I haven’t been on the Future Islands bandwagon for long now, maybe two months. The release of their Undressed EP spurred my newfound respect for the Baltimore-based band, and showcases their ability to rework their unique blend of synth-centric dancewave into a far more digestible, symphonic package.
Undressed, released by Thrill Jockey last September 21, is a concise, four-song EP consisting of two songs from their latest album, In Evening Air, as well as a new single and a track from their debut LP Wave Like Home.
More so than with Future Islands’ full-lengths, I found lead singer J. Gerritson Welmers’ pronounced vocal style comparable to Antony Hegarty of Antony and the Johnsons. His slightly nasally, British sounding delivery of these songs works perfectly, and in my opinion, better than on their full-lengths. It really breaks my heart that I hadn’t listened to this EP more before making our ‘Best of 2010′ lists, as Undressed would, without a doubt, have had a major presence throughout.
The final track of the EP, “Little Dreamer”, as well as the opener “In The Fall”, are the clear standouts. Their delivery resonates far deeper with me than the original versions. The brilliance of Undressed is simply the display of Future Island’s diversity. Not every band can strip down their songs and create something this amazing.
Take a listen (iTunes samples are 90 seconds now!), and see if this side of Future Islands is more your thing.
