This review's been a long time coming to be honest. I can't believe how long it's taken for me to listen to this in full! An album's first listen deserves full attention so finally, 2 weeks after release I got down to it. Here's my track by track...


1. What Went Down
Biggest song on the album! I don't actually think I'll change my opinion on that - this song is a juggernaut! The build on this is stellar. It's easy to compare this to "Inhaler" but it's a completely different  type of aggression fueling this. That grit-your-teeth-steel-yourself-confrontational type of anger in the bridge is nothing like the crowd-hyping-blood-boiling electricity in Inhaler. People will lose their minds to this - live or not.

2. Mountain At My Gates
This track chimes in so sweetly after that but in just as big a way. This is a belter - one for the thousands to sing. Very catchy hook. In short this song just felt confident. A safe but enjoyable track - I can't fault it.

3. Birch Tree
So this might be the most forgettable track on the album in my opinion. Still a solid track - radio-friendly, but nothing about it really jumped out at me. Nothing really held my attention throughout the track.

4. Give It All
Foals really show their undeniable versatility on this record. The way this track swells is almost soundtrack-like. The band's ability to paint a picture with their tracks has just grown and grown since Total Life Forever. Such a simple track but strikes a chord with Yannis' crooning and Walter's unmistakable "oohs" in the background.

5. Albatross
Next to "What Went Down" this is up there with my favourite songs on the record right now. The bass on this creeps up on you. It wasn't until around the 2 minute mark that my ears really pricked up. Everything just comes together so perfectly on this track - the synths mesh so well with the guitar.

6. Snake Oil
I'd seen videos of this performed live at their Rough Trade in-store before I listened to the record in full. The fact that I recognised the riff instantly after hearing maybe ten seconds of it live just says enough. This will definitely be one of the ones to stick in your head. I did expect the song to build up a little more urgency towards the end, so was shocked that it stayed pretty level. However, there is so much wiggle room for live performances on this song. I can already see the circle pits!

7. Night Swimmers
This song sounds like what it's called really. The guitar mimics ripples throughout. Again the bass though - Walter really kicks ass on this record! This track was a bit of a slow burner for me but by the end I was head nodding, air drumming and completely captured. Tune.

8. London Thunder
Three-quarters of the way through the album and I'm content. I feel like this might be the track that I return to the most on the album (out of the non-singles). I had to play this twice when I first heard it just so I could take in every last bit. Lyrically, conceptually - this song has an overwhelming presence, it just washes over you. 

9. Lonely Hunter
This instrumental is fantastic. Whilst I was listening to this I remember thinking "I'd love to hear a feature artist on this track" and then I realised that four albums in and Foals have never had a feature artist on any of their records. Foals have covered so many different sub genres throughout their career, touching rock to mainstream without the help of outside influence - big kudos.

10. A Knife In The Ocean
Here's where Jack shines most in my opinion - I love the drums on this. Strong ending (particularly instrumentally) to a consistent record. Although stepping away from a sound that has already been critically acclaimed is a risk in itself, this track did make me wish that Foals had risked a little more. Nothing on this record made my heart jump more than, or even as much as, the title track. There are no bad songs on this album but there could be more edges.


The last track didn't feel definitive; I expect something like a part two to this album - there's just so much more that Foals can do. It seems ridiculous to think it after they've given us so much but they've proven that they're a band that gives more every time and it's quality. I'm excited for what might be ahead.

Overall Rating - 7.5/10

Ghostpoet dropped his third album recently and after interviewing him here, I thought I'd give my two cents about the new record too. A couple of weeks since its release date and I've had more than enough to time to listen to it over and over again and form a valid opinion for each song! Plus, it's been far too long since I reviewed an album and there have been so many to talk about. So here's the track-by-track...


1. Off Peak Dreams - The first single that I heard from the record and the first concrete evidence I had that this was going to be another triumph for Ghostpoet. Such a smooth opening song - as easy going as it is, it doesn't hold anything back musically, it just dives straight in and I like that in an opener.

2. X Marks The Spot (feat. Nadine Shah) - Already a quick vibe shift with a slightly slower and more swampy sounding song. I like how consistent the instrumental is too - as well as adding another level to the record, the track itself doesn't have too much going on inside of it. Simple but effective.

3. Be Right Back, Moving House (feat. Paul Smith) - In keeping with the slower tracks, this song in particular gives you the chance to properly listen to and take in Ghostpoet's lyrics - and I love how straight forward they are, not hiding behind too much metaphor or wordplay, just there.

4. Shedding Skin (feat. Melanie De Baisio) - The second single that I heard from the album and the first that I'd heard of Melanie De Baisio. I'd say that it was a pretty good first impression! Hearing this after "Off Peak Dreams" I had no idea of what the rest of the album might sound like at all. Two pretty different songs, both bringing memorable moments to the record. I was singing "You think you know me, you'll never know me..." for a long time afterwards. 

5. Yes, I Helped You Pack (feat. Etta Bond) - I love, love, love Etta Bond's voice mirroring Obaro's throughout the song. They mesh so well that you barely notice that there are two voices singing by the end of it. This is one of my favourites on the record overall. Again, a simple song but just the little things push it to greatness. 

6. That Ring Down The Drain Kind Of Feeling (feat. Nadine Shah) - Right now, I think that I slightly prefer this song to the other Nadine Shah feature. The sluggish bassline makes you feel just as defeated as the title suggests.

7. Sorry My Love, It's You Not Me (feat. Lucy Rose) - My current favourite on the album actually - I just love the riffs on this. When I first listened to the album, this was the song that I had on repeat. I would've expected this to be the next single - a great driving song.

8. Better Not Butter - This song had me nodding my heading before it hit 5 seconds in. I love how sinister the instrumental sounds and the guitar adds so much whilst being so minimal. Held together mostly by the rhythm section this song is a belter for sure - look forward to seeing this live at some point.

9.The Pleasure In Pleather - I love the repetition towards the end of this song and the escalation. The best drum part on the whole record in my opinion.

10. Nothing In The Way - This piano part was the perfect way to end this album. It felt like a movie soundtrack almost - sort of like the end credits. This song is just refreshing. It sounds very clean and when it ended the first time I heard it, it did make me feel like I'd come out of something, or literally "shed" something. Brilliantly placed song.


This album just cemented my opinions of Ghostpoet's fantastic story-telling abilities. To me this body of work just feels like a continuation of everything that he's put out prior - like a little update of his current feelings in life. I look forward to the next installment. 

Overall Rating - 8/10

As well as Savages and Bo Ningen's awesome collaboration this year, another two bands that I love have come together to do something magical. On the 24th of November, Warpaint released a remix of Daughter's "Winter"...