Foals - Total Life Forever

Releasing a seven-minute slow-burner as an album’s first single is a risky move. Particularly if you’re in a band like Foals, who up until the absolute revelation that was ‘Spanish Sahara’ had been best known for creating angular yet accessible math rock.

In hindsight, it was the perfect indication of things to come. They stepped things up a gear almost effortlessly, creating something with an unexpected amount of emotional depth whilst showing they had made other changes as well. Their musicianship improved even further as they explored tense and dramatic soundscapes such as those that surround ‘Black Gold’ and ‘After Glow’.

‘Atmospheric’ was the by-word; away from the energy rush of ‘This Orient’ and ‘Miami’ there lay hidden a new and wonderful side to their music. Yannis Philippakis’s cryptic lyrics on dazzling songs like ‘2 Trees’ revealed his sensitive side, lyrics delivered in a trembling falsetto that added plenty of extra weight. This was an album that transported the listener to another world; by turns vulnerable and life-affirming, ‘Total Life Forever’ was the sound of a band unafraid. [GO’M]

Audiovisuals: Blue Blood // 2 Trees // This Orient // Spanish Sahara