Future Islands, featuring the trio of Samuel T. Herring, William Cashion, and Gerrit Welmers, deftly navigate the musical crossroads where indie and synth-pop converge. The infectious groove they craft not only lays bare irresistible synth hooks but also serves as the canvas for vocalist Herring’s theatrically impassioned live performances—a hallmark of the band’s on-stage charisma. Within the band’s discography, you encounter evocative lyricism, expertly crafted synthmanship, and basslines that command attention. After eighteen years and 1,400 live shows, Future Islands show they’re not only still here, they’re making the most powerful music of their fascinating, but unexpectedly long and storied career.
For Future Islands, albums aren’t a static reflection of a moment in time, they are a fluid chapter in their lives that can change and mutate. People change and pull away. The band is no different, coming up against their future while staring at their past. They’re not the same people they were when Future Islands began nearly two decades ago. They are now spread about, some settled down and some still moving. People Who Aren’t There Anymore reflects the transience of a band’s existence; the rare privilege of travelling all over the world contrasting with the sadness of fleeting moments in and out people’s lives. Being everywhere but also nowhere. Remembering the lives lost and the living they’ll never see again, cherishing the present and being grateful for the past.
