After a four-year break, Foals are back with two new studio albums in 2019. Their long-awaited Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 will be released on the 8th March, with Part 2 expected in the Autumn.
Their first single from Part 1, ‘Exits’, was premiered as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record on Radio 1, giving fans a taste of what to expect from the new album. The band noted that whilst the first album has a more “groovy” sound, Part 2 will follow the rockier sound we heard on What Went Down. Foals are a band known for their mixing and experimenting with genres, and their new albums seem to be no exception. With familiar sounds from previous albums also making a comeback, this is what makes this project so highly anticipated.
This is the first music the band will be releasing since becoming a four-piece, and also their first self-produced album. These changes mark a shift in the band’s dynamic, both in the studio and with live performances. However, they have insisted that this has only strengthened their writing process. When talking to Annie Mac, they emphasised the fact that these changes gave them the chance to have a new start as a band and begin in a fresh way. In essence, these two albums are coming from a brand new band in terms of the writing process, whilst also being rooted in Foals’ classic sound.
‘Exits’, at 5 minutes and 57 seconds long, has received high praise from fans and critics alike. Frontman Yannis Philippakis described the inspiration behind ‘Exits’ being the current state of the world, describing the threat of climate change as being trapped in a labyrinth, the world essentially being “upside down”. The band’s ability to combine the ever-changing messages in our society with timeless melodies and riffs makes them a truly unique group, as they have illustrated since the release of their debut album Antidotes in 2008.
We described the track as “a groovy combination of guitars, synths, and drums that will have you bobbing your head for just about every second of its slightly controversial almost six minutes.” This is what has made fans particularly excited to see the new albums played live during their huge world tour scheduled for this summer. After playing together as a band for over a decade, Foals’ live performances are, arguably, what makes them one of the most respected bands in rock music today.
In an interview with NME, the band discussed the lyrical threads running through both albums. Philippakis noted that “it’s not yin and yang or anything corny like that. You can also tell that it’s a band working in the same space over the same period of time. If you were to put it crudely, the first record is probably more keyboard-driven and has slightly more of a new wave feel to it. Then album two has more of the heavier rock frenetic energy.” They all agreed that both parts are companion pieces and act as two halves of a whole, as opposed to two completely separate works. Together, Part 1 and Part 2 will combine every aspect of Foals’ sound that their fans have come to love.
Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Parts 1 and 2 are looking to be a brand new beginning for the band’s music, arguably making them Foals’ most anticipated albums to date. If you get the opportunity to see Foals live this summer, don’t pass it up!
Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost Part 1 will be available from March 8th via Warner Music. Listen to ‘Exits’ below:
