London’s own indie superstars Florence + The Machine have released their 3rd new single in the lead up to their 5th LP Dance Fever. Set for release on ay 13th, the album will feature the 2 other singles released by the band so far; “Heaven Is Here’”and “King’” So far, the general census on the new singles has been pretty positive. ‘King’ in particular, in my opinion, is one of Florence + The Machine’s more exciting releases since their debut, which while we’re on the subject… came out 13 years ago. You can listen to the new single below, and look into pre-order options for the new album here.
After appearing on Greg James’ show on Radio 1 this morning (March 10th) bandleader Florence Welch explained, “Sometimes the biggest dance songs, I think, have a really sad core to them.” She also went on to explain the myriad of influences on the project, stating the impact of pre-Raphaelite art, the gothic fiction of Carmen Maria Machado and Julia Armfield, as well as movies like The Wicker Man, The VVitch, and Midsommar. You can see certain influences in the music video above. Directed by Autumn de Wilde and choreographed by Ryan Heffington, the Great Gatsby influence is plain to see. A press release went on to say, “The imagery resonated with Florence, who had been touring nonstop for more than a decade, and in lockdown felt oddly prescient.”
In an interview with NME around the release of the first single ‘King’, Welch opened up about her position as a female artist by saying, “I suddenly feel this tearing of my identity and my desires, to be a performer but also to want a family might not be as simple for me as it is for my male counterparts.” She continued, “I had modelled myself almost exclusively on male performers, and for the first time I felt a wall come down between me and my idols as I have to make decisions they did not.”
A fairytale in 14 songs
Available to pre order nowhttps://t.co/Sn0VQeMHo4 pic.twitter.com/5AkcMup5Bo— florence welch (@florencemachine) March 10, 2022
As of yet, Florence + the Machine are yet to announce any tour dates in support of the new album, but if you’re a Florence superfan in need of a fix, you’re probably not a million miles away from one of the many festivals she is set to appear at over the summer. With appearances at Flow Festival, Øya Festival and Mad Cool Festival you certainly can get hold of the band if you need. You can find full tour information here.
