Album Review: Florist - 'Jellywish'
Seeking answers to the big questions, Florist release their fifth album ‘Jellywish’.
Florist are unafraid to think big with their latest release, ‘Jellywish’. Exploring themes of existentialism, connection, and the expansiveness of human consciousness, they invite listeners new and old to question just about everything. It toys with the idea of escaping the world we live in and finding refuge in a technicolour dreamscape where magic and the supernatural are just ordinary parts of our day-to-day. Wonderfully complicated, layered and referential, each of the 10 tracks take you on a journey on how to live a life that has broken free from the constraints of modern civilization; leaving behind anything that puts limitations on the ways we can connect with one another.
Lead single ‘Have Heaven’, establishes and sets the boundaries for the world Florist are seeking to create - something which they describe as ‘not quite always lucid, but rather a perspective that is blended into the worlds of the magic and death realms swirling around us.’ It has qualities that resemble our world, but at the same time offers enough fantasy to feel like a window into something new; something fantastical. The track is built around the chorus, a chant that calls for a sense of fluidity and continuity between these two places, urging for there to be a sense of harmony between both our earthly bodies and something more spiritual and arcane. In the beginning of the album, it’s uncertain as to whether or not the world that Florist have conjured is an ‘Eden’ or not. The instrumentation, which at times is deliberately sparse, seems to emphasise the sense of not quite knowing where to stand. Whilst atmospheric, the fingerpicking from ‘Levitate’ and the slow subtle blooming melodies of ‘Jellywish’ encourage introspection and questioning from listeners. It is as though Florist are giving us room to breathe, to acclimatize, rather than throwing us straight into a surreal deep end.
A lot of the tracks on the album encourage an embracing of opposites and an exploration into things that contradict one another. As listeners, we often feel like we are in direct conversation with singer, guitarist and primary songwriter Emily Sprague, and it is with her guidance that we can begin to unpack both the existential dread and joy that comes from being alive. Tracks like ‘Started to Slow’ and ‘This Was A Gift’ are wonderful examples of this : the juxtaposition of larger than life orchestrations, shimmering harmonies and bright melodies against lyrics that delve deep into thoughts on mortality, self-doubt and isolation. At times, it can feel overwhelming, but such is the nature of the world Florist have created. Their music is supposed to make you feel both elated, like you are floating, and also firmly bring you back to the ground. We are meant to mourn the loss of the old world as that is what allows us to feel the excitement and wonder for the new.
Kind, gentle and warming from within, the album is a means to soothe us from the effects of the world we live in. Jellywish not only exists in a space between extremes, but thrives there. It is a special place where ideas of life and death, joy and sadness, acceptance and denial can co-exist in totality. Florist, in their creation of this album, have made a space where time seems to stand still, giving us a space to use however we need or see fit. Whether you come in search of mediation and tranquility or are here to find answers and understanding, you will find something that resonates.
Words by Kirsty-Ann Thomson
