Review by Kelly O
Could this be the last lead single Coldplay ever release? Sorry, but I’m not buying it. Chris Martin might appreciate a lengthy hiatus from his day job, but premature rock retirements rarely stick. Frankly, “Adventure Of A Lifetime” didn’t need any additional hype; the gossipmongers of this world will no doubt note that Martin’s post-Gweneth sorrow has been replaced by Technicolor optimism.
“You make me feel like I’m alive again [Alive again!]” proclaims the coyly muted chorus as Coldplay defiantly get their groove back (well if they had it in the first place). The EDM trappings of Mylo Xyloto have been jettison in favor of a dash of indie disco. The stadium conquering Brits like to announce their return with a clear sonic evolution and “Adventure Of A Lifetime” is no different. The tight arpeggios that surprised many on “Every Teardrop A Waterfall” have mutated into the kind of squirrelly rhythms you’d usually find on a Passion Pit or Friendly Fires record.
The billboard-sized euphoria of old takes a beck seat. “Adventure Of A Lifetime” is happy to vibe and saunter with a buoyant groove that sits comfortably between Niles Rodgers’ reflective funk and the kind of artful sun kissed rhythms that usually crop up in Pitchfork’s best new music section each summer. Coldplay never threaten to steal a march on LCD Soundsystem’s turf, but this is the least bombastic and most considered lead single of the Brits’ career. Sure there are multitude of comforting hooks that the world’s arenas will readily embrace (there’s even a call and repeat cooing coda), but the focus here is on dancing feet and not holding hands.
Coldplay have carefully incorporated a raft of glittering new sonics into their already fearsome arsenal. There is a supreme airiness to “Adventure Of A Lifetime” that stands apart from anything in the band’s catalogue. Sure, they might not be reinventing the wheel (fans of indie disco may well feel like they’ve danced to this beat before), but they have exploited the fertile territory between Balearic dance and 70s disco. Crucially, Chris Martin has managed to throw off the weight of his “conscious uncoupling”. “Adventure Of A Lifetime” feels loose and uninhibited. The same could not be said of Ghost Stories.
As far as universal sentiments go, none is more joyous than finding renewal through fresh love and escapism on the dancefloor. If this is to be Coldplay’s last record, then the London four-piece seem intent departing the world stage with a smile on their lips and rhythm in the hips.
