PREMIERE: Ilithios – Florist

Perhaps you may be tired of employing the phrase “in these trying times” by now. Pandemic fatigue is real, although certainly not a justifiable reason to not keep up mask and distancing compliance, and empathy in 2020 is paramount. Whether you’ve been quarantined with loved ones, roommates or completely, utterly alone, we’ve all undeniably been party to a universal moment. Something that’s become increasingly rare as the monoculture fades with access to pursue specific sub-interests to their zenith.

Newly minted artist Ilithios is a product of that shared, but from a distance, experience and his debut album, Florist, is not only a wonderfully illustrative snapshot in time, but offers some of the beauty in the pain that will certainly linger whenever we might be able to move on from this era. The work of Brooklyn musician Manny Nomikos, Florist finds joy through the static of Zoom calls and other new normals.

The soaring title track says it all in the aching chorus, “oh, I want to be where you are tonight,” working as a sort of inciting incident doing the calculus of, “wait, it’s really going to last for how long?,” back in March. From there, themes of isolation and longing are juxtaposed against lush, floral arrangements ferrying you away to that happy place that’s helping you hang on.

All in all, Ilithios is here with a brilliant soundtrack for us all to lose ourselves in, at least maybe for a little while.

Florist is out everywhere now and you can order your copy here.