Foxes’ forthcoming new album The Kick was created from a place of isolation - written and recorded remotely via zoom during the height of the pandemic, it offered a form of vivid escapism for Foxes, real name Louisa Rose Allen. Inspired by the desire for freedom that the world collectively shared over the last 18 months of lockdowns, the near-animalistic desperation to socialise, and a longing to dance again, Louisa naturally pivoted the sonics to feed that escapism and create a record that simultaneously feels close to her euphoric, dancefloor-filling pop roots that brought us hits like ‘Let Go For Tonight’, ‘Youth’ and ‘Body Talk’, while still feeling completely fresh.
Unafraid of the art of the well-loved melancholic-banger, lyricallyThe Kick touches on themes of loss and heartbreak, narrating painful places and soundtracking new beginnings to create an album for the post-pandemic world and a summer of never leaving the party early.
Sister Rayis a happy, poppy and very catchy song: the kind that makes you want to dance and gives you a happy feeling. Listening to this piece of art is like opening the door for spring and letting in the sun on a dark day. It’s a relief, it’s so happy and so good! The Kick has a slower tempo and sounds lesser like spring, but still sounds very happy and positive. The backings are very much reworked by the computer, whilst they could have kept clean but that is only a minor thing. Growing On Me is a slow grower with lot’s of changes in the tempo and the mood. Potential has indeed potential, but I miss the outbursts from the first song and the happiness. Dance Music has sad lyrics but still invites you to dance the tragic feelings away. Body Suit has a lower tempo but sounds very fragile. The sax halfway the song is a good extra and gives it a little retro push. Absolute invites you to dance along and feel good. It’s like giving it all and dance until you are in total sweat and too tired to move anymore. Two Kinds Of Silence falls between just listening to the song and dance. I hear a bit of melancholia in it too. Forgive Yourself is a well crafted hit. You can hear it from the first notes: the music is top, just as the vocals! Start to move, start to dance and catch the happy feel of this song. Gentleman starts slowly, but reaches fast a good tempo, breaks down and builds up again: like waves on the ocean. Another single from this album is Sky Love and it’s clear why this one became a single: it’s one of the best songs on the album and has an incredible positive vibe! Feel the happiness and enjoy the great music! The last one is called Too Much Colour: a short piano driven ballad. It’s a very fragile song and almost stripped with only the most needed instruments in the beginning. Towards the end you get a harp touch, some extra backings and some electronics. It’s over before you notice and leave’s you with a long silence except if you programmed it to replay the whole album.
Alright we are at the end of this Foxes trip. It was my first Foxes review and it’s not really my genre but I cherish tracks like Sister Ray and I hope you get the same feelings as me at the end. Thumbs up for this one!
