Florence Welch has said her upcoming new album ‘Dance Fever’ sounds like her 2009 debut ‘Lungs’ but “with more self-knowledge”.
Following on from 2018’s ‘High As Hope’, Florence + The Machine will release their fifth studio effort on May 13 via Polydor. It was produced by Welch along with Jack Antonoff and Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley.
During a recent interview with British Vogue, Welch explained: “[‘Dance Fever’ is] ‘Lungs’ with more self-knowledge.”
She continued: “I’m kind of winking at my own creation. A lot of it is questioning my commitment to loneliness; to my own sense as a tragic figure.”
Welch released the first F+TM album – featuring the hits ‘Dog Days Are Over’, ‘Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)’ and ‘Cosmic Love’ – when she was in her early 20s, and has since spoken of her issues with alcoholism, drugs and relationships during those early days.
The singer has now been sober for eight years, but still struggles with anxiety – a condition that inspired her latest single, ‘Free’.
“In my daily life, I am just wracked with racing thoughts and anxiety,” she told British Vogue, explaining that she finds her “sense of spirituality” when performing live on stage. She also looked back at “bad experiences” with the press when she was younger.
“When you get into your thirties, they care so much less about who you’re dating,” Welch said.
She went on to say that she’s realised “you don’t have to date bad people to make good songs”, adding: “[I no longer have] the energy to be in a huge amount of emotional distress and make work.”
Elsewhere in the conversion, Welch opened up about her complicated feelings around motherhood while speaking about her goals for the future outside of music.
“I had this drive underneath me and I was like if these songs want to get out, I have to get them out fast, because I do have other desires,” she explained.
‘Dance Fever’ has already been previewed by the singles ‘My Love’, ‘King’, ‘Heaven Is Here’ and the aforementioned ‘Free’ – check out the full album tracklist here.
Earlier this month, Florence + The Machine debuted new music at a trio of intimate UK shows, which concluded with a performance at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London on April 19.
The group will embark on a full UK arena tour in November, with a string of North American dates set to take place later this year. You can find any remaining tickets here (UK) and here (North America).
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