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Jun 21, 2018 Florence and the Machine By Christopher Roberts

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Florence + the Machine (aka Florence Welch and backing band) is releasing a new album, High As Hope, on June 29 via Republic. On Tuesday she has shared another song from the album, “Big God.” The song was co-written by Jamie xx and features Kamasi Washington on saxophone, and now it has a video. Autumn de Wilde directed the clip, which was choreographed by Akram Khan and Welch and features the singer and various female backing dancers in different colored outfits as they dance in ankle deep water. Watch it below, followed by her upcoming tour dates.

Welch had this to say about the song and video in a press release: “‘Big God’ was written about that feeling when someone has not replied to your text, the modern phenomenon of ‘Ghosting’ which is one of my favorite words but not my favorite feeling. I was describing it to someone and they said to me ‘You need a big god,’ as if the need in me were so cavernous, it would take something enormous to fill it. Probably something bigger than a text message. It’s always been a very physical song. I saw a dance piece in my head as I was writing it, so to co choreograph something with Akram Khan was a huge honor. Autumn de Wilde fully understood what I was trying to do. The power of the desire within the void, left with yourself to rage and wonder and really it is yourself you are raging against. Not the ghost.”

Akram Khan had this to say: “For me, this encounter with Florence and her powerful song somehow navigated itself towards the element-water. But the direction of the dance also became a resistance to all things that wish to oppress, a sort of protest dance and yet a celebratory one towards a new found freedom.”

Previously she shared a video for “Hunger” (which was one of our Songs of the Week) and performed the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, as well as performing it on the season finale of The Voice. The album features Kamasi Washington, Sampha, Tobias Jesso Jr, Kelsey Lu, and Jamie xx. Florence + the Machine shared a brand new song, “Sky Full of Song,” in April and it was released on limited edition 7-inch on Record Store Day (it was one of our Songs of the Week). It is also included on the album. She also performed “100 Years” on Later… with Jools Holland.

Welch wrote, co-produced, and recorded the majority of High As Hope by herself, cycling to her studio in Peckham every day. It’s the first time she’s co-produced a Florence + the Machine album. Then she finished the songs in Los Angeles with her friend and co-producer Emile Haynie and mixed the album in New York. Her daily views of the New York skyline inspired the album’s title, because, as a previous press release said, the NYC skyline is “often in stark contrast to the chaos of the wider world.”

Welch is also releasing a book, Useless Magic, on July 5 via Crown Publishing/Penguin. A previous press release described it as “a collection of lyrics, artwork and poetry offering a unique, personal insight into her creative process.”

Florence + the Machine Tour Dates:
08/05 - Montreal, QC @ Osheaga
08/09 - Lake Tahoe, NV @ Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys *
08/11 - San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands
09/08 - Vancouver, BC @ Skookum Festival
09/10 - Seattle, WA @ KeyArena ^
09/11 - Portland, OR @ Moda Center ^
09/14 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Maverik Center ^
09/15 - Denver, CO @ Grandoozy Festival
09/22 - Las Vegas, NV @ Life Is Beautiful
09/23 - San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena at Aztec Bowl San Diego State University #
09/25 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl #
09/26 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl #
09/29 - Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory #
09/30 - Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion #
10/02 - Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena $
10/03 - Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center $
10/05 - Washington, DC @ The Anthem %
10/06 - Washington, DC @ The Anthem %
10/09 - New York, NY @ Barclays Center
10/12 - Boston, MA @ TD Garden
10/13 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena @
10/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center @
10/16 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre @
10/19 - Chicago, IL @ United Center !
10/20 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center !

* with Wet
^ with St. Vincent & Lizzo
# with Grizzly Bear
$ with Billie Eilish
% with Beth Ditto
@ with Kamasi Washington
! with Perfume Genius

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