On February 5th, Flor released their EP titled Sounds.
Flor, who recently joined the iconic Fueled By Ramen family, originated in Hood River, Oregon and is made up of four members – Zach Grace (vocals), Dylan William (bass), McKinley Kitts (guitar) and Kyle Hill (drums). Flor currently resides in Los Angeles, California as they create their full-length, self-produced album.
To me, their music can only be described as pure magic. The production and instrumentals hold a mind-melting, body-floating feeling. It’s like a fairy tale as the vocals tie the story beyond the words together perfectly.
I saw the Oregon band play first on the Chicago date of Halsey’s ‘Badlands’ tour. Their stage presence creates an ethereal, friendly environment that reacts well with their crowds. I can say with full confidence that they are just as good live as they are in-studio.
Their set at ‘Badlands’ had me smiling for weeks on end, Flor truly has a special something about them. The band are incredibly talented, kind-hearted individuals.
Hearing Sounds leaves you feeling satisfied but also wanting more. This is one of those rare EPs where I want to truly listen to each and every track without skipping through.
The EP opens with “Heart”, the first song I ever heard that really drew me in. “Heart” fills you with a sense of joy and purpose, leading with strong beats and an aura around it that vaguely reminds me of their tour-mates track “Roman Holiday” by Halsey.
After the strong beats of “Heart”, you’re lead into “Warm Blood”. This second track is more of a chill song than the track before it. The three minute and forty two second song makes you feel like you could close your eyes and then reopen to a transported magical realm. The build up that starts about three minutes in leads into a drop of absolute beauty.
“Back Again” ties back to the first track. This track is tied for my favorites with “Heart”. “Back Again” is perfect for late night car rides with windows rolled down, or for when you’re thinking a bit too much and need to calm down. The soothing beats of it, message behind it and chants of “I guess I never really thought it through” are enough to make me tear up a bit.
“Let Me In” closes the EP, appearing like a light-hearted song at first due to the instrumental vibes, but the lyrics may be enough to rip your heart in half. The song includes a genius, earth-shattering drop, heavy drums going while the lyrics tell about coming to terms with loss.
Flor is 100 percent on my list of bands to watch as 2016 folds and I hope they’re on yours as well. They are creating breath-taking art with each and every track they release. They are wonderful people and musicians to support.
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