Bastille “Give Me The Future + Dreams Of The Past” Album Review

Give Me The Future + Dreams Of The Past

Bastille

• Genre: Alternative
• Release Date: 2022-02-04
• Explicitness: explicit
• Country: USA
• Track Count: 27
• An EMI / Virgin Records release; ℗ 2022 Virgin Records Limited

Bastille’s highly anticipated No. 1 album, “Give Me The Future,” which explores a futuristic wonderland free from limitations, was released earlier this year. The record incorporates cutting-edge technology that lets us lose ourselves in our imaginations and travel through time to become or do anything.

A three-part expanded edition of the album, titled “Give Me The Future + Dreams Of The Past,” comprising an additional album’s worth of new songs, collaborations, covers, and reprises, is now being added by the band to this critically lauded record.

Album Cover Art

The colorful image of an eyeball with the album title tattooed around its lids. But one sticking characteristic of the eye is how it’s able to express emotion through its dilation that shows a mental spark caused by excitement or shock, or in this case, both.

Tracks and Features

The new songs emphasize the opportunity to choose to move both backwards and forwards, similar to more sentimental tracks like the Graceland-inspired “Family Ties,” which emphasize the connection between the past and present. The song, which Smith wrote about his recollections of visiting his late aunt in South Africa, is warm and nostalgic, offering a contrast to the often futuristic sheen of time travel.

One of the foundational songs for “Give Me The Future” is “Revolution,” which drew inspiration from Quincy Jones’ production. The chorus is about the intimacy of human connection in the context of some science fiction, space-centred imagery. But it’s also about the idea of those amazingly thoughtful people who spend their lives trying to change the world in a positive way.

“Hope For The Future,” a gorgeously ethereal song, gives a glimpse as to the band’s potential future sonic direction. Written for the documentary “From Devil’s Breath,” a short film on forest fires, climate change, and tree planting, which was produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. Smith’s blended vocals and an acoustic guitar melody take center stage.

They lean toward poetry, inviting Riz Ahmed to put on a beautiful spoken word show. We have to give some props to Riz for really bringing life to his poetry by giving the whole thing a realistic dialogue feel, like he was actually speaking to someone on in a phone conversation.

“Future Holds” with BIM explores the many possibilities of what the future could play out as, and those futuristic thoughts become a burden that gets tiresome to bear especially when life continues to deal you different cards. Tyde joins the party at “Eight Hours,” the track that details the dynamics of the feelings of a clingy lover and how even sleep feels like the enemy because on some nights they actually do have part ways.

“Running Away” is raw honesty on many levels. Trying so hard to shove under the rug something that should be addressed, dismissing it as something you don’t care about while it continues to eat away at your peace of mind. But what changes the narrative is that they know they are in denial but the love the heck out of not dealing with reality, basically.

Tracklist

NO	TITLE	ARTIST	TIME
1	Distorted Light Beam	Bastille	2:57
2	Thelma + Louise	Bastille	2:17
3	No Bad Days	Bastille	3:05
4	Brave New World	Bastille	0:27
5	Back To The Future	Bastille	2:53
6	Plug In…	Bastille	2:40
7	Promises	Bastille & Riz Ahmed	1:25
8	Shut Off The Lights	Bastille	3:07
9	Stay Awake?	Bastille	3:07
10	Give Me The Future	Bastille	3:39
11	Club 57	Bastille	3:12
12	Total Dissociation	Bastille	0:43
13	Future Holds (feat. Bim)	Bastille	2:43
14	Back To The Innerverse	Bastille	0:20
15	Real Life	Bastille	2:20
16	Family Ties	Bastille	2:46
17	Distorted Light Beam	Bastille	3:23
18	Revolution	Bastille	3:03
19	survivin’	Bastille	2:53
20	No More Bad Days	Bastille	3:59
21	Hope For The Future	Bastille	3:32
22	Other People’s Heartache	Bastille	0:45
23	Run Into Trouble	Bastille & Alok	3:02
24	Remind Me	Bastille	3:02
25	Eight Hours	Bastille & Tyde	3:28
26	Dancing In The Dark	Bastille	3:07
27	Running Away	Bastille	2:52

Album Theme

With the original album on part one, part two continues some of the themes and narrative from the original record, delving into songs that are shot through with notions of technological dependence, human connection and the limitless possibilities of life online.

Production Credits

A number of great producers lent their talents to make the album the fine piece of music it is. They include Alok, Charlie Barnes, Dan Priddy, Dan Smith, Jack Duxbury, Jeff Bhasker, Jonny Coffer, Mark Crew, Marty Maro, MIKE DEAN, OHYES, Riz Ahmed, Ryan Tedder, A Strut & Tyde.

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