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Review

Liana Flores is a singer-songwriter that actually got her start on youtube, but she turned her passion into a full fledged career and after releasing a few EPs she released her first full length album in summer of 2024. With styles ranging from a very noticable bossa nova flare to more singer-songwriter focused tracks, Flores really brings all the diversity an album like this needs, while also not falling too far out of lane. 'Hello Again' is a heavenly experience, Flores' voice feels like getting wrapped you up in this blanket made of flowers, and the flute, guitar, and subtle drums are all working in tandem in simply the best way imaginable. It's got a groove that is very reminiscing of Bossa Nova, but it doesn't go all the way there, which is completely fine. ;Orange-coloured Day' is again completely beautiful, and brings all the same elements but it doesn't at all feel redundant, in fact it feels incredibly fresh. This album is just completely captivating. 'Nightvisions' slows us down a bit, but she gives some absolutely incredible vocal runs that are just jaw-dropping. This song left me in awe, I honest can't explain how simply perfect her voice is on this, you just have to listen to it. 'Crystalline' keeps the beauty of this album going, I feel like her vocals feel more personal on this song, and the instrumental has been stripped back a bit to do that. Now and then feels ever so slightly more simple, the instrumentals don't build quite the same way, they're slightly less full, and her voice becomes ever so slightly muddled, the problem is that all these things are such small nit-picks because this song is still great, but it's just a bit less great than the last track.

Halfway heart digs into Flores' bossa nova bag more than her previous songs, and I happen to love bossa nova, so that is absolutely not a problem with me, again she has some great vocals runs on here, and it simply radiates happiness. "When the sun..." is an interlude, a small poem about the sun and rain, nice. I wish for rain feels a little more messy, but it's hard to tell when it sounds so beautiful, it does funny enthrall me like the Nightvisions, but it's still great. Cuckoo feels like a lullaby, and a nice one at that, but the soundscape built here seems to be drifting just slightly from the magnificence of Nightvisions or Crystalline. Obviously she still sings beautifully, that will never go away. Butterflies is most Bossa Nova inspired track. Liana Flores and Tim Bernardes have created a beautiful classic of the genre, and I think it stands near to the vocals classics of Bossa's original rise. It's very nice, and I think it's the most calming on the album, and a perfect feature. Slowly is the closer, and as you would expect, it's great, beautiful, she has some very impressive runs on here, and the storytelling is a standout. The subtle but noticeable change of the guitar in the 2nd half is a nice touch, and adds to the feeling of closure this song gives.

Overall, a completely aweing experience, and some of the most "sitting in a field of flower blossoms" sound out there. It's got a completely unique blend of folk and bossa that I have never seen done quite so well. The centerpiece of this album is unquestionably her voice, because it's completely incredible, the fact that this is her first album makes me unbelievably excited for her next works. This album is extremely timeless, there is almost nothing that could date this well into the 21st century, this music could have been around for 400 years, she was just the one that put it into the world. I think "Bliss" is a word that describes this album well, and I think for the maximum experience I suggest listening to it outside in the grass on a sunny day. My one and only gripe, it's a little short, it goes by so quickly for me, let's just hope her next project gets at least a little longer run-time.