Future Islands have packed their bags to leave their past home of indie rock limbo and are getting ready to move to the top with their brand new album Singles. Riddled with songs of lively themes and foot tapping beats, this captivating assortment of tunes has made the sound of Future Islands well worth listening.
Contrary to past albums, the tracks of Singles are clean. Gone are the days of the blurry ’80s atmosphere with faded vocals and no longer is every song dripping in romantic tragedy.
This change is especially obvious in the opening track, “Seasons (Waiting on You).” It hugs you with the newfound potential of the band. “Seasons” was clearly made to consume an audience. Not just a small audience like those in the bars they typically entertained in the past, but one that reaches all the way back to the rafters.
If you like “Seasons” you are likely to dig the rest of what Singles has to offer. Each track is focused on creating the desired sound with which Future Islands are pushing to shape their future. The band is at a pivotal point in their career and they knew better than to leave even one sloppy moment on this album.
One word to describe this album is finally. Future Islands have always had the capacity to make an album bursting with hit-worthy singles, however they have always fallen short. Singles represents how this band should have sounded from the start.
Rating: A