Is this the world’s first good robot album? As the World Cup 2018 kicks off in Russia this week, it raises the sound as well as the spectacle of football to a global pitch. It evokes a feeling of heritage, but it travels much further afield. The football anthem draws heavily from spiritual music, but also co-opts generations of pop tunes. Football and music summon a combined power that heightens the senses, creates tribal identities, flaunts theatricality and wit (and copious cutting put-downs). The Beautiful Game traditionally has a song in its heart.
