It’s shaping up to be a very interesting album cycle for Florence Welch. Not only has she managed to cajole Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift, Lorde, Lana Del Rey) into producing portions of her first album in four years, but she’s also titled it Dance Fever, given its artwork larger-than-life colorings, and even made a radio edit for the third single to be unveiled prior to its May 13th release.
This is all very off-brand at this point in her career, but it makes for her most exciting build-up to a release in quite some time. Like many artists right now, it seems she’s ready to revitalize the listening habits of many dedicated fans with something to help them stay positive in an increasingly troubled world.
Lead single “King” featured the richest instrumentation she’s put her name to since 2011, and far more consequential lyrics than her last album’s lead single “Hunger.” Welch’s power lies in the fact that she inhabits a sizeable critical niche, finding herself with few contemporaries to match her rich dramatics, folk aesthetics, and first-rate live performances, always justified by a huge backlog of powerful songs, which here she unequivocally promises to add to.
‘Dance Fever’ arrives in stores May 13th | Pre-Order
Following her 2015 album’s short film The Odyssey, Welch continues her trend of escalated music video operas, enlisting acclaimed film director Autumn de Wilde to oversee the production of this album’s visual accompaniments. On “My Love,” she flaunts around petrified bodies in a luxury ballroom to a radio-ready beat and her signature staccato chords.
Comparisons to her Calvin Harris era, in which she had two consecutive UK #1 hits with their collaborations, are already being made, as the track is much more of a contender for pop knock-out than we may have been expecting. It begins with customary disco strings and the sharpest vocal production for what is arguably England’s best vocal export.
“My Love” is relentlessly danceable, a live show-standout in the making, and exhibits Florence + The Machine’s unfaltering levels of inspiration. She’s got the UK’s juggernaut Radio 2 A-list in her sights with this one, surely.
Watch the official video below and be sure to mark May 13th in your calendar for Dance Fever’s arrival.
PRE-ORDER Dance Fever via Florence + The Machine’s Official Store
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