How Foster The People's Music Has Been Dystopian From The Jump

Hey, guys

Foster The People's latest album “Paradise State Of Mind” dropped over three months ago but I'm still as obsessed with it as when I first heard “Lost In Space” in late May 2024. Now, in early November, on the heels of an insane election, I can't help but notice sinister thematic elements laced into the band's latest effort: comparing notes on a utopian to a dystopian future. However, if you've been a Foster kid for a long time, hasn't it always been that way? I'm back to explain how Foster The People's music has always been dystopian from the jump. 

If you ask strangers on the street what “Pumped Up Kicks” means to them they'll say something along the lines of “a school shooter”, but in reality, it's about mentally disturbed youth struggling through life. I would say it does certainly have dystopian vibes, or at least at the very start of a major crisis concerning mental health. “Torches” is the fandom favorite but I think it's the calm before the storm and in a similar vein so is “Sacred Hearts Club”. 

This particular subject is highlighted on “Supermodel” where it outlines a murky future where Narcissism rules the world and empathy is an outdated concept. We're literally dying to be the next Instagram model or TikTok dance star. Everyone has suddenly turned a blind eye to the flatlining of emotional connections and the willingness to help one another through the hardest of times. This has happened not only as a consequence of social media but also because everyone is super self-absorbed to care about anything other than views, subs, and likes. 

That, however, only scratches the immediate surface, and it goes further in depth on another album. Alongside the media worship of celebrities and politicians Foster still says it's okay to reach for the stars “ambition's not a crime”. Speaking of ambition, I get the feeling FTP's third album is shots fired either at the label or even a society obsessed with money and the perfect image. 

Songs like “Pay The Man”, “Doing It For The Money”, “Lotus Eater”, and “Static Space Lover” exemplify this although I could be wrong as Mark Foster has come on record to say “SHC” was about pure love and happiness. Personally, I'm not really sure what he means by that since the aforementioned tracks contain scathing lyrics. "Loyal Like Sid and Nancy" is a prime example of how Foster The People sprinkle crumbs of dystopian vibes in nearly every album with a whole track about society descending into chaos with law enforcement losing all control. 

On August 16th, 2024, Foster The People dropped their fourth album “Paradise State Of Mind” further detailing the subjects discussed in “Supermodel”, but it's approached globally instead of just Los Angeles. Here Mark and Isom write about a utopian world in “Holy Shangri-la” but also a society plagued by the same themes of “Supermodel” where his heroes are dying young, or in my opinion, it's likely about YouTube stars quickly gaining popularity and kicking the can way too early like is showcased in "Rabies Shmabies". “Feed Me” is about the codependency of technology and phone addictions as if they're our new gods supplying instant gratification whenever we need it. Songs with this same content are “See You In The Afterlife”, “Paradise State Of Mind”, and “Glitchzig”. But we all know happiness is a state of mind, not external like, say, a fairytale utopia, which doesn't and will never exist in our lifetime. 

Although some darker themes exist on the album, it's also a pleasant reminder that joy still exists inside ourselves. Our world is a reflection of our inner selves, but we can make heaven on earth if we only channel good for more positive outcomes. Unfortunately, a dystopian future is likely to arise at some point in the coming years, but the only way out is through. 

Some might argue “PSOM” is unfocused and chaotic but I think that's the beauty of it as it mirrors the crazy times we're living in. I adore the album so much and I appreciate the complexity of the song structures and the emotional lyrical content that surely resonates with me. This album, and every Foster The People album, is an absolute masterpiece and so are the extended plays. 

What do you think? Is “Paradise State Of Mind” a chilling warning about a looming dystopian future or has the band's music always been this way? I'm gone, y'all.