Review: Florist ‘Adrift’

I’ve listened to this release a few times now, mainly whilst working on other things, but one of the standout features for me is how well the music flows. I found myself several times slowly headbanging or nodding or tapping my fingers to the rhythm, without even realising it and for me that’s a great sign, as the groove is strong and captivating.

Florist are a quartet from Tampa, Florida and having now signed to Ripple Music, they have re-issued last year’s release Adrift, which has six tracks, lasting roughly twenty-nine minutes long, that are full of thick melodies and cosmic entities, all vying for space in their heavy sludge rock compositions. Drawing from the cultural melting pot that Tampa is famous for, they incorporate an array of sounds to create trippy, eastern vibes, taking your mind on an out-of-body experience.

The opening few bars of 432Hz (a nod to the tuning) are pure hedonism, with a thick distorted bass from Kevin Roy, as the rest of the band follow suit. It feels like some sort of space odyssey, as they seek to put you into a meditative state, before the sitar from guitarist Frankie Consoli takes control. It leads effortlessly into the alluring Another Moon, and you can feel the desert rock influence coming through, with gritty vocals adding to the song but not overpowering the spaced-out rhythm that consumes your soul.

It feels like some sort of space odyssey, as they seek to put you into a meditative state…

With drummer Mike Amador pounding away, Out Of Space explodes out of the speakers, full of heavy energy and Floridian swagger. Again, the rhythm section is key, with Jer Dillow adding his touch on synthesiser and percussion, as the anthemic chorus line appears. Grow is another fine example of tripped-out, psychedelic space rock with a heavy bass line dominating the quieter sections of the melody. There are pockets of explosive noise, as the sweeping solo punches through, but the rhythm speaks for itself, and with varying tempos across the six-plus-minute track, it’s an enthralling piece of music.

The penultimate Adrift (Part A) further demonstrates the tight-knit nature of their music, although they play without boundaries and spread their notes over a wide range. The underlying electronic sounds could be higher in the mix at times, but for me, that’s part of the appeal, as you know it’s teasing and tantalising in the background, but never detracting from the bass or guitar.

As Part A ends, it walks slowly into Adrift (Part B), which could have easily been put together to create one nine-plus-minute song. However, the arrangement is spot on, with ample sounds layered as the sonics grow around you in a carefree manner. It’s mellow, yet heavy, in the most subtle of ways, as it ends like it started, with a pleasurable instrumental track.

Label: Ripple Music
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Scribed by: Matthew Williams