Future Islands have announced details of their new album “People Who Aren’t There Anymore”. The album will be released on January 26, 2024 via 4AD/Beggars. “People Who Aren’t There Anymore” was co-produced by Future Islands and Steve Wright, and mixed by Steve Wright and Chris Coady (who is working with the band again for the first time since 2014’s Singles).
Along with the announcement, the band is sharing a new single from the album, ‘The Tower‘. ‘The Tower’ follows the previously released singles ‘Deep In The Night‘, ‘King of Sweden‘ and ‘Peach‘, which can also be found on the new album. A video has been released for ‘The Tower’, directed by Jonathan van Tulleken (known from Top Boy and Shogun). This is the second project that Van Tulleken and Herring have worked on together; they previously worked together on Apple TV’s “The Changeling,” the first season of which aired in September. About the collaboration with Herring on the show and the video ‘The Tower’, Van Tulleken says:
“Anyone who’s seen Sam on stage shape shift with his whole body and voice from heart wrenchingly tender to fantastically ferocious knows that he is a truly, magnetic, performer. This was no small reason why he was cast for a role in The Changeling where he plays a complex character who appears to be one thing whilst actually another. It was a role that would be no easy task for even the most seasoned actor but Sam, applying all his stage craft, charisma, smarts and natural empathy, absolutely nailed it producing a riveting performance. I loved working with someone who came to acting via this persona they had built in their music. To then get to collaborate on a music video with the band was a delight, especially one which explores that duality of light and dark literally and metaphorically. Finding that same captivating, haunting, performance but this time with the track as script.”
“People Who Aren’t There Anymore” is the seventh album by the band – Samuel T. Herring (vocals, lyrics), William Cashion (bass, guitars), Gerrit Welmers (keyboards, programming), and Michael Lowry (drums) – and follows up 2020’s “As Long As You Are”. “People Who Aren’t There Anymore” marks a new chapter for Future Islands, who, despite being founded nearly two decades ago, continue to challenge themselves and each other.
In contrast to their previous push for increasingly energetic anthems, this time they have taken a more introspective approach. They reached a new level of intensity by doing the opposite: taking their time, making every breath, every syllable, every cymbal hit count. This has allowed them to produce some of their most inspiring and heartbreaking songs. The result is a powerful, definitive statement from a group of musicians who did their best work with this album.
Tracklist “People Who Aren’t There Anymore”
1. King of Sweden
2. The Tower
3. Deep In The Night
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
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