment of hesitation, feel like the beginning of something profound. She embodies the weight of discovery with an unforced grace, her expressions conveying a depth of meaning as she witnesses the untamed freedom of the wise spirits who guide her path.
The second journey begins with Wild Bill Jones. With the sharp, familiar twang of the guitar, a bittersweet yet upbeat melody takes hold. The wise spirits race hand in hand through the leaf-laden forest, but behind them follow our young spirit—hesitant. She is an outsider to this wild freedom, a witness rather than a participant.
At the heart of this dance, the eldest and perhaps wisest spirit—portrayed by Emma Dowdy—emerges as a maternal figure among them. She extends her hands toward the newcomer, inviting her in. Still, the young protagonist remains motionless, transfixed, until, finally, something shifts.
The protagonist takes a step—moving forward into the trees. She chooses to step into the unknown. Slowly, the spirits pull her deeper into their world, drawing her into the circle. And just like that, we are led into the next song, West of the Moon.
The next scene fades to darkness, and in this void, red embers emerge. The atmosphere and the music shift—wordless, ominous, and chilling. The mother spirit dances fluidly into the night, completely lost in her rhythm. Our young protagonist is seated, watching intently. We cut to what she sees: spirits gathered around a fire in the dead of night, some sitting, others standing. The mother slowly begins to remove her clothes, never ceasing her fluid motions. Overcome with emotion, the young spirit watches with an intense, almost sorrowful gaze. Is this true freedom? What remains when the constraints of the human condition are stripped away?
This is the shortest sequence and song of the story, yet it remains one of the most evocative moments of the EP.
From this resonant piece, we transition into the final song of the EP, Fog is Rolling In, a return to a sweeter melody. The journey has shifted—our young protagonist walks through the trees—and this time, the wise spirits follow her. Slowly, however, the spirits begin to falter until they lower themselves onto the damp grass, drifting into sleep. The young spirit hesitates for a moment, glancing back at the figures, then continues forward—alone.
She soon encounters something unusual—a cabin, nestled in the heart of the wilderness. A distinctly human presence. She watches with curiosity, and in the next moment, is seated, calmly observing her surroundings. The world moves around her, and for the first time, she takes the time to truly see it.
As the camera slowly pans away from her, something remarkable happens: the EP, which has been entirely black and white, begins to gain color. And perhaps, at this moment, the transformation is not just around her—it is within her. The forest reveals its hues, and so does she.
She leans back into the grass, closing her eyes once more—the same picture we saw at the very beginning of the film. And as she does, we return to the wise spirits, making their way back to her, surrounding her sleeping form. In a full-circle moment, the young spirit awakens once more, finding herself encircled by the women who have guided her through this journey. We glimpse fragments of past moments—we go to the moment of the wild dance in the forest as the young protagonist once watched her fellow spirits move with freedom. What once existed in stark monochrome is now drenched in life.
The final lyric whispers, “I’m washed away completely… take what you can carry and lose your mind.” She watches, the weight of these words settling over her. Yet, isn’t this what life asks of us? To take everything it offers and surrender to it, fully, freely? To lose one’s mind, not in madness, but in the kind of liberation that may seem unruly from the outside but feels like truth from within? Perhaps this signifies understanding, acceptance, or a transformation fully realized. Because as the wise spirits dance, she does not hesitate and steps forward—joining them. With each step, she slowly begins to fade away, until disappearing into the air completely. Her journey fulfilled. The closing shots of nature, vivid and unrestrained, leave us with a lingering sense of wonder. If we were to strip away the layers of our constructed selves, might we find something truer, something closer to the essence of life itself? Is this what awaits us in the great unknown? The film ends as it should—with movement, with connection, with nature in its most honest, unbridled form. As if it could be anything else.
The craftsmanship behind this EP is undeniable. Pleasant Peasant, the moniker of Brooklyn-based experimental folk musician Gavi Kutliroff’s hauntingly poetic lyricism results in a soundscape that feels both timeless and strikingly original, especially considering that two of the songs, Handsome Molly and Wild Bill Jones, are Appalachian traditionals. The effort poured into this EP is remarkable, with brilliant and evocative lyricism. It is clear that this is an artist worth following.
Photo Courtesy: Naz Tokgöz
Director Willow Nichols has done a remarkable job translating four beautifully composed songs into a thoughtful and creative narrative. Combined with Moon Choi’s breathtaking cinematography, the result is a profound exploration of the pursuit of true freedom.
And within this tapestry of artistry, Naz Tokgöz’s performance stands out as a quiet yet powerful anchor. She captures the vulnerability and curiosity of a soul on the precipice of discovery, allowing the audience to feel every flicker of hesitation, every unspoken realization. Her portrayal of innocence and gradual acceptance—perhaps her first encounter with what it means to be human—is nothing short of exceptional. Hers is a performance that lingers, much like the EP itself—a testament to the power of subtlety, nuance, and deeply felt storytelling.
The supporting spirits are equally commendable, with Emma Dowdy’s wise spirit embodying grace and wisdom, enhanced by stunning choreography. The entire cast delivers brilliant, moving performances that bring this ethereal story to life.
As Kutliroff prepares to release a full-length album later this year, this EP serves as both a promise and a profound statement. It is a story born from mist-covered woods, a meditation on existence that invites us to observe with not just our eyes but with our souls. To help us understand that, perhaps, to be truly alive is to embrace the mystery, to dance with the fleeting, and to lose ourselves in the boundless freedom of it all. It serves as a gentle reminder of how we should all move through this world.
Credits:
Music by: Gavi Kutliroff
Directing by: Willow Nichols
Cinematography by: Moon Choi
Cast: Naz Tokgöz, Emma Dowdy, Julia Zeszutko, Lainey Mackinnon, Emily Fox, Marissa Clayton
Published by Anne C.
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