Bleep

Synth-pop romantics Future Islands forego the studied minimalism of 2017’s The Far Field and detour into the deeply psychedelic with their sixth LP As Long As You Are. Wide-eyed production and bucolic lyricism colours the synth-orchestral swells of opener ‘Glada’, propelled by the acoustic percussion of newly-established official drummer Mike Lowry. Clubby new wave tones float across the windswept landscapes of ‘For Sure’ and ‘Born in a War’, as Sam Herring’s inimitable vocal unfurls choruses of anthemic melancholia, dipping to barrel-chested croons on the indie disco slow jams of ‘I Knew You’ and ‘Moonlight’.