Torches

iTunes Review

Los Angeles electro-indie-pop-rock band Foster the People never had much official “indie” status, having been scooped up to the major leagues within their first year of performing. After making a decent splash at music festivals and creating a serious buzz with infectious numbers such as “Pumped Up Kicks” and “Helena Beat,” Foster the People are making good with a debut album that’s as fresh as sunshine and as refreshing as a surf wave. The group have touches of California sunbaked pop in their repertoire, but there’s also a dark Euro-disco groove lurking under the hooks of “Don’t Stop (Color On the Walls)” and the thick, goth-like wash of “Waste.” Singer Mark Foster plays and programs enough keyboards to give the songs a grand entrance, while other members contribute to the production to jazz up and space out tracks like “Miss You” and “Life On the Nickel.” “Warrant” works under an ambient haze. “Houdini” charges with an unforgiving groove, squeaky synths and a falsetto that reaches back to the ‘70s disco era.