Review - "People Who Aren't There Anymore" by Future Islands
Future Islands return with a passionate and energetic record about dissolving relationships during a global pandemic. It's dramatic, it's fun, it's distinctly Future Islands.
“When a boy who played with razors met a girl who opened cages,
All the birds flew through the graveyard, and their laughter was contagious…”
Synth pop is a genre that I have always had an extremely soft spot for, likely because of my upbringing in a household with parents who both were endowed with a natural affinity for 80’s new wave and synth pop. When I was introduced to Future Islands in 2014, it was only natural for the band to fall in with the other synth pop groups I frequently listen to. Besides, it was hard to dislike the band considering their viral and outstandingly quirky performance of “Seasons (Waiting On You)” on The Late Show with David Letterman that year - Future Islands frontman Sam Herring truly puts on a show in that performance (If you’ve never seen that performance, please correct that immediately):
While the song “Seasons (Waiting On You)” is now ten years old, it truly highlights the uniqueness of Future Islands’ sound - minimalist synth pop with a thespian-grade, almost boyish charm. That style is wholly theirs and is what I typically expect from the band when they put out something new. What I didn’t expect was the subtle break from that pattern on “People Who Aren’t There Anymore” which expands the depth and steps back from the minimalism of their sound that I’m accustomed to. The result is quite impressive - I’ve had the record on repeat all day because I’m really enjoying this more expanded feel to their music.
The record, which was written largely about the disintegration of Herring’s long-distance relationship during the COVID-19 pandemic, is dynamic and playful through its entire run, with Herring’s lyrics as creative as ever, and his vocal range still impressive and unique after all these years (in fact, I think there are few vocalists out there with a talent/style combination like his). His vocal strength is showcased especially well on “The Tower” and “The Thief,” both of which carry high energy, but are truly powered by Herring’s belting in each chorus, like gritty sucker punches out of the clean and glittery synths where they lay hiding. “Say Goodbye” also showcases Herring’s vocal talent, but in pace instead of impact - it’s fast, it’s dramatic, and it tells a story with its pace, carrying the weight of trying to hide from an impending breakup so well that even I feel Herring’s anxiety just listening to it. So to does “The Fight” carry that weight, but it does so sorrowfully instead of anxiously in its slower pace and dreamlike atmosphere.
And that’s just the thing - Future Islands true talent isn’t just in their music, it’s the fact that their music is a full production, especially Sam Herring’s contribution to the mix. I saw the band live back in 2014 and they put on quite the show (as an opening act, mind you), and they did it not with lights and effects, but with passion and energy. In fact, Herring’s dancing was so intense that he left a puddle of sweat on the stage that was promptly cleaned up after they finished their set because it would’ve been a wet floor hazard for the main act. This passion-and-energy production that they pull off so well is what really shines through on “People Who Aren’t There Anymore.” It’s evident in the music - you can truly hear it - and that’s what truly grabbed my attention with this record and why I can’t stop listening to it.
Overall Rating: 8.3/10
Top Tracks:
- Say Goodbye
- The Thief
- Peach