PJ Harvey has released the latest video from The Hope Six Demolition Project for the song The Orange Monkey. It’s as beautifully stark and quietly confronting as the song itself is, and a fitting visual narrative for a dark story wrapped in a joyous melody.

The video was shot in Afghanistan and directed by Seamus Murphy, as with the two previous videos for The Wheel and The Community Of Hope. Murphy says of the video: “With the films I make for Polly Harvey’s music I try to reflect the song’s tune and mood, which means tapping into emotion. I find emotion a truer compass than intellect when it comes to finding images and creating sequences for music.

“The Orange Monkey has warm, earthen colours with a pleasant, unrushed feel to it. There’s an underlying melancholy, which is leavened by the strength and energy of the Afghan people. We know there is tragedy but what we see is resilience.

“All the material for the film was shot in Afghanistan over two trips I made in 2012 and one in 2014. In December 2012 Polly joined me and we travelled together in Afghanistan. Places featured are Kabul, Parwan, Nangarhar and Helmand Provinces.”

I just love the last scene with the goat innocently sniffing the soldier’s rifle… it perfectly sums up the futility of war and proves once again that animals are the best people.

*Since this article was written I’ve come to discover many disturbing things about Harvey, herr cohorts and practices. I can no longer listen to her music, and the knowledge of how these people and the wider entertainment industry operates has sickened me to the core. It’s very saddening to realise our heroes are scum.