- High As Hope is the fourth album from English alternative band Florence +The Machine. Fronted as always by the enigmatic Florence Welch, this offering is a surprisingly open and honest record compared to their overly anthemic and nebulous previous works.
The record darts between grand, theatrical productions and mellow, delicate ballads, all tied together by Welch’s clear, crisp vibrato. Hunger is one of the few tracks on the record that is a real amalgamation of both styles: sombre verses about struggling with mental health and addiction problems are flanked by sweeping, almost unsettling uplifting choruses that are stitched together with her unfaltering vocals.
Grace, a love letter to her sister, pulls on the heartstrings and offers one of those rare glimpses into Welch’s true feelings. Full of autobiographical lyrical honesty, Welch reflects on a rocky history: getting drunk and ruining birthdays, before building into a melodramatic chorus of lamentation, declarations of love and broken-down apologies. The End Of Love continues on with these very personal narratives, making you feel as if you have a private insight into her secret diary, something which is unusual for a Florence + The Machine record.
Compared to previous records, High As Hope is a much more dynamic record, with Welch often cutting the accompaniment to a single piano and vocal line to get her point across, compared to the full orchestra she has so often indulged. This is not to say that she does not utilise her signature, wall-of-sound aesthetic, but her overall palette has become more mature and controlled, which makes for a record that is easier to decipher and listen to. This contrast in instrumentation compliments her new, more vulnerable lyrical content, and makes you appreciate the bigger moments on the record more. For the uneducated listener though, it can still be a lot to take in, and maybe letting go even more would have made huge change to the overall aural experience.
High As Hope is the most honest and subdued record from Florence + The Machine to date, but it still feels constrained by a reluctance to let go. Her fragility and vulnerability shine through, and it’s those moments that really stand out. Yet there's still a smokescreen of well-executed, dramatic production, soaring vocals and eliptical lyrics, which is the Florence + The Machine method that we’ve grown to know so well – it works for her, so why change the tried and tested method, right? High As Hope represents a crack in the façade, only a taste of what could have been, and it’s so bittersweet.
- Olivia Shoesmith.