There’s a lot of talk about Foals at the moment. This quintet from Oxford is tipped to be the next big thing for English music in 2008, combining math rock qualities with techno beats and funky influences. As a result, this bunch of guys have managed to get noticed and talked up by the press before the album they recorded with David Sitek (TV On The Radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Liars) has been officially released. And as a matter of fact it still isn’t available in stores.

No wonder I was quite excited about having in my hot little hands on their first single, Balloons. With its beautiful artwork that combines a lovely taste for typefaces and the casual messiness of pattern repetition. It’s the kind of imagery that doesn’t really give you a clear idea of what to expect from it. Will they be just another indie pop band? Electro? Math rock? Foals turned out to be a mixture of all these varied genres.

And so here they are: compulsive guitar riffs played fast on a sort of minimal techno base all mixed with the syncopated vocals of the Devo like singer. Three guitars are playing at the same time making the distinctive mark to Foals songs while keyboards and drums create the background sonic wall...Balloons is quite succinct at just three minutes, but there is no need for anything else as the overall result is overwhelmingly catchy. They remind me of Hot Chip and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but I can also find something in common with El Guapo in the way they work on the electronic part of the track.

The mix is obviously as explosive as they apparently are on stage (never had the chance to see them yet). It’s a brilliant single that can easily appeal both to the underground geeks and the rest of the masses. Easy to listen to, makes you want to move and would potentially be destroying everything around you in the warehouse party you’re rocking out at.