- Culture
- 02 Jun 22
Florence Welch reveals the novels that inspired Dance Fever
Set up in 2012, fansite Between Two Books now includes input by Florence Welch herself.
Florence Welch has shared the novels which inspired her stunning new Renaissance-inspired album Dance Fever.
The Florence + the Machine bandleader already runs a book club with fans, and a couple of years back, released a volume of Welch’s poetry.
A book club dedicated to Florence Welch's love of reading, the Between Two Books club are given a read recommendation every few months by Florence or other special guests, and anyone who wants to join in on the big read can do so.
Past reads include Opposed Positions by Gwendoline Riley, The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed and Your Voice in My Head by Emma Forrest - all suggested by Florence.
Taking to Instagram, the poet and singer-songwriter revealed some of the influences that remind Florence of her first album in four years.
The first is Salt Slow by Julia Armfield: "In the midst of all these haunted people, she sat alone without a ghost yet longing for one. Her writing like a clasp of fingers around empty air."
Up next is The Dancing Plague by Gareth Brookes: "I feel the old itch, God or Lucifer is at work within me."
Traci Brimhall's poetry book Our Lady of the Ruins also made the list: "Stranger inside me, when you are born, I will give you a closed book and ask you never to read it, never rest, never forgive a man who wants to save you."
2021 bestseller Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters is featured by Florence: "We are much stronger and more powerful than we understand. We are fifteen thousand pounds of muscle and bone forged from rage and trauma."
Carmen Maria Machado's Her Body and Other Parties is last on the list: "Many people live and die without ever confronting themselves in the darkness."
Irish writer Sinead Gleeson has also contributed to the album bio and Between Two Books website, which was initially started by an Irish student.
Earlier this year, I spoke to @florencemachine about her album Dance Fever. We ended up talking about choreomania, isolation, gender, folk horror in films and literature, performance, the body - you can read the whole piece as part of the album bio. 💗 https://t.co/H6NSycQPa6
— Sinéad Gleeson (@sineadgleeson) May 29, 2022
Blending baroque-pop with folk textures, Dance Fever brilliantly tackles themes of joy, fury and grief. Equally influenced by ‘70s Iggy Pop and Lucinda Williams, it’s one of Florence’s most eclectic offerings yet.
Take a look at Welch's post below.
View this post on Instagram
Florence + The Machine recently released a cover of The Stooges’ 'Search And Destroy' on the deluxe version of their new album.
Alongside the Stooges cover, the deluxe album additionally features unreleased acoustic versions of Dance Fever tracks 'Cassandra', 'Free', 'Morning Elvis' and 'My Love'.
Due to kick off in November, the pop-rock band will be making tour stops in Paris, Cardiff, Bournemouth, Manchester and more before wrapping up on November 30 in Dublin.
