Belgian artist Florent C. dives deep into emotion and imagination with his mesmerizing new album Underwater City, released in April 2024, a moody, cinematic exploration of love, chaos, and self-discovery. Known for his bold fusion of dark pop, ambient soundscapes, and experimental production, Florent crafts an immersive world where the pulse of modern urban life meets the stillness of deep introspection. Recorded between Milan and London, the album drifts between serenity and tension, portraying human vulnerability and desire. It’s an atmosphere, an experience that pulls you below the surface and refuses to let you go.
The opening track, “Perfect Disaster,” sets the tone with muted, dreamy layers and smooth, subdued beats that flow like ripples over still water. A melancholic female voice opens the song, her tone delicate yet aching, before a male charismatic baritone enters, adding emotional weight. When the sharp percussion drops, the song blooms into hypnotic rhythm and heartbreak, with haunting lyrics like “If I had known you were perfect, I never would have left you in the rain.” It’s cinematic, reflective, and beautifully restrained, like watching a love story unfold in slow motion.
The title track, “Underwater City,” is the album’s serene core. Its soft, airy beats and ethereal vocals conjure a tranquil, almost otherworldly space. The duet between male and female voices feels like two souls floating toward each other through glowing blue depths. When she sings, “Neon fish swim around me, they make me feel so alive,” it’s pure escapism, a vision of beauty emerging from isolation.
By the time “Bee’s Knees” arrives, the album has shifted into intimate territory. Over ambient pulses and lush textures, the breathy voice captures a tender sensuality, confessional and self-assured. She sings here, “But when you trace hearts on my chest and say I am the best you’ve ever had, I can’t help but feel it too/Yeah maybe I am the bee’s knees too.”
Altogether, Underwater City is a lush emotional dive—hypnotic, poetic, and deeply human—a rare gem shimmering beneath the surface of modern pop.
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Review by: Naomi Joan