Foals‘ Yannis Philippakis has discussed the upcoming ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2’, revealing that the band explored a much “heavier” sound on the album.

The Oxford group released their acclaimed fifth LP, ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1‘, back in March. With the four-piece opting for a double-album affair this time around, Part 2 of the project is due to arrive later this year.

“It’s heavier. The guitars are at the front [and] there’s more guitars,” Philippakis told NME of the record backstage at Radio 1’s Big Weekend.


“There’s a 10-minute awesome space jam – like a Stanley Kubrick prog epic – and then there’s just some big riffs all over the record. It’s quite different from the first part, which we felt was more dance-y and more new wave.

“It’s more of a rock record with a capital ‘R’ – maybe two ‘R’s,” he added.

And when can fans expect the first taste of Part 2?

“It’s gonna come out in the Autumn sometime, and we’re shooting a video for a song called ‘The Runner’,” Philippakis told NME. “Part 2 is basically finished. There’s a couple of mix tweaks to do, but it’s all there. We’re just really excited for people to hear that ‘cause I think it’s gonna show a different side to the project, if not the band. It’s quite different from Part 1.”

Asked about the experience of touring a new album while simultaneously finishing a separate LP in the studio, the frontman replied: “It’s been a bit of a headfuck, it’s been a challenge. With things like mixing and sequencing albums, it’s really intense and we’re fully in the zone. You’ve got a real sense of momentum to finish the project.”


He continued: “But then having to do that while having to think about performing and all of that… it’s been a bit of a strain and a challenge. But that’s what we wanted from the album this time around. I think it’s gonna be a great feeling putting out another 10 songs in a few months.”

Ahead of a string of UK dates next month, Foals recently played ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1’ in its entirety at an intimate gig in Leeds – while also premiering a new track called ‘Black Bull’.

“It went down great,” Philippakis said of performing the new cut. “Partly because it’s a sledgehammer of a riff, you just get it straight away. Purposefully, there’s not a lot of nuance in that song – it’s just like a slab.”

He added: “It was strange – we’ve never [played a record in full] on any other album. I think naturally our sets will evolve to be just driven by adrenaline and we try and make them as intense as possible.

“Obviously on the album we don’t go for the same energy, so it meant expecting something different from the show. But it was great and it felt really liberating to play the more understated material that we wouldn’t normally play in a regular Foals set.”

Foals’ upcoming UK headline tour dates are below.

JUNE

11 – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse

12 – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse

14 – Tunbridge Wells, Bedgebury Pinetum

15 – Birmingham, Digbeth Arena

16 – Birmingham, Digbeth Arena

18 – Glasgow, SWG3 Yard

20 – Thetford, Thetford Forest

21 – London, Alexandra Palace

22 – London, Alexandra Palace

26 – Bournemouth, International Centre

27 – Kingston, Pryzm