Flowers for Juno has always thrived in the shadows, but with their latest single, ‘Message to Lana’, the project feels more hauntingly transient than ever. Arriving just a month after the dark embrace of ‘My Bloody Kisses’, this new offering from producer and vocalist Benjó James is a masterclass in atmospheric tension, blending the crushing weight of gothic metal with the ethereal, druggy textures of shoegaze.
It is a track born of sudden inspiration and industry frustration; James admits, "I didn't write and record this as quickly as the last single, but it didn't exist as a song until maybe a week prior to release. It was supposed to be part of an EP that for some reason the powers that be aren't letting me release, so this single is all you can hear for now."
This sense of being a "sole survivor" of a suppressed project gives the song a tangible urgency. Sonically, it is a dense, swirling vortex of fuzz bass synthesiser and shimmering guitars that seem to expand and contract like a living lung. James handles the lion’s share of the instrumentation, but the secret weapon here is Freja Crozier, whose Northumbrian harp cuts through the distortion with a fragile, ancient clarity. This juxtaposition—the synthetic grit of the programming against the organic pluck of the harp—creates a disorienting, dreamlike space. The track even finds room for a clever interpolation of the Mags’ ‘Ugly Bitch’, weaving external fragments into James’ own internal monologue.
The visual identity of the release is just as raw as the music. The cover art features Djeszica Han-Mahedemi, captured in a candid moment from the past. James notes, "The cover photo was just one I took of my ex when we were partying in Kazakhstan, and perhaps in some ways that disorienting excess is reflected in the music." That spirit of "disorienting excess" is exactly what makes the track so compelling; it feels like a memory that is beginning to fray at the edges.
Whether it’s the ritualistic throb of the drums or the way the vocals drift between a whisper and a plea, ‘Message to Lana’ is a captivating look at an artist leaning into the chaos. While we wait for the "powers that be" to relent on the EP, this single stands as a powerful, solitary testament to Flowers for Juno’s evolving gothic brilliance.
You can stream the new tracks above via Spotify, and for more, be sure to follow Flowers For Juno on Instagram and Facebook.
