Ronan O'BrienFuture Islands are celebrating their 20 years in music with the release of a compilation. But this is not a “Best of…“, instead a collection of rarities and hidden gems to showcase the band’s fantastic growth from newcomers to cult favourites.
From Baltimore, With Love
Childhood friends Samuel T. Herring and Gerrit Welmers both held an interest in music, in very different senses. Herring spent his teenage years making hip-hop music, while Welmers was a typical skater who listened to punk. Herring’s friend William Cashion proposed the idea of a band, and history was written. The original band, Art Lord & the Self-Portraits, quickly grew a reputation in the underground music scene, namely for its Kraftwerk-inspired sound.
in 2005, Art Lord & the Self-Portraits disbanded. To keep a commitment as an opening act for another local band, Future Islands rose from the ashes. The band’s debut album, Wave Like Home was released in 2008 to very little attention. The demise of Herring’s long-term relationship became the emotional theme of the band’s follow-up, In Evening Air, released in 2010. A further release, On the Water in 2011 served as another drop in the ocean of music. But the band was to create a splash very shortly.
2014 saw the release of Singles, signalling a huge turning point for the band. An appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman opened the band up to an exhilarated audience with their performance of “Seasons (Waiting on You)“. Now reaching worldwide audiences, the band continued to etch their legacy into the history books with the follow-up albums The Far Field and As Long As You Are. Their seventh album, People Who Aren’t There Anymore, was another emotionally-charged record and another showcase of the band at their brilliant best.
20 years on, the band have compiled a number of unreleased and deep-cuts to create a dedication piece. And boy is it enjoyable.
For Feathers and Hallways
The album opens with the synth-heavy “The Ink Well“, which is a common element of Future Islands songs. Beautifully melodic and ghostly in a sense, the harmonies of the synths are perfect. Herring’s usual gravelly delivery is absent here, with the vocals taking a more reverb-heavy, laid-back approach. Which is suitable, as the lyrics explore the difficulty of saying goodbye.
“Pinnochio“ is much more upbeat with such a bass-heavy sound. The vocal delivery by Herring is more familiar, even becoming piercingly harsh in segments. A song from their 2009 single Feathers & Hallways, it definitely has the sound of that era imbued in it. Short and sweet, it has been recognised by the band as their defining point. A leap of faith that they were happy to take a chance with.
The other song from that 2009 single appears next. “Happiness of Being Twice“ bounces with an incredibly upbeat melody and Herring’s beautiful lyricism. Painting a picture of what true love looks like, it’s pleasant and one to induce a smile with a bobbing head.
A trance-filled melody ensues with “In the Fall“, from the EP with the same title. Featuring vocals from Katrina Ford of Celebration, it’s a duet brimming with blissful emotions. The lyrics are especially poignant, with Herring describing them as “a song about the beauty of Spring, the open arms of Fall and the Winter that is about to come and bury us all”.
I Wanna Find Love
The glitchy, down-tempo melody of “Awake & Dreaming“ is another cut from the In the Fall EP. Slow-burning and accompanied by Herring’s strained vocals, it’s a deep, emotional track about his relationship ending. The cold instrumental is further supported by the blistering sounds of wind, almost making you feel the heartbreak conveyed.
The final track from In The Fall that appears on this compilation is the rather upbeat “Virgo Distracts“. The bass-led melody is fantastic, and Herring’s vocals fluctuate between strain and restraint, evoking such emotional impact. Lyrically, it points to more relationship problems, which seems to be the theme behind the EP as a whole.
An unreleased track follows in “Find Love“, whose snyth-led melody is infectious from the offset. The driving rhythm has my foot tapping incessantly and the hook is delivered with such brilliant emotion. Following another common theme, the lyrics appear to show a picture of love that Herring imagines. And if this is the soundtrack to true love, I’m sold.
Another brilliant display follows in “Cotton Flower“, which was originally released on a split-single with Ed Schrader’s Music Beat. The melodies are so touching, but the lyrics are the showstopper for me. Painting a picture of the cotton fields in his native North Carolina, Herring portrays the scenery with utmost poetry and soul.
One For Me and One For You
“The Fountain“ was originally released as a B-side in 2012 and acts as a brilliant homage to the band’s roots. While the soundtrack is enough to have me hooked, the lyrics are poetic beyond belief. As Art Lord & the Self-Portraits, Herring & co. performed artistic lyrics to an electro-pop backdrop. With references to Genet, Rilke and Calvino, the lyrics depict a tale of courtship to a powerful melody.
