Future Islands – People Who Aren’t There Anymore

Review Score:

A

February 4 / 2024

It’s almost an embarrassing admission to say that I have not heard any of Future Islands’ albums up until this point. The band has been making music as a foursome since the late 90s. They released their debut studio album in 2008. And I can hear in their sound that they have clearly had a strong influence over the dozens of synthpop artists working today.

And yet here we are. Somehow I am discovering Future Islands on their seventh studio album in the year 2024. Some of the criticisms I’ve seen about this album seem to be aimed at the band’s limited sound. Despite a long career, they really haven’t swayed from their roots too much. And regardless of whether or not you think that’s a good thing, I’d say it’s absolutely clear that they know what they’re doing when it comes to this sound.

Frontman Samuel T. Herring delivers each line with the utmost sincerity. He has a unique and expressive voice, which stands out even in the often lush instrumental mix. Every word is laced with dramatic flair and he really makes you feel every emotion. The album’s lyricism is often just as evocative and imaginative as the vocals would have you believe. On People Who Aren’t There Anymore, Herring details the slow crumble of a relationship over the long-distance separation caused by the pandemic. It was written and recorded in the midst of his isolation. Perhaps this is why the emotions feel so genuine. Without any clear sequential order, the album feels simultaneously like an epic, years long story and a single, crushing summer night.

Herring is supported in this sound by the rest of the band. William Cashion’s bass is dense and heavy. Gerrit Welmers’ synths soar. They carry as much weight as Herring’s vocals do, and songs like “Deep In The Night” turn into a kind of back and forth between the pair. The band has managed to retain all but one of its original members (something that not all long running groups are able to pull off). And they exude the kind of chemistry that comes from a clear understanding of one another.

Does a band need to change their sound as time goes on? No. I don’t think so, anyway. Not always. Bear in mind, however, that I am not familiar with the rest of the band’s catalogue. So take it with a grain of salt when I say that this is my favorite album of the year so far. Herring and company, new sound or not, nailed it on People Who Aren’t There Anymore.

Review Score:

A

Gubb wrote this review. You can’t get mad at Gubb.