Following the release of summer singles “Lost In Space,” “Take Me Back,” and “Chasing Low Vibrations,” Foster The People has officially released their fourth studio album, Paradise State Of Mind, via Atlantic Records. This marks the indie rock sensation’s first full album drop since 2017’s Sacred Hearts Club, featuring hit single “Sit Next To Me.”
Across its 11 tracks, Paradise State Of Mind is widely inspired by the 1970s, notably infused with a range of jazz, gospel, and Motown. While Foster The People returns to the indie scene with their beloved ethereal vocals and sultry synth tones, they have matured into their sound with a refreshing new perspective at play, one that is deeply personal and broadly understandable.
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Of his historical muse, lead vocalist Mark Foster notes, “I was also thinking about how that era has musical and social parallels to the time that we’re in now, with the giant recession in the Seventies, the political turmoil post-Vietnam, and other major tensions. But then you see these expressions of joy happening through music, and I started thinking about joy as an act of defiance.”
From its buzzing, dancey first track “See You In The Afterlife” to its electric, self-aware synth-laden closer “A Diamond Is Born,” Foster The People crafts an unforgettable indie experience that raises the genre bar—one already being heralded by fans as their best work yet.
Of the album’s meaning, Foster shares, “I think the trickiest part about this record was trying to be authentic about what had been going on with me without writing something super dark and without glossing over it, either. Because, to me, it was really important that hope remain at the core of this whole thing. People need hope. I need hope. And when I think about what hope is – it’s having the courage to walk towards something that you think can be better, while fully acknowledging the darkness and reality around you.”
He continues, “That was the goal, walking into this album, which was actually really tricky – to make something that rang true to what was on my mind, but that had this much groove and that would be fun to dance to. You know, to me, they’re like Trojan Horses, the message is hiding in the melody.”
Paradise State Of Mind Tracklist:
- See You In The Afterlife
- Lost In Space
- Take Me Back
- Let Go
- Feed Me
- Paradise State Of Mind
- Glitchzig
- The Holy Shangri-La
- Sometimes I Wanna Be Bad
- Chasing Low Vibrations
- A Diamond To Be Born
Coming up in the fall, the act is headlining Austin City Limits on October 4 and 11. Check out all of their upcoming dates below and secure tickets here.
Tour Dates:
- Aug. 21—London, England @ Rough Trade East (DJ Set & Signing)
- Aug. 22—Kingston upon Thames, England @ Pryzm (DJ Set)
- Sep. 5—San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
- Sep. 7—Los Angeles, CA @ El Cid (DJ Set)
- Oct. 4—Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
- Oct. 11—Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
