Future Islands

Future Islands is an American synthpop band based in Baltimore, Maryland, and signed to 4AD. The band is composed of Gerrit Welmers (keyboards and programming), William Cashion (bass, acoustic and electric guitars), and Samuel T. Herring (lyrics and vocals). Future Islands formed in January 2006 in Baltimore, Maryland.

History

The band met and formed while studying art at East Carolina University in Greenville. Their first band was Art Lord & the Self-Portraits, which included Samuel T. Herring, William Cashion, Gerrit Welmers, Adam Beeby, and Kymia Nawabi. That band lasted from February 2003 until fall of 2005. In 2006, Cashion, Herring, and Welmers formed Future Islands with Erick Murillo, who played an electronic drum kit.

Future Islands released Little Advances in April 2006 and a self-released split CD with Welmers' solo project Moss of Aura in January 2007. They recorded their debut album "Wave Like Home" with Chester Endersby Gwazda at Backdoor Skateshop in Greenville, NC later that year. London-based label Upset the Rhythm released Wave Like Home in the Summer of 2008. The cover art was designed by Kymia Nawabi, a former member of Art Lord & the Self-Portraits.

In late 2007/early 2008, the band relocated to Baltimore. The "Feathers and Hallways" 7" was recorded in Oakland, California, during their first U.S. tour and was their first release as a focused three-piece. Their second album, In Evening Air, was recorded in the band's living room in the historic Marble Hill neighborhood in Baltimore.

In 2009, the band signed to Chicago independent record company Thrill Jockey.^[1] Following a year of solid touring, they recorded their third album On the Water in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and released it in the autumn of 2011.

In early 2014, the band announced they had signed to 4AD, who would release their new album, Singles, in March 2014. The band made their network television début on March 3, 2014, on The Late Show with David Letterman, performing the lead single "Seasons (Waiting on You)".^[2] Their performance on the show, particularly Herring's onstage antics, became an internet success, and garnered millions of views on YouTube.^[3] "Seasons (Waiting on You)" was eventually named the best song of 2014 by Pitchfork Media,^[4] the Pazz & Jop critics' poll,^[5] and Consequence of Sound.^[6]

The band performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live in May 2014.^[7]

They made an appearance on Later... with Jools Holland on September 30, 2014.^[8]

The band performed at the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday, June 28, 2015, on 'The Other Stage'.

On New Years Eve 2015 they appeared once again with Jools Holland on his annual Hootenanny where they performed 'Back In The Tall Grass' and Seasons (Waiting on You)^[9]

Band members

Timeline

Discography

Albums

• Wave Like Home (2008)
• In Evening Air (2010)
• On the Water (2011)
• Singles (2014)

EPs

• Little Advances (2006)
• In the Fall (2010)

Singles

• "Follow Me" (2006) (from Little Advances EP)
• "Pinnochio"/"The Happiness of Being Twice" (2007) (Non-album single)
• "The Ink Well" (2008) (Split single with Lonnie Walker)
• "Walking Through That Door" (2009) (In Evening Air)
• "Long Flight" (2010) (In Evening Air)
• "Tin Man" (2010) (In Evening Air)
• "Before the Bridge" (2011) (On the Water)
• "Grease" (2011) (On the Water)
• "Balance" (2011) (On the Water)
• "Close to None" (2012) (On the Water)
• "Tomorrow"/"The Fountain" (2012) (Non-album single)
• "Cotton Flower" (2013) (Split single with Ed Schrader's Music Beat)
• "Seasons (Waiting on You)" (2014) (Singles)
• "A Dream of You and Me" (2014) (Singles)
• "Spirit" (2014) (Singles)
• "Doves" (2014) (Singles)
• "Light House" (2015) (Singles)
• "A Song for Our Grandfathers" (2015) (Singles)
• "The Chase" (2015) (Non-album single)

References

External links

• Official website