In the nighttime Berlin, where neon lights reflect in puddles, music becomes the pulse of the city. Life is boiling in the clubs and on the streets; here time moves to the rhythm of bass and synthesizers. Spontaneous performances by street musicians with guitars, explosive DJ sets, and melodies merge into a single sound stream that permeates the night space, creating an atmosphere where music is the language uniting people. Berlin is a musical universe where emotions and passions find their expression.

A bright representative of this musical culture is an independent musician from Berlin, Vlad, performing under the pseudonym Flowers ¹⁵. In his debut album “Friends Team”, he offers bold and experimental sound, a mix of flower-pop and alternative electronics, which in itself is already intriguing. However, what truly sets “Friends Team” apart is the vocals. “Friends Team” captivates with its lyrical richness, as Flowers ¹⁵ rejects typical pop clichés and creates textures free from banality, with rhymes that are light and memorable. The album includes 12 tracks, and I’d like to focus on a few of them.

The opening track, “Press Machine,” despite its compactness, manages to build tension and intrigue for the entire album. The electronic rhythms, calm at first, gradually build up, as if the machine itself comes to life, and by the end of the track, the rhythm abruptly stops, leaving a lingering aftertaste of suppressed rebellion. This track serves as an excellent introduction to the complex themes that will unfold in the subsequent songs. The final note of “Press Machine” is an anxious cry, followed by the mysterious and piercing melodies of the second track, “More Than Just Friends.” The vocals of Flowers ¹⁵ sound fragile, teetering on the edge of confession, while the minimalist accompaniment of muted drums and soft synthesizers creates an atmosphere of uncertainty.

Photo by @flowers15.band

The sound throughout the album is multifaceted: hypnotic melodies are abruptly interrupted by sharp beats or take on a more delicate tone. This tenderness is especially felt in the track “New Heaven.” It begins with a light, almost ethereal sound, reminiscent of the twinkling of stars. The vocals flow smoothly, while the sonic textures create a sense of something distant. The echoing synthesizers and fluid beats paint a space resembling an endless cosmos. Gradually, the mood becomes more tense, and anxiety builds.
Then, in the track “Red Roses,” the culmination of this tension and anxiety takes place. “Red roses” here symbolize not only passion but also pain. The vocals are sharp and filled with a sense of fracture. The song is about destructive relationships, where each rose leaves scars. The electronics in this song are harsher, with heavy bass and repetitive drum machines, creating a sense of the cyclical nature of pain. The heavy beat and synthetic sounds, colliding with delicate melodic phrases, heighten the drama. “Nice To Me” picks up on the mood set by “Red Roses.”

At first glance, “Nice To Me” seems like a lighter, almost weightless song, but behind its gentle melodies lies a story of shattered expectations. The vocals start off distant, gradually intensifying and reaching a breaking point by the finale. Pastel synthesizers and soft rhythms carry a hidden irony. The extravagant, hypnotic vocal tones are unique. In the track “Focus”, for instance, the vocals float over the melodies, and it feels as though time has slowed down. It’s an almost meditative track, where the voice guides you through layers of sound. Slow synthesizers, emphasis on bass, and precise rhythms create an atmosphere of solitude.

And then, in this context, one of the most mystical tracks on the album, in my opinion, emerges – “Brutal Father”. The melodies become sharper: beats and synthesizers emphasize the emotional weight. Broken rhythms and deep bass amplify the sense of instability, and the vocals pierce through, conveying the pain of misunderstanding. In the finale, the melody suddenly cuts off, leaving a sense of incompleteness and a hint that this isn’t the end.

The final track, “Repeat That”, is an exploration of the obsessive repetition of one’s own mistakes and mental traps that are hard to escape. The melody, starting off rather calmly, gradually accumulates emotion, shifting into chaos. At the climax, when the sound reaches its peak, everything suddenly stops, and silence takes over. This sharp contrast creates a feeling of release and deep contemplation. Silence in this moment becomes far more expressive than any note, leaving a state of melancholic self-reflection. “Repeat That” is a farewell to the part of the mind that cannot stop.

It’s fair to say that “Friends Team” is a rare example of modern music that isn’t afraid to challenge audience expectations. The album evokes an emotional response precisely because of its elusiveness. “Friends Team” is an album that blends sensuality with experimental electronics, capturing a balance of light and shadow. Ultimately, it’s a bold statement from a young musician who is clearly ready to go his own way.

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