Folamour brings undeniable nostalgia as he explores global sounds and influences on his fourth studio album, Manifesto.
Known for his unique style and genre-bending production, French producer Folamour gained attention after he released a mixtape and really gained popularity after his debut album, Umami. He has brought his stunning beats and euphoric live shows around the world and is quickly rising in the ranks as an artist to watch in the electronic music industry. After releasing The Journey in 2021, Folamour has been working tirelessly on new music, upgrading his sound for his fourth album, Manifesto.
Manifesto opens up a brand new chapter for Folamour as he experiments with various genres, different production styles, and his own vocals. Featuring a variety of global collaborations, Manifesto has already proven to be a testament to Folamour’s undeniable talent. Releasing two singles earlier this year, the opening track, “Freedom,” is a deep track featuring a strong drum line and wind instrumentation. His second single, “Voyage,” features the Malian duo Amadou & Mariam. This groovy track highlights their African influence and vocals while illuminating the good vibes that shine throughout the rest of the album.
Listen to Manifesto on Spotify or your favorite streaming platform, read on for a deeper dive into the tracks on this album, and keep your eyes out for more of Folamour’s globally influenced-sound.
Stream Folamour – Manifesto on Spotify:
The second track off Manifesto, “Isla Nostalgia,” begins with a steady drum beat before twinkling synths join in, giving the track a euphoric sound.
The song breaks out into an empowering rhythm while a disco beat keeps steady throughout the song. The track ebbs and flows, utilizing a guitar and a variety of stringed instruments. The song ends in a symphonic dreamlike state. Known as the focus track, “Poundland Anthem” starts with echoing synths before a chic rhythm joins in, and trumpets fill the song with a consistent tempo. This beat takes you back to the days of disco and gives us a taste of each element of his album.
“Amore” resembles music from a fashion runway. Featuring vocals from Baccus, this song makes it impossible not to move your feet with its suave synths and perpetual rhythm. “Fearless” has a strong bassline and paired bongos. Taking you on a journey through a city soundscape, he utilizes his clubby rhythm and robotic synths as vocals in the background swirl before the song fades out.
The bassline in “Birds” shines bright, perfectly syncing with Canadian South Sudanese singer Emmanuel Jal‘s vocals as he’s joined by a vocal backing choir. His vocals bring heavy global influences to this song, and Folamour perfectly pairs these influences in his production. With such upbeat lyrics, it’s hard not to feel the warmth while listening to this track. Meanwhile, “Manifesto” brings a bit of flavor as this track focuses on different horn instruments blended with the bass, bringing a sensual vibe to the album. The chimes throughout the song take you into a daydream as you get lost in the rhythm.
“My People” offers up vocals from Folamour with a powerful message and a different beat than the rest of the album, with a chopper nature being kept in tempo by the bongos. “Friends” features vocals from Australian singer Tim Ayre adding an alternative vibe to the album. This track is completely different from any other song on the album, showing Folamour’s ability to dip a toe into various genres. He alters the vocals, which gives this song a nostalgic yet beachy feeling. Another standout is “City Life,” which brings forth ’80s sounds with laser-like synths and a higher BPM. The distorted synths paired with the deep bassline give the song an alien-like communication. The synths echo in and out before the song comes to a close as the organ is singled out to end the song.
Funky bass takes over at the start of “</3 Heartbroken,” with Khazali’s sultry vocals paired with melancholy piano chords drilling that heartbroken feeling into your ears. This slow track and lowered synths bring more of a somber tone to Manifesto, unlike the rest of the more upbeat vibes on the album. “Alive” has somewhat of a jazzy undertone while still keeping the groovy rhythm. With windy synths, vocals, and instrumentation, this song makes you feel like you’re floating on a cloud when you close your eyes and take in each element of the track. The last part of the song uses a symphony of stringed instruments before they fade out, and the synthetic sound comes to an end.
Closing the album is “When a Piano Save the Day,” which focuses on piano chords surrounded by fluttering synths and a steady jazz backbeat. The piano fills your ears, bringing a calming state of mind. Then, the instruments all fade out as the piano stands out, ending the song and this one-of-a-kind album. Folamour continues to wow his fans with new intricate music and sound design. He has a way of taking your mind into a different soundscape with all of his projects, and Manifesto does just that and brings a sense of nostalgia from start to finish. Each song has endless surprises and vast exploration, making his fourth album a perfect chapter in Folamour’s story.
Folamour – Manifesto – Tracklist:
- Freedom
- Isla Nostalgia
- Poundland Anthem
- Amore (feat. Baccus)
- Fearless
- Voyage (feat. Amadou & Mariam)
- Birds (feat. Emmanuel Jal)
- Manifesto (feat. Jungle by Night)
- My People
- Friends (feat. Tim Ayre)
- City Life
- </3 (Heartbroken) (feat. Khazali)
- Alive
- When a Piano Saves the Day
Follow Folamour:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | SoundCloud | YouTube