Future Islands have today shared ‘The Fight’, the latest new song from their forthcoming album, People Who Aren’t There Anymore, out on 26 January 2024. Atop a sensual, synth-based groove, lead singer Sam Herring vies for self-preservation via his trademark impassioned vocals: “I won’t fade away / I will face every day / As if it’s my last one / And I will keep you safe / Just like our past was / Fight for love every day.”
From the start, Future Islands have been singular and instantly identifiable, with Herring’s life-worn croons and cries backlit by Gerrit Welmers’ melodies and charged by the rhythms of William Cashion and Michael Lowry. That premise hasn’t changed on People Who Aren’t There Anymore, but never before has the band sounded so empathetic and Herring so integrated, with what he is singing and how they sound blended like a dioramic mosaic.
Future Islands – ‘The Fight’ (Visualiser)
People Who Aren’t There Anymore, the band’s seventh album, heralds a new chapter for Future Islands who, despite having formed nearly two decades ago, continue to challenge themselves and each other. Where they’ve pursued ever-higher energy anthems in the past, they’ve turned inward this time and unlocked a new level of ferocity. The album delivers some of their most inspiring and heart-breaking tracks by doing the opposite: taking their time, and making each breath, syllable and cymbal crash count. The result is a powerful, defining statement from a group of musicians that have made the best album of their career.
‘The Fight’ follows previously released singles ‘Deep in the Night’, ‘King of Sweden’ and ‘Peach’. More recently, the band shared ‘The Tower’, alongside a video directed by Jonathan van Tulleken (Top Boy, Shogun). This marks the second project Van Tulleken and Herring have worked on together following Apple TV’s The Changeling, whose first season aired this fall.
Future Islands is Samuel T. Herring (vocals, lyrics), William Cashion (bass, guitars), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming) and Michael Lowry (drums). People Who Aren’t There Anymore was co-produced by Future Islands and Steve Wright. It was mixed by Wright and Chris Coady, who hasn’t worked with the band since 2014’s Singles.
Future Islands have announced tour dates in Latin America for March 2024, playing shows in Mexico, Peru and Columbia’s Estereo Picnic Festival. See full list of tour dates below, and for tickets and more information head HERE.
People Who Aren’t There Anymore will be released on 26 January 2024 and will be available digitally, on CD and cassette, and on standard back vinyl, transparent vinyl (indie retail only), and yellow & black ‘yolk’ vinyl with alternative artwork (4AD/D2C Exclusive). For pre-order information head HERE.
People Who Aren’t There Anymore
Tracklist
2. The Tower
4. Say Goodbye
5. Give Me The Ghost Back
6. Corner Of My Eye
7. The Thief
8. Iris
9. The Fight
10. Peach
11. The Sickness
12. The Garden Wheel
Instagram + Twitter: @futureislands
Facebook: @futureislandsmusic
