Foals

Foals are an English rock band formed in Oxford in the mid-2000s, built around the intricate guitar interplay and math-rock-influenced rhythms of frontman Yannis Philippakis alongside guitarist Jimmy Smith, drummer Jack Bevan and bassist Walter Gervers. They emerged from the Oxford scene associated with acts like Youthmovies, quickly distinguishing themselves with angular, danceable post-punk energy.

Their debut album «Antidotes» established their reputation for tightly wound, rhythmically complex guitar rock, while later releases such as «Total Life Forever», «Holy Fire» and «What Went Down» saw the band expand into more atmospheric, widescreen territory, balancing tension and release across brooding builds and explosive choruses. The two-part «Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost» project further showcased their range, moving between introspective, electronic-tinged passages and heavier, anthemic rock.

Known for intense live performances and a sound that has evolved from taut, angular post-punk to more expansive, cinematic rock, Foals have become one of the defining British guitar bands of their generation, with singles like «My Number», «Spanish Sahara» and «Mountain at My Gates» marking key points in their evolution.