Since the release of their debut,
Franz Ferdinand have teetered between the raw post-punk that won them acclaim and attempts to broaden that sound.
Always Ascending arrives at a ripe time for them to experiment: after founding member
Nick McCarthy left in 2016, keyboardist
Julian Corrie joined the fold. With the help of
Corrie and producer
Philippe Zdar -- known for his dance and rock-melding work with
Phoenix and
Justice -- the band follows through on the dance music flirtations of
Tonight. The title track transforms the band's familiar dance-punk into gleaming space disco that feels like a leap into the unknown. Later, "Feel the Love Go" gives their skill at shifting from lusty to poignant a chrome-plated upgrade. Other highlights include "Lois Lane"'s sweeping synth pop and the mystique-laden finale, "Slow Don't Kill Me Slow," both of which demonstrate the revamped
Franz Ferdinand's potential. ~ Heather Phares
![Future Past [Deluxe Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/4050538696561_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Future Past [Deluxe Edition]")
