Moving boldly into 2026
Birds Of Paradise remixes, Auntie Flo x Doe Paoro, Sunflowers, Plants Can Dance 22nd Feb, Fox + Firkin, Magnetic Fields India, Live AV at the Turner Gallery, remixes and ambient tracks. Alex Horne RIP
One of the takeaways from 2025 is that things take time to build. I started A State Of Flo in Jan 2024 and it feels like only now, two years later, I’m seeing things beginning to flower from seeds planted two years ago (excuse the pun). I haven’t analysed this in great detail but there is a growing sense of things coming together as I’ve kept up the consistency of my creative output - releases, gigs, substack newsletters and social media posts.
As a result, I’m finding opportunities coming through - be them gigs, commissions, collaborations, talks, workshops or whatever. So my advice to anyone in a similar position is: play the long game, you might not get an immediate response but consistently creating (whilst ensuring the quality doesn’t dip) will eventually get noticed.
Moving into 2026, I have three large album projects lined up, a few big commissions which are waiting on funding, the launch of our long awaited mobile app ‘Soniferous’ (click the link to register for early access) and a number of remixes/collaborations and more in the works. It’s an exciting time, and certainly would not have been possible at any point in the past two years.
A change this year is letting my followers into my process in the studio and elsewhere via Instagram. I’ve decided to embrace it, with more reels spoken to camera. Follow here to have a look.
Birds Of Paradise Remixes
I’m excited to share some activity lined up for this year, starting with the first release on the label. I reached out a bunch of DJs and producers who I’ve looked up to to remix tracks from Birds Of Paradise: Sean Johnston (as Hardway Bros) from A Love From Outer Space, Manchester’s Ruf Dug (NTS / Rhythm Section), Los Pulpitos (a new collaboration signed to Crammed Discs between Closer Musik’s Dirk Leyers and Rafael from Dengue Dengue Dengue), Bilbao’s Orion Agassi (who masters a lot of the music on the label) and also added a new version of EarthNRG from myself, inspired by a conversation we had during the album launch Bandcamp Listening Party.
My approach was to call upon people I’ve connected with over the years, and who have who have recently played or complimented my music. Most notably, Sean Johnston became an early supporter of the label, which gave me a big boost - his support of ‘Praise Him’ from 2024 opened the Auntie Flo name up to his dedicated follower base.
The remix package will now be included in a freshly re-pressed vinyl version of the album where the album download will include the remixes. The first pressing sold out so if you missed out, order your copy now (they will be shipped by the end of the month)
Auntie Flo x Doe Paoro
Costa Rica-based singer-songwriter Doe Paoro asked me to remix ‘Teach Us Of Endings’, one of the singles from her recent album, ‘Living Through Collapse’. I had so much fun with the recordings that we agreed I’d develop this into an EP, creating two extended versions - Green City style - and that I’d press on limited orange vinyl on A State Of Flo.
I can’t wait to share these extended balearic bombs.. coming next month.
Brian d’Souza - Sunflowers + Plants Can Dance 22nd Feb with Li Yihae
Last year, Plants Can Dance collaborated with the cassette label ‘Music To Watch Seeds Grow By’ at our September event in London, featuring two of their artists Stella Z and Lapalace. I was subsequently asked to create an album for their second series of releases kicking off this year. I’m honoured to kick off the series with ‘Sunflowers’ and album which tracks a sunflowers life cycle using biosonification of biodata from a sunflower to inspire the album.
It will be released on 17th Feb. Pre-Order the album here. With the cassette you also get a packet of sunflower seeds!
We’re hosting a launch party at the first Plants Can Dance of the year, at Hideout, London Sunday 22nd Feb. It will featured a live rendition of the Sunflower album and a live set from another ‘Seeds’ artist lined up for 2026, the renowned Chinese ambient musician- Li Yilei. If you are unfamiliar, listen to this incredible album ‘Nonage’ from last year:
Tickets can be purchased here:
We’re presenting this event as more of an ambient concert, just to change up the format (plus Lamine can’t make this one). So think beanbags on the floor, an afternoon of deep listening and still-ness surrounded by plants.
Brian d’Souza x Ru Earl - Deep Listening at the Turner Gallery
I did a Plants Can Dance performance at Shai Space in south London last year, and was pleased when they asked me to be part of their Turner Gallery takeover in Margate on 7th Feb. I was giving an open brief and opportunity to collaborate with visual artist Ru Earl. Our project has come together really quickly, with Rupert’s analogue light box visuals and great match for my cascading arpeggios on the modular, exploring psychedelic states of consciousness. Here’s a little sneak peek:
Auntie Flo Live band at Magnetic Fields Nomads, Rajasthan India
I’ve toured India four or five times and always had Magnetic Fields festival on my bucket list. In December, they reached out and asked if I could bring the Auntie Flo band over, they’d seen the footage of our Jazz Cafe gig and loved it.
So social media does work! Catch us on 14th Feb - visa permitting I’ll be joined by Ambasa Mandela from Kenya to sing Green City and Mame N’Diack from Senegal for Mame’s Story and others.
Auntie Flo DJ set at Fox + Firkin 21st Feb 2026
I’m a DJ at heart and excited to have an opportunity to DANCE at this London event. I’ve got so many new dance floor tracks to play - come down for a boogie. Excited to be joined by Sarah tonin too, who is a resident at Bill Brewster’s Low Life parties.
Here’s a recent DJ mix I did to get you in the mood:
Auntie Flo remix of Wake Up Baby by Isa Gordon & Tony Morris
I’m a mega Tony Morris fan and it was fantastic to join up with my og Glasgow crew Huntleys + Palmers to put together this remix package (coming soon).
Auntie Flo ‘Mycelia’ on Permanent Vacation’s Still Motion ambient Compilation
I honestly have no memory of making this song (!) so was pleasantly surprised when Benji from Permanent Vacation records told me it came out this week as part of the ‘Still Motion’ compilation
Alex Horne aka Fine Grains Records (1982-2025)
Finally a special mention to one of my best friends Alex Horne who sadly passed away on 20th December after a 6 year battle with cancer. Alex and I met at university 20+ years ago and connected over music, football and a lust for life. He quietly battled this horrendous illness, achieving more in the past six years that many do in a life time.
I was honoured to be asked to say a few words at his funeral last week and connect with his closest friends and family over the past few months. His label put out some amazing music, not least the Cain album from last year, which was one of my favourites.
I’m running the London Landmarks Half Marathon on April in his memory, raising money for Momentum Cancer Charity. If you’d like to donate, please follow this LINK