The critically acclaimed indie rock group Florence + The Machine recently dropped a gripping cover of “White Cliffs Of Dover,” acting as the first single released from Jack Antonoff’s curated soundtrack for the Apple TV+ series, The New Look.
Crafted and produced by Antonoff, the contemporary soundtrack boasts covers of iconic mid-twentieth century songs performed by modern legends, including Bleachers, Lana Del Rey, The 1975, Beabadoobee, Nick Cave, Perfume Genius, and more. This marks the debut release under Shadow Of The City, Antonoff’s new imprint at the esteemed independent label Dirty Hit.
The New Look, a thrilling historical drama from Todd A. Kessler, stars Emmy Award winner Ben Mendelsohn as Christian Dior and Academy Award winner Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel. Set against the backdrop of World War II and exclusively filmed in Paris, the series explores the lives of fashion luminaries navigating the challenges of the era to shape modern fashion.
“The White Cliffs Of Dover,” as expected of Florence + The Machine, is a haunting cover of the original renditions of the song. First penned by Walter Kent and Nat Burton, the song gained popularity when the Glenn Miller Orchestra recorded it in 1941 and was made a cultural staple by British singer Vera Lynn the following year. The song was meant to boost English morale through the latter half of the war, bringing a sense of hope to the people quite literally in the trenches.
Returning to the cover, Florence Welsh’s voice is a perfect fit for a song of such stature. Renowned by fans for bringing a desperate, raw emotion to her performances, Florence once again astounds listeners with her range and tenderness. As is the standard for Florence + The Machine, her voice is carried further by absolutely incredible orchestral swells. Much like the waves breaking against the real White Cliffs of Dover, the instrumentals ebb and flow, allowing Florence’s voice to be what shifts their tide and carry the original message of hope to the listener.
This breathtaking single is one of the ten carefully-curated tracks for The New Look, which is currently set to release its seventh episode of its ten-episode season. The series can only be streamed on Apple TV+, but its soundtrack can be streamed on most major services in full on April 3, 2024, when the series concludes. Antonoff is actively maintaining a playlist on Spotify compiling each single as each episode drops.
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