The warm months are behind us, meaning Brooklyn-based four-piece Florist timed their new EP perfectly. Acting as a study in the realms of melancholy and heart-wrenching realities, “Holdly” comes off as a sometimes bittersweet narration of growing up that captures adulthood in ways people don’t like to dwell on. With an uplifting twist, this dreamy folk group made somber “sad boi” songs into beautiful reflections that cope with the stark blandness of growing up.
The album shares its name with the track “Holdly,” which feels like it’s about finding a kind of sacrilegious rapture in love. The line, “We eat our souls and don’t bother to replace them,” strikes a chord when heard in conjunction with the soft warbling of lead vocalist Emily “Mle” Sprague.
“Cool and Refreshing” takes up the banner of this theme with a touching illustration of what it means to be a young adult. Sprague creates a complex character thrown into the confusing adult world, following them on their journey toward coming of age.
The album winds through stories of broken love in “Remembering Spring 2013” and the solace found in cups with “Unholy Faces,” all the while evoking near-spiritual images.
Florist keeps the idea of adolescence in its glowing glass case of nostalgia while taking care to remove it and inspect it.
