Despite what the name implies, most of the songs on “Dance Fever” are not ones that you would dance to. 
Florence and the Machine’s fifth studio album gives audiences 47 minutes of vocal dominance and poetic lyrics, all backed by carefully crafted instrumentals that bring emotion into the songs. Vocalist Florence Welch — the head of the band — writes bittersweet, heart wrenching songs about personal hardship, her difficulties during the pandemic and romance that isn’t working out. 

Welch opens the album with “King,” an emotional song about being torn between her career ambitions and wanting to have children — something hard to do as a touring musician. It begins quietly, with soft lyrics and drums on a low volume. The song then builds slowly, as Welch’s raw vocals grow in power and emotion. 
As it hits the chorus, a harmony adds to the density and impact of the lyrics, singing “I need my golden crown of sorrow, my bloody sword to swing / I need my empty halls to echo with grand self-mythology.” Welch creates a perfect image of a lone queen, drunk on the need for power and blind to her true needs.  
Welch builds this imagery just before singing “cause I am no mother, I am no bride, I am king.” This line gets to the heart of the battle of desires inside her: ambitious and driven for her career, but also an internal desire for children — delivered with masterful vocal runs displaying her talent. While the main point of the line is on her internal conflict, there is also a statement on gender roles. Welch is a woman calling herself a king — possibly a comment on the misogyny that leads to seeing a king as more powerful than a queen, or the gender roles expecting women to prioritize marriage and motherhood over a career. 

“King” is a strong opener for the album, although it feels a little long. It runs for almost 5 minutes, with a break in the middle that takes away from the song more than it adds. The second half of the song can generally be seen as an extended breakdown — and while it’s beautiful, it feels like it drags on longer than necessary. 

She then changes up styles completely with the next song “Free.” 

The song starts with a bouncy videogame-like synthesizer and a fast drum machine beat. By the chorus, warm pop chords and layers of strings, drums and guitar make you feel relaxed, like the relieved sigh you give when stepping away from what holds you back. Welch’s lyrics talk about the effect of music on her, easing the anxiety gnawing at her all day. She sings “I feel the beat, and for a moment when I’m dancing, I am free.” While “King” gave us deep emotions, this song has a much lighter, optimistic feel.

In the album’s fifth track, “Girls Against God,” Welch gets into her struggles adjusting to the shutdown from the pandemic. During the band’s performance at Blackburn, England, last April, Welch said she finds spirituality in her performances — and the loss of it during the pandemic shut down deeply impacted her. As Welch said, “I imagined an army of furious girls in their pajamas waging war on heaven” during the pandemic. Thus, the title was born. 

“Girls Against God” is a bit slower and quieter, but in no way less impactful. It builds gradually in an intensity over time but cuts almost all instrumentals at the start of each chorus. The stripped down beginning draws focus to the ironic, relatable vocals: “And it’s good to be alive / crying into cereal at midnight.” Welch ends the chorus singing how God will regret bringing this suffering to her. 
Outside of these songs, through ballads like “Back In Town,” references to mythology in “Cassandra,” references to historical events in “Choreomania” and a general emotional poetry amplified by melancholic instrumentals, Welch masterfully communicates her personal struggles in “Dance Fever.”
As a whole, the album isn’t what you would first expect from the artist of “Dog Days Are Over.” It has thoughtful lyrics conveying deep themes and shows off her exceptional vocal talent. It can be enjoyed by most fans of indie and alternative music, but especially those who love diving into the details of music.