Reiði
2018 studio album by Black Foxxes
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Reiði (Icelandic for "anger") is the second full-length studio album by English indie rock band Black Foxxes. It was released on 16 March 2018 through Spinefarm Records/Search And Destroy Records and was produced by Adrian Bushby. It was featured on Kerrang! as an Album Of The Week[1] and was placed at #7 on Drowned in Sound's end-of-the-year 15 Favorite Albums of 2018 list.[2]
| Reiði | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 16 March 2018 | |||
| Label | Spinefarm Records/Search And Destroy Records | |||
| Producer | Adrian Bushby | |||
| Black Foxxes chronology | ||||
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| Singles from IReiði | ||||
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Background and recording
Most of the record was inspired by one of Mark Holley's trips to Iceland. The lead singer explained: "My mental health was so bad the first time I went to Iceland, but I was starting to see progress every time I went. It was a big step for me to go to a place that is barren, with no-one there and insane weather conditions, and do it all by myself. It felt like there was a mutual relationship between me and that place because I overcame a lot out there. I wrote plenty of music when I went to Iceland the second time, and our new record reflects that."[3]
The band recorded Reiði at VADA studios in Warwickshire, England, with producer Adrian Bushby.[4]
Musical style and lyrics
The album revolves around the opposing concepts of light and dark: "reiði" is the Icelandic word for "rage", and it's pronounced "ray-dee"; instead, "sæla" means "happiness".[5]
Ideally, Reiði is divided in two parts, with a light and ethereal first half, and the second part venturing into darker territories.[6]
The lyrics shift from Holley's constant fight with anxiety and health issues, as he reveals: "The thirst for adventure is an overall theme of the album, but more than that, it’s an obvious journey from start to finish about myself. I sing a lot about rage on this album, and the final words sung on the record are ‘now I understand rage’. That’s what’s pulling it all together – you’re going through this journey of working things out with the writer."[3]
The band experiments with different melodies and riffs, making Reiði a sonically ambitious record that embraces pop and shoegaze influences.[7]
Talking about "Sæla", Holley revealed: "It is about a desire to leave a place that was starting to feel stagnant, I think it’s Foxxes at our poppiest but it’s still got all the undertones of darkness stacked amongst it. I remember watching the film ‘Hunt For The Wilderpeople’ before we headed out to Europe for a show and fell in love with that phrase (and the film) and jotted some lyrics down on the trip that were inspired by it."[8] "Float On" was written by Holley in memory of his cousin who drowned in a river.[9]
Release and promotion
On 6 December 2017, Black Foxxes released a first single, "Sæla", and a corresponding video.[10]
On 5 February 2018, they released the single "Manic In Me", along with a music video shot in Iceland.[11][12]
On 5 March 2018, they revealed a third single, "JOY", and a video directed by Josh Street and Sam Brown; Holley's dog Tarka appears in it.[13][14]
From 16 March to 22 March, the band did a promotional run in various HMV stores across the UK to perform a short acoustic set, meet fans and sign copies of the new record.[15]
On 21 September 2018, they released an acoustic version of "Oh, It Had To Be You".[16]
Critical reception
Reiði has been critically acclaimed and defined as "exceptional and thought provoking",[22] "nothing short of sublime",[23] containing "more shiver-inducing, goosebump-raising thrills than most bands manage in an entire career".[24]
In particular, critics appreciated how Black Foxxes distanced themselves from the raw and dark atmospheres of I'm Not Well, leaving the door open for light and a sense of hope, evoking tenderness and beginning to heal.[25]
The sound of Reiði has been compared to bands like Alice In Chains, The Xcerts and Manchester Orchestra.[26]
Drowned in Sound included the album in their 15 Favorite Albums of 2018 list, placing it at number 7.[2]
Track listing
Source:[27]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Breathe" | 04:25 |
| 2. | "Manic In Me" | 02:57 |
| 3. | "Sæla" | 02:49 |
| 4. | "The Big Wild" | 04:23 |
| 5. | "Oh, It Had To Be You" | 05:02 |
| 6. | "JOY" | 04:44 |
| 7. | "Am I Losing It" | 03:45 |
| 8. | "Flowers" | 04:23 |
| 9. | "Take Me Home" | 04:25 |
| 10. | "Float On" | 05:49 |
| Total length: | 42:42 | |
Personnel
- Mark Holley - vocals, guitar
- Tristan Jane - bass guitar
- Anthony (Ant) Thornton - drums