Album Review: Flyte – 'This Is Really Going To Hurt'
Following 2017 debut album ‘The Loved Ones’ that stole the show with an array of gorgeously emotive tracks including an impressive cover of Alvvays’s ‘Archie, Marry Me’, London’s best kept secret Flyte share deeply personal sophomore album ‘This Is Really Going To Hurt’.
Born out of the falling apart of vocalist Will Taylor’s eight-year relationship, ‘This Is Really Going To Hurt’ is a fully fledged breakup album. A heartbreak album that follows him on his journey through grief into acceptance. “I was always looking for things to distract me and make me feel better, but it just wasn't doing the job. The only thing I had to make myself feel better was writing about it. It was just survival technique,” Will remembers. “Then suddenly it started to be like, 'God, okay, this is the material we're working with…Can we? Okay, let's go for it.’”
If the very literal album title, wasn’t enough of a give-away, opening track ‘Easy Tiger’ serves as a trigger warning of sorts, preparing listeners for what they’re about to experience -namely: a whole lot of crying. Sitting at the centre of the lush harmonies and perfectly constructed melodies that by now have become a Flyte trademark, is a hurricane of deep-seeded emotions. But although it navigates a difficult breakup, the album is surprisingly gentle. No sign of malicious finger pointing or ill intentions. While tracks like ‘There’s A Woman’ or ‘Trying To Break Your Heart’ do come with a cynical streak, all criticism is directed inward showcasing a rare kind of self-reflection: “Don’t believe a single word I say, I will always try to make you stay.” This kind of heartbreakingly honest lyricism paired with their flawless harmonies is Flyte’s not so secret superpower. Guided by tender percussions and weeping strings they turn pain into something tangible. An impressive feat that is nowhere more evident than in the raw intimacy of ‘Losing You’ or the serene nature of closing track ‘Never Get To Heaven’.
With its admirable sense of maturity and the devastating beauty only a breakup album could have, ‘This Is Really Going To Hurt’ sees Flyte in their prime. It’s hard to believe that their discography is only two albums strong when they feel so exceptionally well-rounded. A band that has doubtlessly mastered the art of giving complex emotions not only a voice but a distinct sound, Flyte are a timeless treasure.
Words by Laura Freyaldenhoven