The Foundation - Badlands

The Foundation

​Badlands
self-released; 2017

​3.4 out of 5

By Dan Weston

The Foundation are a group of friends that recently released an EP entitled Badlands. The EP showcases a couple of loose ideas of beats and grooves in a similar style to Four Tet and Prefuse 73 which some atmospheric deviations that feel quite disparate. 

​They open with “Medicine” which is one of the most substantial songs on the EP. There is a Postal Service vibe when it comes to the instrumental aspects but a little more hip-hop infused. The band has a cool groove but they hang on to it a bit too long before the vocals start back up and then go back into it a little too fast. The song seemed to be begging for a chorus or hook that never came. 

The minute-and-a-half title track sounded like a build up. A guitar riff repeats as atmospheric elements bounce around it. Up next is ”Liquid Sunshine” which is a mellow hip-hop song and the most fleshed out. The female singer delivers a hook and the rapping is solid. That being said the instrumental parts still felt a little long winded. 

“Sub Zero” is a beat that gets introduced and does not have any significant changes. They close with “Travelling Away” which is a light ambient piece which couldn’t have felt more far away from  “Sub Zero.” 

The Foundation seems to have exactly that. They have a good foundation for these songs but quite often I felt like that they didn’t expand on their initial ideas. The band needs a little more direction on what type of sound they want to explore and what type of band they are. 

Overall, there are some great ideas in which some had a little trouble getting off the ground and becoming fully fleshed out songs. I think if the band continues to explore this arena their best material is yet to come.

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