Not only is Holy Fire utterly sublime, it’s a record that’s been six years in the making. A record where Foals have focussed their many triumphs and missteps into one cohesive statement.
Holy Fire is the sound of a band utterly on form and completely on top of their game.
At times it feels as if there is no arena, stadium or field big enough to contain the songs on ‘Holy Fire’ - although you get the feeling plenty of them will be filled with these songs over the next 12 months.
The urgency of old has been mixed with the tender beauty of their more recent output, and the result of this marriage is an album that sums up what they've done before just as well as it heralds the beginning of a bold new chapter for them.
Holy Fire’s layered, painstakingly constructed songs practically beg for repeated late-night, full-volume listens, and there are enough hints of brilliance to keep Foals near the top of its class.
At the same time that Foals’ Holy Fire takes its time to develop giant-slaying hooks, the album rewards repeated listens.
Bouncy indie pop sits shoulder to shoulder with expansive soundscapes and the crescendo remains king. Still, this time around everything is bigger, bolder and funkier.
As a whole, Holy Fire is a bold effort from Foals, but like on Total Life Forever, there are few clear standout tracks admist a lot forgettable mood-setting filler.
Holy Fire is undoubtedly a very good, ambitious record, one that operates on an artistic economy of scale, where the lustrous production and singles like "My Number" and "Inhaler" do the heavy work of confirming Foals' headliner status.
Their third effort has proven a lot, yet it feels more like an investment in the future than a work of instant gratification.
This is Foals at their most mature, knowing that they have a lot to live up to and doing everything they can to deliver.
If Holy Fire is taken as a clarion call from indie rockers oversees, then we may have a lot to look forward to this year.
Holy Fire reveals a band adept at carving out arc and terrain in its music, and demonstrates a big step forward with a newfound coherence .
Through their first two releases, Foals were able to showcase their evolving sound, but with Holy Fire, their evolution stops dead in its tracks.
It’s therefore a massive let down that, rather than some kind of righteous culmination, Holy Fire is by some way Foals’ least interesting record.
Every Foals album cover looks like a fever dream like where tf are they
So I think this is the point where Foals starts getting a bit more mainstream, which is fine and dandy and all but I think it’s a bit of a step down from their first two records in terms of creativity. Still definitely good overall though. The biggest standout EASILY to me is Providence oh my godddd. That shit got me hyped as fuck. Goes suuuuper hard and it was also super unexpected. Not only do I want to dance, but ... read more
Prelude - 4/5
Inhaler - 4/5
My Number - 4/5
Bad Habit - 3/5
Everytime - 3/5
Late Night - 4/5
Out of the Woods - 3/5
Milk & Black Spiders - 3/5
Providence - 4/5
Stepson - 4/5
Moon - 3/5
Foals follow their first two great albums with a washed out shell, only bearing the aestetic of Total Life Forever. The performances are solid and the effort is respectable, but a step down from their start.
The vibe of this album is a magical, rough, woody, beautiful, grassy, earthy, watery, foresty, ethnic, breezy, foggy, rock adventure.
Just tone down the reverb please...
not my favorite record of theirs overall, but still features some of their finest works (inhaler, late night, providence)
This album is incredible, from the roaring into of Prelude, to the somber ending of Moon, this album is a trip from start to end. With hits such as Inhaler, My Number and Late Night, this album has some of Foals' biggest hits. However, the album really shines in its deep cuts, Prelude, Out of the Woods, Everytime, Milk and Black Spiders, Providence and Moon. The only reason this album isn't perfect is Stepson, which I feel is too boring and doesn't have anything special to it. Overall, and ... read more
1 | Prelude 4:07 | 83 |
2 | Inhaler 4:52 | 95 |
3 | My Number 3:58 | 89 |
4 | Bad Habit 4:40 | 85 |
5 | Everytime 4:02 | 81 |
6 | Late Night 5:27 | 91 |
7 | Out of the Woods 3:24 | 84 |
8 | Milk & Black Spiders 5:17 | 88 |
9 | Providence 4:07 | 90 |
10 | Stepson 4:48 | 82 |
11 | Moon 4:53 | 83 |
#4 | / | NME |
#5 | / | BBC Radio 6 Music |
#9 | / | The Quietus |
#12 | / | The Fly |
#15 | / | Drowned in Sound |
#15 | / | Q Magazine |
#15 | / | Under the Radar |
#17 | / | Amazon |
#27 | / | The Line of Best Fit |
#31 | / | musicOMH |