Track Review: Holes // Florel Daze

The solo project of Australian singer-songwriter Ben Donnelly, Florel Daze is a combination of natural musical talent and a curious personality. Lying somewhere between Tame Impala and The 1975, there is an indie-rock influence to his music. Yet, he cannot be defined by a single genre transitioning from indie to post-punk and underlying notes of synth-pop.

A new character on the music scene, although his self-taught playing suggests more sophistication, Florel Daze is already reaching people on an international scale. Featured on The Other Side Reviews, Triple J Unearthed and iHeart Radio (to name but a few), this artist is slowly building a loyal following. The latest addition to his well-received discography is ‘Holes’.

Following his debut single ‘Follow Me’, Florel Daze adopts an edgier attitude in the indie track ‘Holes’. Yes, there is an underlying synth influence, however, the new single is more eclectic leaning more toward indie-rock. A heavily guitar-driven track, Ben showcases his self-taught skill with the instrument. Moreover, the interspersed crescendos from softer guitar to rock riffs add personality to his sound. It is as if you are thrown into a hazy swirl of sound, but the tone of instrumentation acts as an anchoring foundation. Yeah, I don’t know if that made sense either but bear with me.

Harmonically binding with the hazy instrumentation, Ben’s smooth vocals flow effortlessly bringing a silkiness to the track. Oddly enough, the lyricism seems to contradict the laidback tune as Ben explains “the song [‘Holes’] is a concoction of different mindsets at the time. It draws from the emotional instability and despair in which the pandemic inflicted on myself and I’m sure many others.” Yet, if we look at the other side of the coin, the charming melody contributes to the poignant lyricism prompting a “sense of hopefulness in being able to use this opportunity of change to patch up the existing holes in your life.”

Multi-faceted to the core, Ben showcases introspective maturity in his music. ‘Holes’ is a kaleidoscopic soundscape in which you can easily lose yourself…plus, it’s so good you wouldn’t mind losing yourself. Trust me, this is one to place on your “relaxation playlist” and put on repeat.

‘Holes’ is only Florel Daze’s second single, but there is an evolution being seen in his sound.