New EP from flora cash

flora cash is a Swedish–American musical duo formed by Shpresa Lleshaj and Cole Randall, after a serendipitous meeting on SoundCloud in 2012. They released their debut EP, Mighty Fine, at the end of 2012 and since then, they’ve enjoyed a decade of musical success, sharing multiple well-received singles, EPs and full-length records to a growing base of fans around the world.

Earning a reputation for their moving alternative indie compositions and racking up over half a billion streams along the way, they’ve gone from strength to strength as songwriters and performers. Now they bring us their latest release and offer something entirely different with their brand new EP titled Vår Pil (Piano Quintet Suite För Rocker Peggy).

Marking a departure from their distinct sound, with their new EP they foray into the neo-classical sphere. Dedicated to their daughter, Rocker, this four track release sees the pair link with Canadian composer Jordan Grigg to craft four delicate instrumental piano-led pieces. Initially composed for Rocker’s second birthday, flora cash has released the EP to coincide with her third.

Opened by “First Steps,” warm piano tones gently float above the elegant stretches of string lines, softly building a moving scene as the notes continue to tumble with rising pace and rhythm. Layering up the string arrangement, adding lively staccato flourishes that dance alongside the piano, the first song on the EP makes a compelling statement from flora cash, introducing an unexpected and entirely welcome side to their sonic vision.

“To Watch You Grow” sees airy piano notes hover in an atmospheric sea of reverb, joined by intricate string touches to craft a slow-burning sound that rises to epic heights as the spectrum of strings combine from the rumble of bass notes to the soaring melodic leads. It’s another superb display of flora cash’s modern classical adventure that sees them capture the beauty and timeless quality of traditional music while filtering it through their own unique sonic lens.

“Teenager” threads a stripped back soundscape of sparse piano plinks, cautiously exploring and painting a heartwarming canvas as the soft vibrations of string lines enter. Swelling to an enveloping sound of laid back piano melodies as the dazzling arrangement of strings weaves an emotive backdrop, “Teenager” presents an immersive journey full of blissful writing.

The EP closes with “Search,” started with the whimsical flutter of graceful piano as the string notes enter, gathering around the lead notes to stitch a joyous fabric of engaging modern classical music. Across the EP, flora cash distil their experience as parents, infusing their own experiences watching their child grow and blossom into a heartwarming collection of music that captures a worthwhile snapshot of their creative expression.

Listen to Vår Pil (Piano Quintet Suite För Rocker Peggy) below