“High as Hope” is the fourth studio album by Florence + the Machine featuring Florence Welch’s summoning vocals. This album is a reflection note written by Welch looking back at her younger days, and beginning to make peace with the mistakes of her past. In an interview with Universal Music about the new album she explains, “The last record was like ‘Oh I can date the solution! I can drink the solution! Or like take the solution.’ I think this record is definitely recognition of, ‘Oh no, you can’t’.”
The ten-track album begins with the song “June” that starts with Welch’s voice layered over melodic strings, and perfect harmonies until a wave builds up from the chorus all the way to the end of the song. There is crescendoing synth, drums, bass, and even more harmonies that rush in like a falling tide. “Hunger” is one of the singles to come off of the album, the other being “Sky Full of Song”. “Hunger” is a powerful upbeat ballad of Welch’s own personal battle with addiction whether it be to drugs, alcohol, or even people. In an instagram post she shared that this song was never intended to be a song, it was meant as a poem trying to express how she looked for love in things that were not love. She shows off her incredible range on the piano accompanied “Big God”. On the chorus she sings “You need a big god / Big enough to hold your love / You need a big god / Big enough to fill you up” referring to herself, as she needed something more than a physical person to help her deal with the overwhelming pain of loss of relationship she was going through. 
Welch’s vocals are nothing short of flawless, but as for the production it is not up to par with previous Florence + the Machine albums. Although on “100 Years” she captivates her audience with a tribal like drum beat to back her, ultimately, from a musical standpoint the album feels dry and slightly forced. Most of the tracks don’t have any sort of riveting hook or chorus that makes a listener want to keep hitting replay, with the exception of the two singles. Although, “High as Hope” may not be their most interesting, or risk taking album, it certainly shows Florence in her most honest and raw form, and there is something to be said about putting that much truth and revelation into an album.
“High as Hope” is available for streaming now on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, and check the band’s website for a full list of their dates for both their North American and European tour.
