Florence and the Machine Explore the Depths on New Song ‘Mermaids’

Florence and the Machine has shared a new song, “Mermaids,” which is part of the “universe” of the group’s recent LP Dance Fever.

The track, produced by Dave Bayley, is a darkly layered pop tune that sees Florence Welch singing about the grey English weather, Britney Spears and “cheerful oblivion.” “You haven’t seen nothing/ until you’ve seen an English girl drink,” Welch croons over a propulsive synth beat.

Welch previously teased the new song with several Instagram posts, including one of her in a bathtub wearing a mermaid tail and vampire teeth. On one video she wrote, “A new song is coming to the Dance Fever universe.” The short clips that have appeared on Instagram presumably come from a music video for the track.

Florence and the Machine released Dance Fever, their fifth LP, last spring. In December, Welch and Co recruited rising singer-songwriter Ethel Cain for a new rendition of “Morning Elvis,” the closing track from the album. The pair recorded the new version live during a Denver concert.

Last month, Florence and the Machine shared a cover of No Doubt’s “I’m Just a Girl” for the soundtrack of Showtime’s Yellowjackets. The song appeared in the haunting season two trailer.

“I’m such a huge fan of Yellowjackets and this era of music, and this song especially had a huge impact on me growing up, so I was thrilled to be asked to interpret it in a ‘deeply unsettling’ way for the show,” Welch shared in a statement. “We tried to really add some horror elements to this iconic song to fit the tone of the show. And as someone who’s first musical love was pop punk and Gwen Stefani it was a dream job.”