Flora Lin's "Fauna" Is Beautifully Conceptualized

In a collaboration with Recreational Noise, stories are brought to life through “Fauna”, hidden yet expressed in volumes through symbolism and unforgettable sequences. All tracks in this EP are unique, yet are mere puzzle pieces to the whole picture, the whole journey. Conjoined with rock and intricate arrangements, this is surely a record you wouldn’t want to miss out on.

We might as well consider “Fauna” as Flora Lin’s brainchild, every feeling and storyline crafted within the depths of her mind. Hailing from Belgium, her work is heavily influenced by post-rock and shoegaze, moreso a combination of indie and alternative.

It’s no mistake that the songwriting is desperate, at the same time poetic and beautiful with how it embraces everything in its path. It is first experienced in “Lion pt. 1”, which seems like an internal and external fight at the same time. Amidst the all-familiar alternative rock flair are the symphonic melodies within the subtle fill-ins. However, it’s evident enough to see that it’s a push and pull type of situation, something that nastily clashes yet is also a good contender for another shot.

“Swan” views the supposed animal as a place and a person, referring to it as a cafe and ‘Mr. Swann’ as the song progresses. It reminisces within the verses, which audiences can expect to be moved by. It’s mellow, easy-flowing all the while telling what seems to be a pleasant story, yet the music itself matches what it states.

After a short interlude, a combination of synth-like arrangements and pretty, twangy fill-ins that sound colorful and vibrant found in “Panda”, comes “Tarantula”. Despite the unsettling title and species, the song’s aura is nothing but spring, cherry blossoms, and the breeze flowing through your hair—in other words, it’s extremely pleasant to the ears, and we’re not exaggerating.

But, the songwriting is another story: a narration of putting oneself down, not recalling another individual, but the self. And suddenly, we get an idea why the title is the way it is and why it works out.

“Chameleon”, for some reason, gives off video game soundtrack vibes, more particularly Toby Fox’s. This is more on the electro-rock side, with the implications beyond the sound seemingly coming from illusion. If this was compared to “Lion pt. 2”, the contrast is hard to miss. It returns to the similar energy we started off with, as if taking it back home.

Obviously, there’s more than meets the eye with this EP, and this would be a couple pages long if we were to speculate and ponder much longer. In essence, “Fauna” is a combination of elaborate storytelling and immersive soundscape, giving you the best of both worlds. You can try it out for yourself, and explore Flora Lin’s pages for more information on the concepts.