By Sofia Williams
News Editor
Bastille’s album, “Give Me the Future,” warns listeners about the dangers of technology as a form of escapism, but does so with little musical nuance or variety.
“Give Me the Future,” released on Feb. 4, is the latest in a series of album releases from the British pop-rock band in the last four years, preceded by pre-pandemic albums “Doom Days” and “Other People’s Heartache (Pt. 4).”
According to the band’s producer, Ryan Tedder, the band was in a “unique position” at the beginning of the pandemic—they had enough songs to fill two or three albums after the release of “Doom Days.” Tedder was enlisted to help the group narrow down the tracks to form the album.
All of the writing sessions for the album were done over Zoom, and recording was also done virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. The reliance that the group had on technology to create the album, according to lead singer Dan Smith, is painfully appropriate when considering the themes discussed in the tracks.
In a similar manner to Bastille’s previous releases, “Give Me the Future” has a clear theme running through all the tracks, exploring different iterations of that theme through various melodic lines and experimental interpretations. Despite this, Smith’s vocals often disappoint listeners by remaining in the same range with little application of creative expression.
“Thelma + Louise,” the album’s second track, provides listeners with an interesting juxtaposition between a happy, dance-pop melody and beat, and an eerie theme that hides behind the lyrics. At first glance, the song appears to be centered around a couple’s weekend getaway, but is intertwined with the idea of technological escapism used to avoid the responsibilities of real life.
Like “Thelma + Louise,” “Club 57” creates an interesting feeling of cognitive dissonance within listeners, contrasting a cheerful whistling backing track and upbeat melody with disturbing lyrics that revolve around the replacement of human interaction with technology use. The song reminds listeners that lasting connections are more meaningful than the instant gratification provided by technology.
One of the most distinctive songs on the album is “Stay Awake?,” which draws listeners in with a robotic, eerie introduction. Unlike “Thelma + Louise,” even the least observant listener is made uncomfortable by the song’s jagged phrasing and minor tonality.
In spite of the musical diversity of some of the album’s tracks, there are a few that disappoint with repetitive melodies and flat vocals. One such song, “No Bad Days,” bores listeners with repetitive lyrics sung in the same stale tone introduced at the beginning of the track. Songs such as “No Bad Days” and “Distorted Light Beam” are better suited to being background music rather than included in an immersive listening experience.
“Promises,” the seventh of the album’s 13 tracks, is jarring when listened to in conjunction with the other songs on the album. A stripped-down beat with vocals from rapper Riz Ahmed contrast a robotic feel with a conversational tone. The track is a painfully obvious reminder of the dangers of technology.
The album was released on Feb. 4 and is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, SoundCloud, and Amazon Music.
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