Florence + the Machine Leave Us Screaming with New Single and Album Announcement

photo by Autumn de Wilde

Florence + the Machine are back with the title track from their upcoming album, Everybody Scream. Full of Florence Welch’s cathartic vocals, witchy undertones, and ethereal atmosphere, “Everybody Scream” takes on a darker tone compared to her last album, Dance Fever (2022).

Mysticism and witchcraft are prevalent themes in this new project, which is inspired in part by Welch’s lifesaving surgery during the Dance Fever tour. As with many Florence + the Machine songs, womanhood, passion, partnership, and spirituality weave throughout the music as well, but here they take on a more haunted edge.

Welch wrote and produced all the songs on the record over the past two years, with contributions from IDLES’ Mark Bowen, The National’s Aaron Dessner, and Mitski.

Even before seeing the accompanying music video, the eerie chorus in the song and driving rhythm reminded me of a coven of witches – a visual that the music video delivers on, and then some. Directed by Autumn de Wilde (who also spearheaded the videos for Dance Fever, including my personal favorite, “Free”), the video follows Welch and her “Witch Choir” dancing through the countryside. Chaos unfolds, as people become possessed by an unseen force, shaking, contorting, and, of course, screaming. In perhaps what is a fun easter egg, Mark Bowen appears as The Bounty Hunter. Watch the full video below!

It feels only right that Everybody Scream will be released on Halloween (October 31). You can find pre-orders here.