words//mike boone

Future Islands is a Baltimore-based band that got its start in Greenville, NC. They earned their place amongst the Wham City crowd with their melodramatic synth-pop that features the powerful voice of Sam Herring, the simple dance bass lines of William Cashion, and the synth wizardry of J. Gerrit Welmers.

Sam: I think the first trip to Europe was really intense. Just realizing that we had been friends for so long and been through so much together, and finding ourselves in another country, for the first time, together. It made me really proud.

William: I’d have to say traveling to new places and making new friends.

Which venues have had the best energy?

Sam: We came out of the house party scene, so that’s always been a huge part of our music. Those early shows–playing to 50 people, stuffed in a room–had some of the best energy. This summer, playing under the train tracks in Bushwick to hundreds of people was a totally different kind of feeling. The same kind of energy on a much grander scale; the aesthetic was the same though. Getting a bunch of people crammed into one place that isn’t a regular show venue. Of course, Whartscape gives us that in Baltimore. We are able to bring our friends from all over the country to our city. That’s the best.

William: The energy of a show really depends on the audience. I think that warehouse/house parties always have a really raw energy about them because the audience is right there, sometimes literally, on top of you.

As far as dance music goes, Future Islands leans towards the heavy. What inspires the music/lyrics?

Sam: We all have very different musical influences. The emotional influences are what’s more important for me. I don’t know exactly where William and Gerrit come from when they compose. For me, I draw inspiration from what they come up with, and use the stories and feelings that are my own to write. I imagine it’s “heavy” because the content is… The words derive from strong feelings so they’re sung with strength. I imagine I wouldn’t write a song that I didn’t feel strongly about.

William:  I’m a guitar player who wanted to play keyboards but ended up a bassist, Gerrit is a wicked metal guitarist who became a synth wizard, and Sam is a rapper who ended up a pop-singer.

What’re you looking for out of the year 2010?

Sam:I’m really excited about the new album. I’m looking forward to seeing what people think. How they react to our growth: Positive? Negative? I’m also excited to get back out on the road. I injured my knee last summer so we’ve been off the road for a couple months now, while I get ready for surgery. I don’t like being off the road. I love to play.

William: We’re really excited about In Evening Air‘s release this spring, and touring more. I look forward to visiting the west coast and Germany again.

Do you think the emerging glo-fi/chillwave scene is positive or negative for music?

Sam:I think anything new is positive for music. You gotta grow. There are all kinds of people out there, and there’s an audience for everything. I don’t know enough about the scene, but if people like it, then the music is doing it’s job.

William: I’m not familiar with most of the bands involved in this scene, but what I’ve heard I really like!  I think it’s a positive thing. I dig all kinds of music, but I’m a sucker for good pop songs, so if it’s got a good melody and maybe a hook or two, sign me up!

You’ve recently followed the pattern of a lot of the Baltimore scene and signed with Thrill Jockey. Are you excited about that?

Sam:Very excited. Thrill Jockey was one of the first labels that I followed. It’s all kinds of crazy to be a part of that team.

William: Of course! We’re completely thrilled!!

William: On the A-side, there’s Pictureplane remixing “Little Dreamer” and “Old Friend” combined into one song, and Javelin’s reworking of “Flicker & Flutter.” The B-side has a remix of “Little Dreamer” by our friend Jones, which also features Victoria Legrand doing back-up vocals. Closing it out is “Beach Foam” remixed by Moss of Aura, which is Gerrit’s solo project, and he used a No Age sample in that jam. This has sort of been in the mix for a while now, and we’re excited about it’s release next month on Free Danger.

Your second album, In Evening Air, is right around the corner. How would you describe its sound?

Sam: Mature. Lovely. Heart-breaking.

William: Lyrically, the album is a heart-breaker. The perfect 2010 soundtrack for dying your hair jet-black and putting on eyeliner.

When can we get our hands on it?

William:  It’s looking like the album will be coming out sometime in May.

Have you heard any good emerging artists lately that you’d recommend?

William:  Some of my favorites are:

- Lonnie Walker from Raleigh, NC (peep their debut These Times Old Times)

- Height with Friends from Baltimore, MD (his last album Baltimore Highlands is beautiful)

- Hands on Heads from London, UK (get their newest album Tough Fun)

- Ed Schrader from Baltimore, MD (The Choir Inside; also check out his talk show and his podcast)

- Kymia Nawabi from NYC (amazing visual artist–she does our album art)

- Elena Johnston from Baltimore, MD – also a great visual artist, released Paper Kingdom in 2008 – a book documenting Baltimore music posters, and is currently working on a new book of Baltimore show photography -http://elenaart.blogspot.com/

- NAPS from Raleigh, NC (you should check out their free EP here)

- Moss of Aura (Gerrit’s solo project, his new album Still Parade is great… chill zone)

- The Knights of Love (German “French” band – I believe their EP is available for free on their web site)

- The Texas Governor from New Hampshire (frontman of classic Boston band The Elevator Drops makes country new wave; both of his albums are gorgeous)

I think I should stop here, but I could seriously go on for a while with this list!!

Sam: I’m really bad at remembering… I’m down with everything William said. I’ll add Screaming Females. They were my favorite find of last year. They’ll be doing big things this year. Height is amazing; one of my favorite emcee’s alive. He’s paid his dues, so I don’t know if that’s emerging, but he deserves extreme hype. The Art Department, another Baltimore band. I forget always. There’s way too much stuff that hasn’t been discovered. To talk about new bands, Global Phlowtations!

To end this interview, leave us with one of your favorite lyrics off the new tracks.

Sam: It’s hard to choose from all my babies! I’ll give you a couple from different songs.
- “For kings and queens misunderstand, heaven isn’t held, but takes you by the hand.”
- “By the shattered calls of a mother’s arms, all swept inside, like the rosary, that fell away when her girlish charms, cried out to take on motherhood.”
- “Time goes by, and you’ve got a lot to learn in your life, and the hearts not inside, and I’ve got to find the one that’s just right.”

There are so many more. I was really able to stretch out on these songs. A lot of poetry… I missed that on the last effort.

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To listen to, or see what’s new with Future Islands, check out their MySpace page.