‘Mermaids’ by Florence and the Machine: Single Review

Belinda June 

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Florence and The Machine has released an eerily haunting new single Mermaids, nearly a year after their fifth studio album Dance Fever was released.

The single arrived on April 21st and is the perfect addition to the band’s Dance Fever era, which relies on Florence’s ethereal vocals and symphonic instrumentals. Mermaids is a sinister ballad dedicated to grey English weather and the glittering women that roam the streets in “cheerful oblivion”. 

Mermaids is a hauntingly beautiful ode to the “glamorous creatures” that Florence used to pass on her way home from a show. However, these glimmering souls represent the ballad Florence truly sings to her younger self. The single was produced by Dave Bayley and focuses on darker elements in society. Florence described the context for Mermaids in a TikTok. She recalls “driving back from tour on a Friday night and seeing glamorous girls on nights out”. 

https://www.tiktok.com/@florence/video/7225677708561288475

A love song to the past

The song, focusing on drunken bliss and ethereal women on nights out, is a love song to the ‘Florence’ she used to be. Florence herself looks back on her past with nostalgic sombre. The singer celebrated seven years of sobriety in 2021. In an interview with Evening Standard, Florence shared: “I’m grateful that I was able to go and get sober away from the public eye.”

“it’s lonely being sober on big tours”

She discussed how she struggled to cope with her newfound fame following the band’s success in winning a Brit Award after selling over three million copies of the 2009 album Lungs.

“Most of the things in my life have got exponentially better from not drinking, but it’s lonely being sober on big tours,” she shared. 

The grand orchestral single feels both wistful and sinister at once, echoing the haunting calls of sirens luring men to their deaths through their sweet songs. Her enchanting voice wails over an urging synth beat, as bombastic horns and muffled drums roar. Mermaids captures an image of a lone ship going out to sea while gleaming yet ominous creatures lurk below.

The Little Mermaid

Florence’s eerie song describes the sacrifices of relationships and the suffering that’s soon to come. The line “Razor blades all in your feet” is synonymous with ‘The Little Mermaid’, in which the mermaid gains a pair of legs yet is pained by sharp knives with every step she takes. Like Florence during her rise to fame, the mermaid hides her suffering through the story. 

“it kind of turns into a bit of a bloodbath, like a lot of my songs.” 

While “glittering striding glorious” and “coatless in the rain” contrast against the grey England weather Florence paints. She twists the monochrome scene with the energetic beauty and carefree attitude the muses possess. Though the singer seems to mourn for her past self, she is not regretful of the memory.

On TikTok, Florence delved further into her inspiration for the chillingly beautiful song: “I was imagining that they were mermaids that get to come to shore once a year, and drink and dance, but in order to do that they have to sacrifice a human heart, so it kind of turns into a bit of a bloodbath, like a lot of my songs.” 

Mermaids is a swirling sea of bittersweet and sinister with shimmers of nostalgia. The densely layered song lovingly paints serene modern women as ethereal creatures as “shining” with “sharp teeth”. The track hints towards Florence’s nine years of sobriety and the sense of being free – in “cheerful oblivion”. If you’re in the mood for an enchanting melody after scrolling on ‘piratetok’ or watching Elizabeth Swann edits, this is the single for you.

You can listen to Florence and The Machine’s latest single here. 

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Featured image courtesy of Nsey Benajah on Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image license found here.