Islands have returned with their release Vapours. For their third album, drummer Jamie Thompson joined the band once again after a brief departure (he did not work on the second Islands album). His departure was a big deal because Thompson used to be in a band called The Unicorns with Islands singer Nicholas Thorburn (so they have a history).

Vapours is graced by Islands signature sound, which includes an electronic background led by Nicholas Thorburn’s effortless vocals. The album has its share of hits and misses, but when Islands does it right, their talent is undeniable. The tracks that tend to standout on Vapours have a 50’s pop lovesong influence, occassionally featuring falsetto vocals. “EOL” and “Disarming the Carbomb” win my heart over when Thorburn croons “ooh ooooh”.

Although the album has some cool electronic beats and some catchy tunes, but the majority of the album blends together and does not stand out as a whole. It seems like Islands played it safe on this album, rather than stretching themselves as musicians and experimenting a little more.

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