ALBUM REVIEW: THE FLOWER PRESS – SLOWDANCE

The artist formerly known as Matt Donovan is now rebranded is The Flower Press. Obviously he is still Matt Donovan, but when you record under your given name there might be a dozen other Matt Donovans out there also releasing music. However, in the context of Matt’s new album Slowdance, the change to The Flower Press is a most fitting name as it feels more rooted in the country than the city and, like the music it contains, manages to capture the essence of being outdoors while wrapping everything in a warm psychedelic glow.

Slowdance opens with the shimmer of ‘Wingspan’ a track full of optimism that creates images in the mind of a soaring bird riding the thermals over a bucolic landscape. Sunlight twinkles off water, or through the canopy of a forest, and it hints at the calming thread running through everything even if the impetus came from mourning the recent death of his much-loved sister, Sue-Claire. Matt says, “The process of writing and recording provided solace, gave a sense of purpose and helped come to terms with a sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one. I wanted to mark the loss with something I can reflect on anytime for the rest of my own life.” I think anyone who has suffered the loss of someone close could find respite from sadness in the gentle optimism of this album, especially in the repeated line “you were never far from home” on ‘Never Far’, the only track on the album with vocals.

I’ve known Matt as a drummer for many years, most recently playing live with Morten Valence, but he is also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist so no one thing dominates. Like the best watercolourists or oil painters, he captures a sense of landscape beautifully. So, unlike a photograph, you get a sense of place not just a faithful depiction of what the eye can see. One of the shining lights on this record is ‘Wood Child’ with synth washes, soft arpeggios and tablas underpinning the track but it’s when the twang of bass comes in that the pulse quickens and the track starts build up momentum and brings some unexpected funk into the folk. 

It’s the attention to detail that makes Slowdance such a wonderful listening experience. Just as you think a song has settled into a lush repeating pattern a new sound will drift in to add 10% more dopamine to the mix. In ‘Never Far’ it’s the keyboard line that floats in near the end, and on ‘Wilderness’ the waterfall layers of piano are joined by intertwining synth-lines that swoop in like acrobatic swallows. ‘Night Vision’ and ‘Sweet Butterfly’ both have guitar melodies that are understated and achingly beautiful, and the title track, ‘Slowdance’, has the languorous feel of being the only person in the world who is awake at 3am.

There is somnambulistic poetry in so many of the tracks. Though the inspiration may come from a place of sadness, Slowdance is reflective, plangent, and brings catharsis to bear on sadness in the same way the sun clears mist on a cool morning.

The Flower Press: Instagram

Review by Paul F Cook

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