Synthpop

Singles – Future Islands

It is hard to resist the emotional synthpop sound of Baltimore-based trio, Future Islands. Even on their fourth and newest album, Singles, Future Islands can still pull the heartstrings of anyone who listens to their potent music. Meeting while studying in Greenville, North Carolina, the trio consists of Gerrit Welmers (keyboards and programming), William Cashion (bass, acoustic and electric guitars), and Samuel T. Herring (vocals). Future Islands, especially on Singles, have a sound similar to early Killers albums.

Future Islands’ performance on “Late Show with David Letterman” was a landmark for their career as it was the most viewed musical guest in the show’s history. This performance is undoubtedly a showing of the band’s powerful music, especially Herring’s singing and dancing, which seems to have had the most influence in getting the band as much attention as they have been getting recently.

Herring has a vocal delivery that is unparalleled among other singers as he has a sort of growl in his voice and conveys a certain emotional depth that is hard to find elsewhere. With songs about devastating heartbreak, Herring plays with the lyrics in a melodramatic way. He grinds his voice throughout the album and during Future Islands’ live performances, and gives off an emotion that is hard to find elsewhere. Herring’s impulsive singing seems to bring the album together as he pulls in listeners with his attitude.

With seemingly blissful melodies that leave listeners in awe, there is something about the instrumentation on Singles that sets Future Islands into something that is unique. Cashion’s bass lines have a voice of their own in this album and seems to give the band  a much bigger sound. “Fall From Grace,” one of the last songs on the album, has a spotlight on Cashion’s guitar and with the slow tempo of this song, there seems to be a much more sorrowful tone on this track compared to the other songs, which is a considerable feat considering all of the songs deal with such melodramatic themes.

Leaving the listener in a cross between joy and sorrow, Future Islands is one of the few bands that can bring on so many emotions at once in one album. Whether it is the powerful vocals of Herring or the vast instrumentation by Welmers and Cashion, this album is sentimental and yet, restrained at the same time, therefore giving it an ecstatic sound to it.

Before the Waves – Magic Man

Magic Man’s debut album, Before the Waves, provides the seemingly perfect addition to any summer soundtrack. Released on July 8 on Columbia Records, this debut has solid electric beats combined with breezy vocals and fun synthesizer melodies and it seems to give the sound of the season. The Boston native Magic Man consists of Alex Caplow on vocals, Sam Vanderhoop Lee on guitars and keyboards, Justine Bowe on keyboard and Joey Sulkowski on drums. Produced by Alex Aldi, who has also worked with bands such as Passion Pit, there is no doubt that influences from these bands drifted onto Before the Waves.

The vocals on this album are memorable as Caplow sings about not wanting to give up on something quite yet and of course, love. With upbeat backing vocals, Before the Waves has a cheerful mood to it progresses through its twelve tracks. In the song, “Every Day,” Caplow seems to share a similar vocal aesthetic with Danielle Haim from Haim in the sense that in this track, both have a similar staccato way of singing.

The synth-driven melodies throughout Before the Waves sets the mood and tone of every song on the album, whether or not it is obvious. Although this type of melodies can tend to become generic over time, Magic Man has a unique twist in their sound that sets them apart from other synthpop bands such as MGMT and Passion Pit. Blending interesting guitar riffs (often times more subtle than the synthesizer) and energetic synthesizer melodies and rhythms.

Before the Waves shows that Magic Man is an essential on any playlist this summer. Before going on tour this summer with Walk the Moon and Panic! at the Disco, Magic Man are on their own west coast tour this week. Magic Man, with their catchy synth-driven music, are definitely not a new band to miss this year.