Time stands still in the spaces between contradictions. Swedish-American duo flora cash understands this profoundly, as demonstrated on their fourth studio album “behind every beautiful thing,” set for release on October 24, 2024. This 38-minute collection finds Shpresa Lleshaj and Cole Randall exploring the delicate balance between opposing forces – sincerity and irony, darkness and light, holding on and letting go.
From the opening notes of “Should’ve Dressed for the Event,” the duo establishes their willingness to embrace paradox. The track’s orchestral elements, courtesy of violinist/violist Djordje Milanovic and cellist Yoed Nir, create a haunting backdrop for Lleshaj and Randall’s intertwined vocals. It’s a bold statement of intent that sets the tone for the journey ahead.
“just wanna feel you” follows, shifting the mood with its lo-fi beats and nostalgic synths. Here, flora cash demonstrates their ability to make even the most intimate moments feel universal. The production is particularly noteworthy, with layers of sound that reveal new details with each listen.
The album hits its stride with “Like No One Could” and “My Ex Would’ve Left By Now,” a pair of tracks that showcase the duo’s gift for finding beauty in imperfection. The former’s cinematic scope contrasts beautifully with the latter’s more intimate approach, creating a emotional resonance that lingers long after the songs end.
“Morning Comes” serves as the album’s emotional centerpiece. Here, the orchestral arrangements shine, with Milanovic’s strings and Nir’s cello weaving through the electronic elements to create something that feels both timeless and thoroughly modern. The tension between holding on and letting go becomes almost palpable.
The album’s second half begins with “Baby I Love You,” where flora cash proves that even the simplest sentiment can contain multitudes. The production here is particularly impressive, balancing vulnerability with strength in a way that feels both honest and artful.
“The Night Is Young” and “i’m tired” form a compelling dyad, their contrasting energies highlighting the album’s broader themes of duality. The former’s uplifting vibe plays against the latter’s world-weariness, creating a dynamic that feels true to life’s contradictions.
“HOLY WATER” and “Dragon” push into more mythical territory while keeping one foot firmly grounded in emotional truth. These tracks showcase flora cash’s ability to blend the personal with the universal, creating narratives that feel both intimate and epic in scope.
The album closes with “The Builder (För J. Blom),” a fitting epilogue that brings together all the elements that make flora cash unique – the interplay of electronic and organic sounds, the balance of light and shadow, the tension between past and future. It’s a powerful conclusion to an album that never shies away from complexity.
What sets “behind every beautiful thing” apart is its unwavering commitment to embracing contradiction. flora cash has created an album that feels both carefully crafted and emotionally raw, both deeply personal and universally relatable. The production throughout is immaculate, creating space for both the grandeur of the orchestral arrangements and the intimacy of the duo’s vocals.
The decision to incorporate Milanovic’s violins and viola alongside Nir’s cello proves inspired, adding depth and emotional resonance to the electronic elements that have long been part of flora cash’s sonic palette. These classical elements never feel forced or superfluous; instead, they serve the songs in ways that feel both natural and necessary.
For longtime fans of flora cash, “behind every beautiful thing” represents a natural evolution of their sound while pushing into new territory. For newcomers, it serves as a perfect introduction to their unique approach to modern pop music.
The album rewards careful attention, with layers of meaning and musical detail that reveal themselves over multiple listens. It’s a work that feels both of its time and somehow outside of it, much like the duo themselves – bridging cultures, genres, and emotional states with grace and authenticity.
As “behind every beautiful thing” prepares to make its way into the world, it stands as a testament to flora cash’s growth as artists and their willingness to embrace life’s inherent contradictions. It’s an album that reminds us that beauty can be found not just in perfection, but in the spaces between – in the tension, the uncertainty, and the endless dance between what was and what could be.
B-Side Guys 
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