Flowers for Juno, the dark artistic outlet helmed entirely by vocalist and producer Benjó James, returns with the two-track single, ‘My Bloody Kisses,’ their first offering since the spooky seasonal cut ‘Morgue Than Words.’
This latest release, arriving via Bad Baboon, cements the project's commitment to a distinctive, lo-fi gothic aesthetic that James himself aptly labels ‘doom gaze’, a hybrid genre that blends the slow, heavy melancholy of doom metal with the washed-out, textural haze of shoegaze. It’s a sound that’s both intensely atmospheric and deeply personal, which makes sense given that James handles every element of the music, from the electric sitar and bottle synth parts to the final master.
The title track, ‘My Bloody Kisses,’ doesn't waste any time easing you in; it opens on a bed of ambient industrial noise before slowly building an immersive soundscape. Lo-fi drum loops eventually introduce filtered, fuzzed-out guitars and a vocal that’s deliberately buried beneath layers of effect and distortion—a key hallmark of the 'gaze' end of their sound. The track avoids a conventional song structure, instead focusing on evolving its dense, three-minute atmosphere. It moves from a dark, almost industrial foundation to a moment of clarity with the introduction of brighter synths, giving the impression of an underwater transmission suddenly finding its signal. The track feels immediate, having been recorded and completed in a single night—a process that gives it a raw, instinctive clarity, free from over-polishing. Lyrically, James explores the emotional tension inherent in relationships that teeter between comfort and uncertainty, conveying a feeling of alien, yet deeply human, fallout.
The companion track, ‘Pink Noise,’ reinforces the experimental side of the Flowers for Juno identity. If ‘My Bloody Kisses’ is a storm of layered textures, ‘Pink Noise’ is the lingering electronic hum that follows. The whole package shows an act that has steadily refined its approach since the debut single ‘Physical Culture’ in 2023. James chooses mood and intention over technical perfection, resulting in a unique sound that marries industrial grit, the melancholy of gothic rock, and the heavy distortion of shoegaze. This new single is a darkly compelling listen that captures the raw, late-night energy of its creation, confirming Flowers for Juno’s place in the UK's shadowy underground.
You can stream the new tracks above via Spotify, and for more, be sure to follow Flowers For June on Instagram and Facebook.
