flora cash – behind every beautiful thing
flora cash is a duo who have made a buffaBLOG appearance before – needless to say, when their newest offering, behind every beautiful thing (BEBT), ended up in our inbox, we knew we’d have to give it a thorough listen. BEBT is the duo’s fourth proper studio album, and on it, they craft nostalgic and ethereal textures, exploring the juxtaposition between darkness and light with sounds ranging from orchestral to lo-fi in a brilliantly nuanced dark-pop package. Shpresa Lleshaj and Cole Randall, were once long-distance penpals connecting over Soundcloud… It’s astounding to think of the journey they’ve had so far and the near three million (!) monthly listeners they’ve garnered along the way; BEBT feels like a natural extension of that adventure – here’s why:
BEBT kicks off with “Should Have Dressed for the Event,” a ballad-coded intro that symbolizes so much more than a token slow song. Vulnerable-sounding vocals power “Dressed” forward, as a piano twinkles discretely in the background. As the song evolves, it’s further bolstered by eerie organ tones and washy synth pads. Virtually percussionless, the song climaxes with a string section that leaves you nothing short of breathless. It’s an absolutely stunning way to introduce this album, and an apt indicator of what lies ahead. As a perfect segue, the duo transitions seamlessly into song two, “just wanna feel you” with a similarly sparse intro. It gradually introduces a lo-fi beat, our first indication that these songs were crafted to make you move – wild to think that this album goes so hard for five full minutes before even a kick drum appears.
Tracks three and four are standouts on BEBT – starting with single “Like No One Could.” If you couldn’t tell by now, Lleshaj and Randall are a married couple, and the song details the strength of their everlasting bond. This is the kind of song that is omni-appealing – anyone in a relationship can relate to the sentiments here, and they package this incognito pop song as an indie banger that’s simply cooler to like than the Lewis Capaldis and Ed Sheerans of the world (no offense to Lewis or Ed, but our money’s on flora cash when it comes to indie clout). Follow up single, “My Ex Would’ve Left By Now,” follows suit, pairing a top-40-ready melody with softly plucked guitars, a lo-fi beat (to study and chill to), and mind-blowing vocal effects. If you’re going to listen to any snippet of this eleven-song LP, start with these two.
We can’t understate just how insane the instrumentation is on BEBT – and we don’t mean in the hammy, prog rock sort of way. “Orchestral” really is the name of the game here – beautiful string arrangements peek out from every ostensibly empty space. Little piano flourishes play peek-a-boo around every proverbial corner… And while most of their songs certainly fall under that dark-pop umbrella, there’s lots of sonic exploration happening on BEBT. Both “Morning Comes” and “Baby I Love You” could be hits on your local country OR adult contemporary radio stations. The hyper-fast tremolo on “Dragon” is visceral, feeling almost tangible as it provides a warbly spine for Randall to croon over. Lleshaj absolutely crushes the epic vibe on “HOLY WATER” – I bet Lana Del Rey wishes she wrote this. Even album closer, “The Builder (Flör J. Blom)” keeps you captivated, flirting with classical influences despite the crunchy, electronic percussive elements. There is SO much to dive into on behind every beautiful thing – it’s simply not enough to say that flora cash have crafted something truly memorable here… But for once, we’re at a loss for any more words.
behind every beautiful thing is out now (October 23, 2024). Check out the official audio for “just wanna feel you” below via the YouTube embed, or, add it to your Spotify and Apple Music libraries.
Categorised in: Album Reviews
This post was written by Nick Sessanna