Some songs ask for your attention. Others simply sit beside you and speak softly until your heart listens. Westwell’s “Flowers in Your Hair” is firmly in the latter category; a track that doesn’t demand the spotlight but still manages to steal it with a kind of quiet majesty. For those who’ve been following along, you’ll remember Westwell from their evocative track “Don’t Forget to Leave the Light On.” Now, they return with something even more tender and cinematic, released today, June 20.
From the very first note, “Flowers in Your Hair” sets itself adrift on a tide of reverb-soaked guitar lines, echoing just enough to feel like a distant memory returning to the present. There’s a dreamlike quality in the ambient layering—think Fleet Foxes bathed in golden-hour light—but underneath the atmosphere is a steady pulse. The drums are patient and grounding, giving the song a spine without ever overpowering its gentleness.
James and Gus Corsellis have a way of singing that doesn’t just carry lyrics; it carries truth. The vocal delivery is fragile, like someone thumbing through old letters or standing on the edge of something they’re not quite ready to let go of. It’s never performative. You can hear the lived experience between the lines, the kind of honesty that can’t be fabricated.
The lyrics are reflective but not heavy-handed. Lyrically, the song moves through memory like wind through tall grass. It’s a meditation on tenderness, likely romantic, but universally resonant. The image of someone with “flowers in their hair” is more than a visual; it’s a metaphor for grace, youth, and impermanence. There’s a clear sense that the narrator is looking back with love, perhaps even longing, but not regret. The track unfolds like a quiet acceptance of what was, and what will never be again. To me, this song is a memory being made. It doesn’t aim to impress with fireworks; it aims to connect.
Musically, the production is understated but intricate. Jamie Biles proves once again he’s a master of restraint—letting textures breathe, building momentum with subtle brushstrokes. A warm piano line trickles through the mix like morning light through curtains, unobtrusive yet essential. Every instrument seems to know its place in the emotional geography of the track.
If this is your first introduction to Westwell, consider this your welcome letter. If you’ve heard them before, you’ll recognize the steady hand and sensitive spirit that have always set them apart. They are artists who plant seeds in your memory—and here, those seeds are in full, fragrant bloom.
Listen to “Flowers in Your Hair” on Spotify
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