Future Islands, Haunted By You.

With the furore that first whirred around Record Store Day 2015 having now fallen away, with so many an inessential release having rather inevitably worked its way onto eBay since, today, we’re much better able to sift through the rubble-lined aisles of general wreckage of havoc wreaked; (to at least attempt) to separate the wheat from the weighty chaff that seemed to overwhelm the regurgitative yield of this particular year, in order to differentiate better from worse. Perhaps suitably then I suppose, Future Islands’ Abbey Road-recorded contribution – entitled The Chase – conflated the clunky arpeggi of Spirit together with the aureate radiance of Sun in the Morning, to make for what was one of the less inspiratory tracks, if only by virtue of its self-plagiaristic nature. Nonetheless, it surely ranked right up there among “the tall[er] grass” or indeed those more desirable edits regardless, and when it’s rereleased as (another) ‘limited edition’ 7” this summer, it’s to be backed by an altogether more innovative number: namely, Haunted By You.

Something of a slight departure from the hexing sound of Singles, tidal slide guitars lap Gerrit Welmers’ slight, littoral synths and William Cashion’s typically prominent bass lines with sweet, tender guile. But, as per absolutely bloody always, it’s the perennially anguished Samuel T. Herring’s central lament – more of a grief-stricken croon than a grunt this time around, thus better befitting this slower, more “pensive and quiet” recording – which sets Future Islands apart once more. And so, although no man is himself an island, this band increasingly seem further and further removed from their every contemporary and/ or counterpart…

The Chase / Haunted By You will be available physically from June 29th, via 4AD, and can now be pre-ordered right here.