Florence Welch’s more operatic tendencies remain unchecked on “Sky Full Of Song” and “Hunger,” the lead singles off of High As Hope, Welch’s new album with the rotating cast of musicians who make up Florence + The Machine. She may have outgrown the “girl and her keyboard” act a long time ago, but her drive to create earnest, theatrical mini-epics remains as strong as ever. And thank goodness for that: Trying to contain a voice as powerful as Welch’s, rich with vibrato and confessional momentum, would be like clipping the wings of a golden eagle.
High as Hope was written, mixed and co-produced by Florence Welch, marking her first time co-producing a Florence + The Machine album. The majority of the record was recording in solitude, as Welch rode a bike to her South London studio to record daily. She finished the songs in Los Angeles with her friend and co-producer Emile Haynie, and also brought in some big-name collaborators. The record features appearances from Kamasi Washington, Sampha, Tobias Jesso Jr., Kelsey Lu andJamie xx. Welch mixed the record in New York, where the city’s towering skyline gave the album its title.
The Fat Angel Sings 