FOSTER THE PEOPLE

Sacred Hearts Club 6/10

It’s not the kink in the tail of FTP’s impeccably groomed pop that makes them so intriguing (chart queens Lorde and Halsey beat them at “odd”), but rather their unembarrassed, first-level readability, which is such that you begin to suspect fiendish subversion – especially on the teen-friendly “Sit Next To Me”. That thought, though, is dispelled as they embark on a rampage through synth/psychedelic pop and electronic R&B, swiping right at Phoenix, MGMT, The Weeknd, Tame Impala and Hudson Mohawke. It’s “Loyal Like Sid & Nancy” that takes the composite biscuit, mixing Prince-ly falsetto with trap beats and synthetic brass.