Florence + The Machine - High As Hope
It is virtually impossible to pinpoint a particular track or even few tracks that stand out within this body of work because the reality of it is that the album works very much as a whole. Florence once again champions the perfect balance between haunting, breathless simplicity and intense, uplifting belters. The woman is, quite simply, a force of nature!
Throughout you hear playful, relatable and nostalgic lyrics telling stories of misspent youth - carefree and energised both instrumentally and vocally. However, each track contains a strong build up and complex layers, and calming and soothing sounds move into intense and immediate music that demands your attention.
I found there to be a significant amount of religious, biblical and spiritual imagery within the album; tracks such as Big God and The End create a very humbling atmosphere for this reason, whereas a track like Sky Full of Song, which comes later in the album, begins with an acapella intro with which the stripped back simplicity really allowing the listener to appreciate the incredible range and diversity in her voice.
This album is honest, mature, powerful and immensely enjoyable. I literally cannot fault it and cannot wait to have it playing full blast, on repeat in my car!
10/10
