Almost three years after his debut album “Walls,” British artist Louis Tomlinson released his sophomore album “Faith In The Future.” This astonishing record climbs the charts, has reached No. 1 in the UK and has been named Shazam’s artist of the week. This album marks a huge shift in Tomlinson’s music from pop to indie garage rock allowing him to better define who he is as a solo artist. 

Louis Tomlinson announced the upcoming release of his album Aug. 31 while on the last leg of his first tour. With a simple post of the album cover to announce the release date of “Faith In The Future,” he captioned it  “After living with this album for a while I can’t wait for you all to hear it. Thank you for allowing me to make the music I want to make.” 

The album opens with “The Greatest” establishing Tomlinson’s dabble into rock as the chorus builds and thrilling drums kick in. This is the building block for tracks “Written All Over Your Face,” “Face The Music” and “Out Of My System.” It is a taste of early 2000s neon pop rock.

“Written All Over Your Face” is filled with punk sass that definitely stands out. This rowdy song rattles with confidence and leans into disco rock. The urge to dance only grows as we slip into “Face The Music” which is influenced heavily by early pop alt rock. The tune is accompanied by the fast-paced guitar which makes fans feel like flying down the highway. Following “Face the Music,” the track “Out Of My System” explores a darker punk sound with its barbarous drums, sharp guitars and gritty vocals. 

The album flawlessly switches to vibrant tracks that don’t feel out of place when surrounded by dark rock. As the tracks play on, Tomlinsons confidence rises and he offers a nice pop revival. Songs such as “All This Time” and “She Is Beauty We Are World Class” are perfect for dancing around the room. 

With this album there is no doubt that Louis Tomlinson kills the indie-rock genre. This genre is the perfect place for him to explore and dive deeper into with his next releases. Tomlinson allows himself to explore this genre and be more vulnerable with songs “Silver Tongues” and “Chicago.” The feel of late night memories made with friends and should be on a coming-of-age movie soundtrack. Tomlinson does a fantastic job showing off his range and emotion. 

This fuzzy feeling is continued through tracks “Lucky Again,” “Saturdays” and “Angels Fly.” “Saturdays” is packed with nostalgia filled with soft piano and guitar melodies. While songs “Lucky Again” and “Angels Fly” are reassuring and warm like driving in the summer with the windows down and radio up. The closing track “That’s The Way Love Goes” and “Bigger Than Me” are perfect songs to describe the overall vibes of this album. 

Tomlinson’s debut album “Faith In The Future” is not a perfectly polished package. This album is not another industry stamped album looking to chart and make a profit; it’s self reflective. The lyrics are raw, the lines blur and colors bleed. It’s an album created for the dopamine rush one gets from live music. Whether fans shout the lyrics with their closest friends or lay in the dark reflecting on who they are, this record is a wonderful way to get lost in for a while. “Faith In The Future” reintroduces who Tomlinson is and always has been. So grab some headphones or the aux, take a deep breath, and have faith in the future.