Constant Smiles, the long-evolving ambient pop project led by Ben Jones, has announced that their new album, Moonflowers, will be released on November 7th via Felte. The record follows a strange and fascinating path, marked by a fluid lineup and a wildly shifting sound that has defined the band since its inception. Now, with a solidified core lineup, the band has crafted what is described as a “subtle masterpiece of internally-born ambient pop.”
The announcement arrives with the new single and video for “Time Measured in Moonflowers (feat. Cassandra Jenkins).” The track, which serves as a fitting culmination of Constant Smiles’ journey, draws inspiration from Hayao Miyazaki’s film The Wind Rises. Jones explains that the song is “about riding inspiration when it comes, like the wind,” and how it’s also a meditation on “how time slips through your fingers and life moves like the wind.” The track is a gorgeous tapestry of sound, weaving together pensive acoustic guitar, atmospheric keys, and the gentle, intertwined vocals of Jones and Cassandra Jenkins.
The accompanying video, directed by the band, is a beautifully whimsical visual that mirrors the song’s ethereal quality.
Moonflowers features an impressive list of collaborators, including Fred Thomas, Katie Von Schleicher, Shahzad Ismaily, Steven R. Smith, and P.G. Six. Jones has long been influenced by the artists he surrounds himself with, and this record is a testament to that collaborative spirit. He notes that the album’s extended middle section was inspired by the crumbling middle of Katie von Schleicher’s song “Nowhere,” while having Cassandra Jenkins on the track was a natural fit given her influence on the record.
With its clear emotional fabric and a tone that is intentional and observational, the new album marks a significant shift for the band. The music feels cared for but not overthought, perfectly capturing the feelings that arise before you have time to process them. Moonflowers is the clearest possible view of a project that took years to form, and yet feels like a new beginning.