Total Life Forever by Foals
LABEL: Sub Pop / Transgressive Records  

Occasionally a song will come along that is so sonically flawless, that short of the artist responsible committing mass murder or worse—selling their music to Starbucks (OMG!)—you will forgive them for almost anything. “Spanish Sahara” is such a single. Foals is such a group.

And Foals’ sophomore album, Total Life Forever, is a damn good listen.

“Foals showcases its musicality by deftly integrating a wide spectrum of sounds, textures and sharp fast-paced beats—then dosing the whole brew with splashes of static ambience and reverberation.”

The Oxford quintet erupted onto the music scene with the 2008 release of its debut, Antidotes. While the record was technically a commercial success, music critics abruptly dismissed and discredited the band as a flash in the pan. This lukewarm response led many to believe that Foals was just another Brit-pop and angular-sounding band of haircuts.

Foals however, seemed nonchalant about the cynical and critical comments, and following the release of Antidotes, took a two-year break from the music scene. After the initial flurries of theories and speculations as to why the band had ceased to operate, Foals became a dated and obsolete topic.
    
So you can imagine the surprise, scepticism and closet-anticipation that was felt, when Foals announced the release of album number two. A record that the band had been pottering away at during its break.

Total Life Forever is an unabashedly pop album. Post-dance is an apt description. Foals pay homage to late 1980s British new wave/synthpop/dance groups a la Roxy Music, Tears for Fears and late Bowie—using catchy choruses, driving dance rhythms and a touch of funk.

Foals create beautiful plangent soundscapes with the use of many multi-textured layers; the presence of subtle intricacies gives Foals’ music its hypnotic sound. With every listen, you discover components of the tracks you previously had no idea existed. At times the pulsating syncopation and throbbing beat drones out everything else and it is difficult to distinguish the vocals from the swirling concoction of sound. This makes for excellent dance floor music—but in fact there is so much lurking just beneath the surface.

Foals showcases its musicality by deftly integrating a wide spectrum of sounds, textures and sharp fast-paced beats—then dosing the whole brew with splashes of static ambience and reverberation. The product of such a mix is a record that is atmospheric, spacious, haunting and thoroughly danceable.

“It's as brash and as danceable as anything
the band has ever done.”

Total Life Forever is consistent and has a logical flow to it, with no tracks seeming that far out of place. Album opener “Blue Blood” sets the mood for the album—deep, slightly melancholic and emotionally resonant. Frontman Yannis Philippakis’ crooning vocals emerge from an abyss of noise, and then instrument after instrument joins in, until a great wall of sound is created. Also found on this track, are hints of Foals’ previous foray into afropop, with the result sounding like an electronic and vastly more complex version of Vampire Weekend.

Bona fide song of the year contender, “Spanish Sahara,” is an epic behemoth that starts out slow and suspenseful, and builds up to a moving and intense climax. Philippakis’ voice plaintively rings out, guitar joins in, drums crash and rumble, synths tremor, and the track soars heavenwards. “Afterglow” has Yannis channelling Robert Smith (The Cure) with vocals that drift over aqueous soundscapes. It's as brash and as danceable as anything the band has ever done.
        
Total Life Forever is a huge step in the right direction for Foals. Many times the band scales some truly impressive heights—while always suggesting that there is plenty of room for more. If anything this record simply shows signs of maturity and growth, and is proof that Foals is well on its way to becoming a stallion.


REVIEWED BY LUKAS CLARK-MEMLER
LUKAS’ FAVORITE TRACKS: “Spanish Sahara” • “The Orient” • “Blue Blood”





This Orient (right-click & save)
Spanish Sahara (Deadboy Remix) (right-click & save)

Foals "Miami" from Team G on Vimeo.

Foals from Matt Francis on Vimeo.