Daveportivo's Cultural Evaluation Facility

2011 sees the return of 2008's indie darlings The Foals, and quite frankly they have a lot to prove. While their debut album Antidotes was greeted with open arms by an army of scenesters ready to dance to Foals' brand of sloppily labelled math-rock; many who had such high hopes for a band who artistically made all the right noises were left sorely disappointed. Antidotes felt forced, tied down by it's own pretension, at times it felt so concerned with sounding avant garde they actually seemed to lose the true creative spirit from which truly great works arise. Luckily Antidotes wasn't close to a failure, it just felt like a lost opportunity, a solid debut, when the world was expecting something staggering. As a results Foals return is met without such feverish anticipation, and they've had the luxury of semi-anonymity, they haven't been splashed all over the covers of NME each and every week in tell all interviews, instead their return has a genuine sense of mystique.

Spanish Sahara only adds to the intrigue as Foals genuinely stretch their wings. As a track it straddles an interesting middle ground half way between low-key electronica and a sweeping (dare I say it?) MOR ballad. The result is utterly thrilling, as against a sparse but burbling back drop Yannis croons with a genuine sense of desperation and sorrow, as if he's having to force each last syllable from his lips as the regret eats away at him. This kind of sincerity is not only remarkable but incredibly refreshing. Antidotes was a lot of things, but it never felt sincere, it always seem concerned with being cool, it almost had an element of arty snobbery. Therefore Spanish Sahara is a genuine departure as Yanis and Foals by extension sound genuinely fragile and vunerable as the track builds subtly to tell a tale of inner torment and horror. You always feel like the track is going to burst into trademark Foals jaunty of key bombast but it never happens, they show genuine restraint and it benefits the track greatly. The focus is solely on Yanis' soulful lead vocal and the wide open soundscape. Along with a heavy dose of low key electronica their are some obvious nods in the direction of Radiohead and post Depeche Mode European synth-pop. Yet while Spanish Sahara may not sound as unique or fresh as Foals earlier work, it effortlessly feels more complete and more heartfelt, and when Yanis reflects "when I see you lying there, like a lilo loosing air" it feels like a truthful observation not a knowing one liner. So oddly despite being one of Foals more conventional tracks, it is also their best, and most daring work to date, as they leave themselves wide open emotionally, and Yanis puts in a vocal brave vocal and lyrical performance. Similar Chris Martin Yanis puts himself forward for derision but I suspect he'll receive nothing but praise. Whether the same kids who queued up to buy Hummer will be rocking to Spanish Sahara remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain; Foals are on the right track at long last.