Meet Liana Flores, Bossa-Pop's Latest Flower in Full Bloom
Liana Flores, Bossa-pop’s latest enigma, recently announced her debut album, Flower of the soul, and each new single is more entrancing than the last. The London-based, British-Brazilian songwriter draws on jazz, folk, and Brazilian pop sounds for a uniquely intimate and picturesque style, sure to captivate new listeners.
Of the latest single, “Orange-coloured day,” what stands out immediately is Flores’ singular voice. She draws listeners into a vintage world of jazz, where sultry meets delicacy, all infused with pop instincts. There’s also a cinematic whimsy to Flores’ vocals—how she cascades down scales and jumps octaves with the same grace. Each note is delivered with bell-like resonance, embodying the spirit of improv with the intelligence of a careful composition. Especially when “Orange-coloured day” ends, with Flores launching into harmonized vocal scatting, listeners can appreciate the musicality of her melodies.
The song craft itself demands attention, as interlocking parts wind together in complex patterns that melt seamlessly into each other. “Nightvisons” captures this phenomenon, with harmonized vocals weaving between guitar arpeggios. A magical landscape comes to life around us, a true night vision of a garden walk at dusk with the twinkling chords spinning out. Flores invites strings into the orchestration on this track, taking the enchantment to new heights as the music unfurls in waves.
“I wish for the rain,” the first track released so far off of Flower of the soul, showcases the opposite side of Flores’ alluring writing. Rather than the swells of instrumentation like in “Nightvisions,” this track embraces the beauty of a traditional jazz arrangement. Brushed drums roll beneath a walking upright bass, and an electric guitar lightly solos to the side. Flores gets to flaunt her vocal control, letting vibrato soar and low notes settle in.
Only three singles into the world of Flower of the soul, Liana Flores has already charmed us into loving her upcoming debut album, set for release on June 28 via Verve/UMG Recordings.
Listen to the songs released from Flower of a soul thus far below:
