Following the recent announcement of their much-anticipated new album, Yesterday Park, London’s ISLAND return today their new single “Young Days.” The announcement comes on the heels of their recent critically acclaimed singles “Do You Remember The Times,” “My Brother,” “Everyone’s The Same,” and “Octopus.” All are also taken from the new album, out June 25 (Frenchkiss Records). The singles and album mark the band’s first new material since 2019 and has seen them already rack up almost 1m streams.
“Young Days” sees the band further lean into a theme of nostalgia that is at once poignant and sanguine – this is further accentuated in the beautiful accompanying video (directed by vocalist Rollo Doherty), which follows a group of young skateboarders.
The track is yet another warm and euphonious offering for the band weaving around evocative and atmospheric downtempo instrumentation. As with their previous single, there are hints to the 90s beat-driven instrumentation that the band claim to have drawn influence from in their new material, but not at the cost of their unique, explorative dynamics and anthemic songwriting. Speaking about “Young Days” Rollo says, “Our lifestyles are driving the planet towards what feels like an inevitable future, and not being able to look into the eyes of the generations who will suffer the worst of the consequences makes it not even seem real. ‘Young Days’ considers those ideas, but it was also written when I felt like I had reached a point where I needed to look at aspects of my own life, and change to better my future. The song is lost somewhere between those two thoughts.” The band had the majority of the album written just before lockdown in March last year, but, since taking that enforced pause, the songs have grown to take on new significance for them. The band go on to say, “Nostalgia is a feeling that has become more relevant for everyone in the last year, with more time and space to reflect on past experiences.”
Yesterday Park was recorded in semi-locked-down London last summer with Mikko Gordon (Thom Yorke), their first time working with an outside producer. The result showcases the band experimenting with more complex production as they introduce new textures and recording techniques to expand and further hone in on a sound that has always been unique to ISLAND.
From the dulcet and cyclical album opener “Octopus,” to the raw and direct slacker-rock anthem “Everyone’s The Same,” right through to the wistful, downtempo slow jam “My Brother,” the contrast across the the band’s new material perfectly highlights their unique dynamic range and risk taking in their new songwriting process.
Yesterday Park is the uninhibited sound of a band who’ve already achieved so much, who are now taking another big leap forward both musically and personally. While it’s subject matter might be looking back to the past;ISLAND‘s new LP is a statement of intent that will find many looking forward to what is yet to come.
