By now, most of us have caught the semi-viral and completely thrilling performance Future Islands gave on Letterman to promote Singles. The dance moves, the growl, the polished synth-pop along with the slow realization that there was nothing ironic or gimmicky happening on screen caught everyone–including Letterman himself– off-guard. On Singles, Future Islands is operating from a place of genuine passion. The songs have every bit of resolve of someone starting fresh, saying goodbye to old relationships and stepping out to try love on once again. More than the crooning and the quirky new wave, it’s that raw emotion that delivers Singles‘ most infectious moments.
This article appears in Apr 10-16, 2014.