Weekly Release Spotlight: Future Islands
Posted on 10/17/2011
Future Islands
On the Water
Thrill Jockey
On the Water
Thrill Jockey
Future Islands are a new breed born from some old and almost forgotten new wave aesthetic. The sound of their latest release "On the Water" is somewhere between a forgotten dream and the soundtrack to a sappy 80's romance flick. But, 'sappy' is far from what the album achieves. Within their three full length releases is a sonically maturing tone accompanied by the somber nostalgia of vocalist Samuel T. Herring's lyrics. Their 2010 release "In Evening Air" brought "Long Flight" and "Tin Man" into the blogosphere--but was nonetheless one of the most under-appreciated albums of last year.
Now they have returned with further reflection on lost love. Perhaps "On the Water" carries less flame but it definitely has an intense sparkle, more tears, and deeper nostalgia. The narrative of the album is carried by sounds of electronic drums overlaid with thick bright synths and the signature vocals that truly give Future Islands their identity. Describing the tone of vocals is a task best left to the listener. All that can be said is that the tone alongside the performance is both brilliant and genuine.
The single "Before the Bridge" marks the album's first emotional peak in a screaming synthpop anthem after which we see a bridge into the conversational, reflective, and emotional narrative pulling us along to a superb finish. Although it's not proper to give away the ending to the story, I will say this much: the album ends exactly how it should. The last four tracks "Balance", "Tybee Island", "Grease", and the untitled track closing the record encompass the passion of the entire album--an album which I should mention is still best listened to in its entirety. So--take forty-five minutes this fall to sit out in the park by the Mississippi, put on some headphones, think about that someone you miss or that someone you don't talk to anymore, and listen to this album.
Stream: "Balance"