Midnight Flowers – We All Seem Fine (2021)
With their debut EP We All Seem Fine, Midnight Flowers delves into a number of topics – from first loves to moving on, and living outside the religious ideology you grew up with. Each track of the EP brings these topics to life, while moving between musical genres. With a touch of pop-rock, post-punk and rock ‘n roll, the EP brings real-life issues to the sound the band loves.
Tatiana Orr (vocals, synths, keys) and Charles Kaericher (drums, guitars) are the duo behind the sound. They both have a long history in music, with Kaericher placing in punk and post-hardcore bands, while Orr is a classically trained vocalist and pianist. While they have known each other for years, it was only during the pandemic that they started to work on this musical project, and create music together.
The EP opens with ‘Shades of Blue’, which builds up in volume from nothing, to carefully pull you in. There is a light rock tone that merges wonderfully with the dreamy vocals. The hazy vibe adds power to the vocals that dip into a feeling of dissociation. As the chorus rises through the soundscape, the vocals soar and echo to create a soft cushion to rest on. The intertwining of the rock tones in the melody and the dreamy flow of the vocals has you floating down the soundscape and contemplating what the lyrics have to tell us. The track reaches a crescendo close to the end, that drops for a warble of tones and drums that lead you into nothingness.
‘That’s Life’ has a steadier flow to the music that sets your soul at ease. Orr’s vocals bolster this feeling as she breezes through the soundscape like a cool wind on a hot day. Her voice is a tender caress against your skin, while the lyrics consider moving on from a relationship. The retro synths that fill the melody later are a great movement, bringing the tug of nostalgia that tinges some of the lyrics. There is a wonderful journey woven into this track that has you moving on and building your own path in the world. The chorus is really catchy and you do want to sing along before the end of the track.
The strummed tones that open ‘Never You pt. 2’ slide into a bopping beat. The melody forms a river of sound that tugs you along the current, while warm summer sun shines down on your skin and warms it. The layered vocals create depth to the track that vibrates away with the synths. There is a modern movement to the synths that is wonderful to hear. When the beats roll back into the soundscape after giving way for the synths, the melodic lines combine, getting you bopping away to their rhythm. Through all of this, the vocals have a melancholic edge to them as they acknowledge that there is a problem, and it might be with them.
‘Some Time’ enters your ears with an opening that creeps through the soundscape like the first tendrils of dawn light. This track has a much softer and hazier opening than the others on the EP. There is an almost folky feeling to the movement as if there is fog rolling through the long grasses of a meadow. This is picked up on the currents of the guitar and led to a burst of colours that explode through your senses. The vocals continue their dreamy movement that is so soft you can’t help but want to sink back into them. The lyrics have a searching feeling as they look for balance in life.
Some retro tones make their way into the EP through the opening synths of ‘Sleep This Off’. The 80s pop tones of the opening drop you into some 90s indie rock-pop that has the lightest touch of surf to it. The melodic movement is bright and gets your shoulders swaying to the rhythm. The happy vibes of the music is a little at odds with the lyrics at times, but this contrast enhances the enjoyability of the track. The overwhelming pressure felt in the lyrics is eased by the lights of the melody for a really enjoyable listening experience. There is no way you can listen to this track and not feel the urge to tap your toes and potentially sing along to the lyrics.
The EP comes to a close on a soft note with ‘We All Seem Fine’. The deep beat thumps against your chest, while the higher levels of the melody has you floating in the air. This continues the contrasts of the EP, while filling you with some peaceful vibes. While the peaceful vibes are great, they also contradict the feeling of the lyrics. Through the lyrics, the track considers how we seem fine on the outside, but inside is another story. A call for reconciliation between these two feelings is woven into the music as the vocals try to work through the negative emotions. There is a tentative strength that comes from the single that sets you on the right path to find your inner strength.
Midnight Flowers has you floating on hazy vocals, while melodic flows sweep beneath you through the tracks of their debut EP We All Seem Fine. Through the tracks, the band takes us on a journey of contrasts and inner thoughts. As you work through emotions with them, there is a tentative feeling of strength that settles in your chest.
Find out more about Midnight Flowers on their website, Instagram and Spotify.
