“My message will always be Love” 

One of the first sentences in Mauvey’s bio. So far, 2022 has not been overly kind to me and there has been heartbreak behind many of the doors I’ve opened this year. In this uninterrupted sadness, I played The Florist, both because I had been awaiting the album, but also because I had just signed on to review it. My playlist has been somewhat down tempo (read: depressing), with little variety and spunk to it lately. When I played the first track “,9,” I found myself distracted by the electric melodies, sultry vocals and a rhythm that just keeps giving. Before I was fully aware of what was happening, I was swaying, and then dancing, in my living room. This was a small win for me, as I’ve been hard pressed to find slivers of joy in anything lately. Days later, when I read that quote, I realized he had led me to love, albeit in one of its simplest forms — through music. 

The album’s name is fitting — it can be compared to a bouquet, arranged purposefully and presented with pride to its recipient. The careful curation of feel-good dance anthems combined with heavy R&B deep cuts creates an ebb and flow that shows how multi-faceted Mauvey is. The Florist is cut from a different cloth and creates a longing in the listener — “What will be next? Will this next track make me want to twerk in my living room? Will it remind me of an unrequited love?” It’s an exciting adventure, and after ten songs, I found myself wishing the ride wasn’t over yet. It’s rare to find an artist that so eloquently switches back and forth between hard hitting rap and passionate vocal range. When reviewing music, I usually listen to an album in the background while accomplishing some menial task, letting the music sink into my subconscious first. For the first few listens of The Florist, I thought “Zoo” was actually two tracks that were blended into each other. I think this speaks to how cohesive the album is overall. 

The Florist is an impressive mixtape and an excellent introduction to Mauvey’s artistry. While not the strongest album I’ve listened to over the last year, I look forward to seeing what the next release will look like — it’s rumoured his debut full length will be out next year. At the very least, I feel like this album granted me a small distraction and silver lining I didn’t know I was looking for. — Shayna Bursey