Newislands :: "Out Of Time"

Newislands' "Out Of Time" inspires a series of immediate responses, not necessarily regarding the music. On a day when Islands released a song from their upcoming record, Newislands has the same ring as New York and New England. This would be, of course, if Newislands wanted to duplicate, improve and free itself from the religious constraints of the band Islands. This would be if Newislands was a rebellious, if achingly indebted, colony of the band Islands. This is, perhaps, an unecesarily high-concept first paragraph. Newislands sound almost nothing like Islands and their most profound connection is that I happened to be listening to them on the same day in late August 2009.

"Out Of Time" is a sparkling bit of synth-pop. Its most memorable moment is a glittering, tumbling synth-loop that sounds a shade like Animal Collective's "My Girls." But Newislands are up to something more retro than the far edges of freak-folk. "Out Of Time" sounds like a lost New Order single, right down to the wistful lyrics and the echoing, distant vocals. In this way, Newislands, musically, are tipping old influences, while very actually sounding far away. It's a charming mixture of metaphysics and reality; like a more recent version of something old, like a brand new (order) colony. And everything comes together, if only at the last minute.

Listen :: Newislands - "Out Of Time"