Florence and the Machine: 'Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up)'

"The looking glass so shiny and new," sings Florence Welch on 'Rabbit Heart', before quickly adding: "How quickly the glamour fades." While it may not be a direct reference to the perils of modern fame, the 22-year-old Londoner can't have been oblivious to such connotations. Though currently riding a wave of critical acclaim thanks to her Brits victory earlier this year, she seems well aware that praise and press interest can disappear as quickly as it arrives.

However, Florence need not worry about waning support while she continues to release tracks as powerful as this. Following on from the punchy 'Kiss With A Fist' and hollering stop/start rhythms of 'Dog Days Are Over', this is probably her quirkiest release to date. Harps, hushed backing vocals and flutes combine with twisted fairytale lyrical allusions to King Midas and Alice In Wonderland, before a crunching chorus provides a near-cathartic release. The reference points may be obvious (Tori Amos, Kate Bush), and the hype may be huge, but F&TM are forging their own success story here.


> Click here to watch the 'Rabbit Heart' video