Description
Florence And The Machine – Ceremonials – Double 180 Gram Vinyl Records
Released on October 28, 2011, Ceremonials marked a pivotal moment in Florence + The Machine’s career, taking the ethereal, baroque-pop magic of their debut Lungs (2009) and transforming it into something even more cinematic, gothic, and emotionally intense. With towering orchestration, tribal percussion, choral arrangements, and Florence Welch’s haunting, cathedral-like vocals, the album feels like an otherworldly experience—an artistic statement that immerses the listener in themes of love, loss, grief, and transcendence. Where Lungs often felt raw and visceral, Ceremonials is refined and grand, with Welch fully embracing her role as an ethereal, gothic priestess of sound.
Sonically, Ceremonials leans into heavy, layered, and dramatic production, with producer Paul Epworth crafting a lush and cathedral-like atmosphere that blends baroque pop, gothic soul, and orchestral grandeur. The album features pounding drums, sweeping strings, cascading harps, and gospel choirs, making each song feel like a sacred ritual. Thematically, Welch explores the mysticism of water, ghosts, emotional purging, and spiritual transcendence, evoking imagery of crashing waves, candlelit halls, and haunted cathedrals. Throughout the record, she wrestles with grief, heartbreak, fate, and the tension between control and surrender, creating a deeply poetic and immersive experience.
Opening with “Only If for a Night,” the album immediately sets a ghostly tone, inspired by a dream Welch had of her late grandmother. The track’s swirling choral elements and hypnotic percussion establish the grandeur that defines the rest of Ceremonials. The album’s most iconic anthem, “Shake It Out,” follows with its gospel-infused catharsis, as Welch sings of shaking off regret and darkness, offering one of the most uplifting moments on the album. In contrast, “What the Water Gave Me” leans into brooding, hypnotic intensity, drawing inspiration from Virginia Woolf’s suicide and creating a mesmerizing atmosphere that builds to an explosive climax.
“Never Let Me Go” is one of Ceremonials’ most hauntingly beautiful moments, with Welch’s ghostly, reverb-drenched vocals capturing a feeling of complete emotional surrender—whether to love, fate, or death itself. The soaring drama continues with “No Light, No Light,” a thunderous and intense track that builds upon tribal drumming and urgent strings, evoking desperation and celestial longing. Meanwhile, “Breaking Down” introduces a subtler, vintage-inspired sound, its upbeat melody masking lyrics that hint at the creeping presence of sadness. “Seven Devils” plunges the listener into dark, apocalyptic territory, its ominous piano and eerie choral elements making it one of the most cinematic moments on the album.
Even amidst its grandeur, Ceremonials finds moments of soulful introspection. “Lover to Lover” brings a blues-infused rawness, while “Heartlines” pulses with tribal rhythms and themes of destiny and fate. “Spectrum” stands out as an exultant burst of shimmering euphoria, celebrating light and transcendence, later reimagined as an electrifying dance remix by Calvin Harris. The album closes with “Leave My Body,” a fittingly spiritual conclusion that echoes the themes of release and transcendence woven throughout the record.
Upon release, Ceremonials was met with critical acclaim, debuting at No. 1 in the UK and reaching No. 6 on the Billboard 200, solidifying Florence + The Machine as one of the most compelling acts of the decade. Critics praised its emotional depth, elaborate production, and gothic beauty, with Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and NME naming it one of the best albums of 2011. Over time, Ceremonials has been recognized as a defining work of the baroque pop and gothic rock revival, influencing artists like Lorde, Hozier, and Lana Del Rey to explore similarly lush, dramatic soundscapes.
A decade later, Ceremonials remains a powerful and immersive album, one that doesn’t just demand to be heard but felt. Its themes of love, grief, and redemption continue to resonate deeply, making it an album that lingers long after the final note fades. If Lungs was about fighting for breath, Ceremonials is about surrendering to the storm, embracing the flood, and emerging transformed. Whether you’re drawn to its poetic storytelling, its towering soundscapes, or its raw emotion, Ceremonials is a timeless masterpiece—one that cements Florence Welch as one of the most haunting and powerful voices of her generation.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic sealed
Track Listing
Only If For A Night
Shake It Out
What The Water Gave Me
Never Let Me Go
Breaking Down
Lover To Lover
No Light, No Light
Seven Devils
Heartlines
Spectrum
All This And Heaven Too
Leave My Body
