On their third release in as many years, Jamie Thompson and Nick Thorburn have reunited as Islands to produce a raucous, tight album that thankfully reigns in much of the excess of 2008’s Arm’s Way. Born out of the ashes of much-beloved The Unicorns, Islands’ debut, Return To The Sea, was an absolutely stunning affirmation of the duo’s ability to harness a patchwork of sounds into something cohesive and evocative. As such, Thompson’s absence on the follow-up was definitely felt, resulting in a sprawling effort that drowns in its own baroque sensibilities.
So, is the third time the charm for these dynamic Canadians? Though it’s hard to improve on the excellence of their debut, Vapours is a solid effort, harmonious and surprisingly well-edited. Opener “Switched On” is not quite as jittery as you’d expect from Islands, but there’s a good flow nonetheless, all swirling keyboards, Thorburn’s bright vocals, and a breezy, catchy chorus. There’s not really a “signature” Islands sound, but the group has managed to take their pop core and tease new sounds of it without being too over-the-top. Such irrepressible energy is what makes tracks like the title cut hit the mark, which is one of the most instantly accessible moments Islands has put to disc. Full of jubilant guitars and a bouncing brass section, the song’s climax comes as Thorburn proclaims, “It’s the bassline in your mind / It’s the sexy way to cry.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Islands release without a bit – okay, a lot – of sheer strangeness. This is, after all, the band that has written odes to the apocalypse and pop ditties about creepers stabbing in the dark. On this release, “No You Don’t” provides a quick shot of creepiness with its slow, thudding electronic backbeat, while “Devout” tells the tale of bank robbery/love story gone terribly wrong, set to the tune of shimmering keyboards and breathless vocals. Even their foray into the much-abused Auto-Tune, “Heartbeat,” doesn’t totally flop; it’s intriguing in its spacey soullessness, and the synthesis of real instrumentation and distorted vocals works well.
Where Arm’s Way got too preoccupied with genre-bending, this album finds Islands falling back in love with making the simple pop tune sound not so cut-and-dry. Though no song on Vapours goes over five minutes, Thorburn’s witty, finely-crafted lyrics paired with the stunning depth of instrumentation assure that each one is listenable and enjoyable. From the rollicking piano, joyous harmonies, and purely awesome storytelling of “Disarming The Car Bomb” to the delightfully creepy, feedback-drenched “Shining,” Vapours is an album that is instantly likeable due to its sparkling pop sensibilities, but it also grows upon reflection, unfolding layers of complexity. Deceptively upbeat, charmingly corrupt – Islands continues to be one to watch in the indie world.
