IT takes a certain degree of bravery to open a crucial album with an instrumental. So the fact artsy Oxford rockers Foals kick off their third excursion with something as assertively scene-setting as Prelude tells you much of what you need to know about how this band has progressed since 2010’s Total Life Forever.

Holy Fire is polished, consistently excellent and struts where previous Foals albums shuffled. Inhaler seamlessly shifts from a Cure-style kiss-off (“Can you not go away/If just for one day?) to a grunge growl, My Number – reminiscent of a less-awkward Talking Heads – is ridiculously catchy and kinetic, and Bad Habit, Everytime and Late Night were built to be heard in arenas.

Sonically assured, superbly produced and free of the introspection which has often held Foals back, Holy Fire illustrates a band throwing off shackles without sacrificing their principles. They used to give the impression they’d only allow you into their music if you had the right password. But now Foals have thrown their house open to everybody.