Monster Florence’s introspective track ‘Handstand’ gives us an insight into the rawness of childhood trauma and the imbalance felt when trying to navigate a space where everything feels out of sync.
Monster Florence hails from Essex, and made their mark in grime by producing DIY music videos. However, to mark them as solely as a hip-hop group is also to deny their versatility and the various influences you hear in their music, from hip-hop to punk. The band was formed in 2014, and they have continued to make their mark on music – from playing the BBC Music Introducing stage at Glastonbury, to performing with Miles Kane at Abbey Road Studios last year.
‘Handstand’ is from Monster Florence’s 2020 album Cowboys and Idiots and the powerful visuals to accompany the track were also recently released. The track begins with a slow tempo, coupled with the soft tones of a saxophone and drum. The simple beat reminds us of the older hip-hop/RnB beats which give the listener an indication of exploring memory and the past. Dream Mclean opens with a slow flow to lead us into the track. We feel the sense of weariness in his tone as he recounts a fractious familial relationship and generational trauma using wordplay:
“I guess we both grew up early / Deep rooted, deep seeded”
Alex Osiris delivers the chorus three times, conveying the continuous loop of ‘crash landing’: constantly coming up for air, then crashing down again into the traumatic situation with no respite. His verse delivers a shift to a faster pace and a sense of anger whilst recounting experiences with violence. Wallace Rice increases the intensity of the track with increasing the urgency in the track via his flow on the third verse. He brings the track to a perfect conclusion and addresses the cyclical nature of trying to recover from trauma:
“Every time we speed from our demons, See we both crash again”
‘Handstand’ is one of the many strong singles from Cowboys and Idiots, and gives us an insight into the depth of the content the band produces. Whilst it may not be the fast-tempo track that current music trends demand, ‘Handstand’ is worth its weight in musicality and illustrating the authenticity of the band.
