Florence + The Machine - High As Hope (Album Review)

This band still puts out great material 10 years after their entrance into indie pop and pop rock with singles "Kiss With A Fist" and "Dog Days Are Over". Their latest record, "High As Hope", is just another example of the band excelling at their game.

From the first song "June", one of many slower moments on the album, you can recognise Florence's songwriting talent and prowess. Her vocals too are extremely potent on songs such as "Hunger" and "Grace".

It's a very interesting album as many of the lyrical themes are more grown up, deeper and introspective as apposed to her often breakaway themes she's demonstrated she can write over and over with most of her hits. I've never tired of those songs although I fully embrace her new approach to writing songs.

The first song I heard from this album was "Sky Full Of Song", a beautiful and heart wrenching ballad that includes a killer bassline and minimalistic instrumentation that is shared by most of the songs here. In some ways it sounds like The xx's debut with less drum machines and more vocal prowess (that's not me taking a swing at The xx's debut, it remains one of my favourite albums of all time).

I think overall I'd rate this album an 8.5/10, but I'm sure it'll grow on me and may even make it into my End Of Year list.

Rated from worst to best in my opinion:
10. The End Of Love
9. No Choir
8. Patricia
7. June
6. Big God
5. 100 Years
4. South London Forever
3. Sky Full Of Song
2. Hunger
1. Grace

http://www.deezer.com/album/67112162

https://open.spotify.com/album/0pKZJj9GzcKPCS8r4IaksA?si=8Nz6uSt_RD67MrdtX4DzEg

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/high-as-hope/1377116938