Just in time for the spooky season, Florence + the Machine are releasing something of a horror album. Magic, medicine and witchcraft are the themes that the band are exploring on their sixth album, the band's singer tells us. London (dpa) – It's no coincidence that Florence + The Machine's new album is being released on Halloween, Florence Welch tells dpa in London. "It was definitely intentional," the frontwoman laughs. "I guess in the last album, there was sort of a dark fairy tale and this one's just a horror film." The new LP, the sixth by the British indie rock band, is titled "Everybody Scream". Thematically, it takes a somewhat darker turn. "There was a lot of themes that I looked at – magic and medicine and witchcraft. And it seemed really fitting," the 38-year-old says. "It also all rhymes, which really makes me really happy. Everybody scream, Florence + The Machine, Halloween. It's very satisfying to me." Physical extremes as inspiration Her interest in mystical and dark themes was sparked years ago. "I did have a near-death experience of some kind. How close I was, I don't really know. You don't know because I didn't die. But it happened on stage and I was performing through it, completely unaware that this was going on, and that I was in that much danger." Welch is referring to an ectopic pregnancy, a complication when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus, which she also addressed in the song "King" on the album "Dance Fever". Later, she finished a concert at the Coachella festival even though she had broken her foot. "I guess I've always thought of songwriting as a portal or there is a mysticism there," says the musician, known for her intense, rousing performances. Events like these shaped her art, she says. "It just made me need to explore more mysticism and magic and understand that a little bit deeper. It was also a way of healing." Does she believe in magic? "I believe in the power of songwriting and performance as a transcendent exercise, where you potentially are tapping into something bigger than yourself that I don't really understand. But I also do, as an anxious person prone to magical thinking, have to stay quite grounded to not go insane." 'I break down, get up…' The pre-released single "Everybody Scream" lends itself to live concerts on the forthcoming world tour, and every one that follows. "That one was made for the stage," Welch confirms. The anthemic song with its driving rhythm and eruptive chorus reads like a description of her career, complete with the physical extremes. "I break down, get up, do it all again / Because it’s never enough and she makes me feel loved," she sings. Is "she" perhaps music or a higher power? The listener decides. The 38-year-old has learned from painful physical experiences. Long before the planned tour, which begins in February 2026, she began preparing her body for the stage. "This time I'm actually getting my feet ready. I'm in physio now, basically getting every bit of my body strong and ready for tour, which I haven't done before," she reveals. Fascinating soundscapes and a magical atmosphere "One of the Greats" blends elements of 1970s garage rock and grunge. The song about the pursuit of perfection in songwriting culminates in a thunderous finale. "The creative process kills you every time, and you're never satisfied. And then you go and do it again," Welch explains. "You bring yourself back from the dead to do it all over again." Using a variety of instruments and sounds, Florence + The Machine create fascinating soundscapes and an otherworldly, genuinely magical atmosphere. On "Sympathy Magic", powerful synthesizers and thumping drums are at work. Elsewhere, modern instruments meet archaic sounds. "I was looking at medieval history," the singer says. "So we were very interested in layering some of those elements in." On "Drink Deep" Florence + The Machine worked with a choir that is specialized in medieval music. "I wanted it to have a folk horror feeling. If they close their eyes, they can see the movie." Florence Welch is herself a fan of the genre, which includes films like "The Wicker Man" or "Midsommar". "Have your therapist on speed dial, I think. Have someone you can call after listening to it, I'd say," she jokes. But if you can't watch horror films, you need not be afraid of this album. "Everybody Scream" is, first and foremost, a great, versatile pop and rock album, atmospherically dense, emotionally charged and catchy. A big-screen blockbuster for your ears. The following information is not intended for publication dpa pde coh
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