46 minutes ago, Witchpop said:

 

omg i love it 

MASTERPIECE. Song of the year.

Also the video is so simple and yet so so beautiful. So full of cathartic, freeing energy...I love everything 

is this unplayable for anyone else on the explicit version of the album on Apple Music?

 

3 hours ago, VENUSWAVE said:

is this unplayable for anyone else on the explicit version of the album on Apple Music?

 

It didn’t automatically download but it’s playable for me. 
 

—  

 

The newest song might be my fave so far. Sounds like a HaH song made in the production style of Ceremonials.

Sympathy Magic reminds me of South London Forever, it's cute. Still waiting for something truly groundbreaking, I believe she has it.

I'm not really connecting with anything from this era. She started to lose me with DF, and I feel she's sort of trapped in that style of writing 

0/3 for me too. Nothing offensively bad, it's just that none of the singles captivate me. 

This is like.... the fifth time she made this exact song. The lack of evolution is starting to worry me. 

age restricted video...
is ha poosay hanging out?

1 hour ago, Blondie Darko said:

0/3 for me too. Nothing offensively bad, it's just that none of the singles captivate me. 

For me, it's the exact opposite. I prefer all the songs over the Dance Fever singles. (except maybe "Free".)

11 minutes ago, GRMusic said:

For me, it's the exact opposite. I prefer all the songs over the Dance Fever singles. (except maybe "Free".)

I loved the DF single run, everything was super strong and cohesive and I loved the carefree essence. All the material this era feels like weak versions of stuff she's done in the past, like going by the Florence recipe without the magic. 

3 hours ago, Blondie Darko said:

I loved the DF single run, everything was super strong and cohesive and I loved the carefree essence. All the material this era feels like weak versions of stuff she's done in the past, like going by the Florence recipe without the magic. 

this sadly how i feel like i think. i like all the songs but they are just florence watered down

So, nobody has this álbum in full?

The takes in this thread 

1 hour ago, AnitaFalafel said:

The takes in this thread 

the early death of this thread...

Well I, for one, am excited and fear this album is about to be life changing  

15 hours ago, Dragonfly said:

age restricted video...
is ha poosay hanging out?

Pretty sure it was throbbing at some point

Sympathy Magic on blast in the shower is a magical experience  

Everybody screams is still the IT girl, but Sympathy Magic is a nice album track 

SM is indeed more of the same for her but honestly it's the type of comfort Florence song that I can't help but love. The other singles suggest something a bit more adventurous so I'm sure the album will have a bit of everything for everyone.

 

Can this L word already tho.

AOTY tomorrow  

One of the Greats > Everybody Scream > Sympathy Magic. 

Overall tone & score

• Paste rates the album 7.5 out of 10. Paste Magazine

• The review describes the album as a "guttural, flinty rock record" that intersects with the band's mystical aesthetic and Welch's interest in the occult. Paste Magazine

• The reviewer says it is perhaps Welch's "most direct statement about the seductive, liberating qualities of witchcraft", referencing themes of folk horror, primal release and catharsis. Paste Magazine

• But it also notes some unevenness: "not every idea or lyric lands" and the second half of the album is "more uneven". Paste Magazine

---

2. Key themes, inspirations & context

• The review begins by linking back to how Welch previously posted a whiteboard with statements like "clarity = power," "Swans vs Adele," "you can have it all," "purpose," etc., signalling the album's aims. Paste Magazine

• The album builds on the band's past touchpoints (e.g., 2022's Dance Fever) but leans more heavily into gothic/folk-horror territory: summoning "a distant, spooky past" and embracing primal tendencies rather than suppressing them. Paste Magazine

• There is a personal dimension: Welch's personal trauma (including an ectopic miscarriage and life-saving surgery) is referenced as giving the emotional undercurrent urgency and weight. Paste Magazine

• Collaboration plays a big role: contributors include Mitski, Aaron Dessner, Mark Bowen (of IDLES) and producer Danny L. Harle. The review notes it's her "most collaborative, extroverted effort to date." Paste Magazine

---

3. Highlights & specific track commentary

• The review singles-out the opening track (title track) for mixing psychedelic organ, propulsive drums and a choral yelp reminiscent of Midsommar. The track sets up the mood of dance/perform/scream. Paste Magazine

• On "One of the Greats": Notes the narrative about gendered power and double standards ("It must be nice to be a man and make boring music just because you can" / "It's funny how men don't find power very sexy / So this one's for the ladies"). Described as a raw stream-of-consciousness rant, recorded in one take though produced over three years. Paste Magazine

• "Witch Dance": Praised for "gripping vocal breathing," a bass reminiscent of Kill Bill, and a beat-switch that contracts and expands like a "heart muscle." Paste Magazine

• "Sympathy Magic": The drums pound, strings swell, and Welch addresses "vague humiliations of fame" and a desire to rid of her pain via being taken out of her body. Yet the review picks a fault: the stadium-sized synths near the end risk deflating the build-up and moving toward a "Coldplay-lite" anthem. Paste Magazine

• "Kraken": Imagery of Welch transforming into the mythical sea monster; described as "rollicking, ecstatic instrumental." Paste Magazine

• Later tracks: "Music by Men" is called "tonally wonky" compared to "One of the Greats" — the review notes modern references (couples therapy, listening to The 1975) bump up against rustic acoustic guitar riffs. Paste Magazine

• "The Old Religion" and "And Love" are described as Dessner-productions: The former "a bit too gloomy," the latter more successful with "pretty synths and harp strings," ending the album on a strong note. 

I couldn't access the link so I asked AI to break it down assfghjkl