Hear Me Out: ‘Ceremonials’ is Florence and the Machine’s best album

Posted On March 9, 2025March 9, 2025

It’s one of modern music’s great mysteries—we all know Florence and the Machine, but who actually is “the Machine”? I’ve seen them perform live countless times and still couldn’t tell you. Maybe that’s part of the magic: the enigma, the enthral, the intrigue. There’s something so utterly entrancing about Florence Welch, both in voice and presence, that she captivates the spirit. She’s like a nymph, a witch, and a god all at once—firmly earning her place in modern folklore.

When asked about their favourite album, most Florence Welch fans would instinctively rush to Lungs—and fair enough. It was the breakout record, utterly mesmerising, and gave us ‘Dog Days Are Over’, a song that hardly needs more praise at this point. But my heart has always been with the follow-up, Ceremonials, released in 2011.

We begin, of course, with the Calvin Harris remix of ‘Spectrum (Say My Name)’. Even those who aren’t fans of the Scottish DJ can acknowledge its infectious energy. While it has become a staple of New Year’s Eve fireworks displays on television—a tradition unlikely to change—it’s hard to deny the sheer quality of the track. Bursting with intensity from the very first note, it sets the tone for the record, highlighting the band’s fearless approach to their sound.

It’s a powerful opener to an album that knows exactly what it sets out to achieve from the start. Simply put, this is Florence’s call to arms—a war cry, an emphatic statement of her emotions and identity. It’s this raw, unapologetic expression that defines her appeal as an artist.

In that vein, we move on to ‘Shake It Out’, one of Florence Welch’s most iconic hits. It has earned that status for good reason—the lyricism is simply stunning. “I am done with my graceless heart / So tonight I’m gonna cut it out and then restart,” she proclaims in the bridge, building toward an anthemic climax of hope and regeneration. Truly, if you don’t feel even the slightest bit life-affirmed listening to this one, I’d say there’s something very wrong.

Turning to some of the album’s more hidden gems… well, it’s a treasure trove, frankly. Here, there’s ‘Seven Devils’, a spellbinding incantation of revenge. “I don’t want your money / I don’t want your crown / See, I’ve come to burn your kingdom down,” she declares. We all ride at dawn.

So much of the album is charged with this emblazoned spirit. It’s angry, evocative, and fierce—practically made for a film soundtrack. Honestly, The Hunger Games missed a trick by not having Katniss Everdeen careering into battle with this in the background. With that image in mind, Florence stands as the embodiment of female power—equal parts fairy and fire.

That said, we then find ‘Strangeness and Charm’, the tone of which really lives up to its name, swerving the record in an expansive direction. Notwithstanding the album’s trademark timbre and drums, it’s a jarringly pacy tune that laments some of the tenderest moments of the whole album with lyrics such as: ”The static of your arms, it is the catalyst/ On a chemical it burns, there is nothing like this/ […] An equation heaven sent, a drug for angels”. Once again, that raw power shines through. In this incredible effort, it is very clear that no punches are pulled.

The album is so much about self-worth that it is almost easy to forget Florence’s ability to capture the magic of human experience and love. This variety of talent, displayed at her disposal, marks the album apart. Ceremonials is timeless and quintessential—but not only that, it’s Florence and the Machine at their pure, unbridled, raging best, capturing the enigmatic mysticism they were made to embody.

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