Following with the A-side of the single, “Tomorrow“ is another beautiful display of the electro-pop sound the band have cultivated. The instrumental is relaxed, but sways with incredible soul. Another powerful lyrical exhibition, it details the struggles of moving on from a relationship ending. The soul-inspired backing vocals add such beauty to the track, it becomes monumental.
“One Day“ appears as an outtake from Singles, which shares the fantastic mix that the album had. Another laid-back synth melody accompanied with fantastic live bass and drums, it’s a shame the track was not included in the already stacked tracklist of the band’s magnum opus. The lyrics are mournful, which once again detail the difficulties surrounding a breakup.
A dance-inspired melody opens “The Chase“, which was released as a single in 2015. Described as “an oddball song that fits in between the cracks”, it’s certainly a deviation from the band’s usual sound. The moving bass line that weaves between the vocals is a big standout for me, which really comes to shine during the bridge. Naturally, the lyrics detail relationship issues. This time, the spark naturally fading is the crux of the issue, and the subsequent problems that ensue.
Pensive and Quiet
“Calliope“ has another dance-inspired instrumental, with synth-heavy melodies that become a bit of an earworm. A song that has become more noted for the band’s live performances, it was originally released in collaboration with Adult Swim. Lyrically it details of intense feelings for a lover, which ultimately results in demise.
Another fan-favourite instalment follows in “Six Weeks“. A tender, lo-fi ballad detailing the difficulties of maintaining a relationship around tours, it’s a song directly from Herring’s heart. The weeping synth melody and the walking bass line are both fantastic, and really come to climax in impressive form. A hidden gem to say the least.
The B-side to “The Chase“, the reflective “Haunted by You“ is another mellow track about lost love. Herring’s vocals are delivered with true heart, and the instrumental is just as dulcet. The slide guitar-inspired melody especially hits an emotion and the lines “there’s no home like the one I found in you” ring through the loudest.
The previously unreleased “Sail“ is utterly gut-wrenching. The slow, minimalist instrumental sets the tone wonderfully, as does Herring’s low register vocals. Building on this, the song builds layers of melodies, which somehow make the emotions stronger. The closing iterance of “take all the time it takes” pulls at the heartstrings of anyone who has experienced the fleeting demise of a special relationship.
You Don’t Give Up
An outtake from the eponymous 2020 release, “As Long As You Are“ is built around a looped Kraftwerk-inspired melody. Lyrically it serves as an inspirational note to Herring’s youthful self. Acting as a homage to himself, he is full of gratitude to the unrelenting drive he had to become the successful person he is today, living his dream.
Another previously unreleased track comes in the form of “Days“. An upbeat instrumental, the driving bass and drums create such an enjoyable atmosphere. What appears to be a love song, it’s another display of the band’s timeless electro-pop sound.
An unfinished track being included is a cool touch, and this appears as “Rager – demo“. The sound has a darker feel at first, but comes to life with an utterly fantastic earworm of a melody. For some reason, the bass and synth combo has such a huge New Order-inspired sound to me. This song is such a hidden gem, it almost feels like a taste of what’s to come from the band. And if that assumption is correct, I’m in for a real treat.
The compilation finishes with the 2024 single “Glimpse“. An outtake from their last album, it has so many cool elements like live drums and lovely little snippets of woodblocks tied with a compelling melody. It’s upbeat yet a contradiction, as the lyrics detail the physical and emotional pain of losing a family home.
Final Thoughts
Admittedly, my first thought after listening to this album was that it’s good but a bit messy. That was before I discovered it as a compilation, and that changed my entire view. While Future Islands are a band I like, their singles and EPs were previously unheard of to me. After listening to this compilation, I can only call myself a fool for not exploring their entire discography, as it’s absolutely brilliant.
Compilations are not really my thing. For me, a band releasing their best hits on a record is a little disingenuous in a way. Albums are meant to be enjoyed front to back, and if there are songs you don’t consider to be the “best”, then why include them? That being said, Future Islands have created a fantastic version of the compilation album. What better way to celebrate 20 years than releasing a combination of EPs, singles and outtakes in one big, beautiful record?
