The Far Field

Bolstered by a notoriously great Letterman performance, Future Islands’ 2014 effort Singles was a breakthrough for the synth-pop romantics. The Far Field dives further into their sound, combining the expressiveness of soul with the leanness of post-punk and New Wave, underlined by immediate songwriting and the strong, vulnerable voice of Samuel T. Herring. “I don’t believe anymore/I won’t grieve anymore,” he croons on the standout “Cave.” “’Cause what was gold/Is gone and cold.”