Malaysian dream pop outfit Islands have announced a release date for their upcoming debut album, ‘Changes’.
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The eight-track album is set to arrive on all major streaming platforms on September 1. The band shared in a statement to NME that the entirety of the project was recorded in 2018, with its production being completed in late 2020.
‘Changes’ will include two previously released singles that the band have released – ‘Comet’ and ‘Teenage Breakdown (featuring Lurkgurl)’ from 2019. The entirety of the album was produced by Faliq and Eff, who are known for their time together as a synth-pop duo Pastel Lite.
In February this year, the quartet shared the single ‘2020’, which marked the first piece of original music they have released with new additions to the band – Faris, Sarah and Yazid.
Speaking on their latest track’s release, the band shared via a statement that the track was about “the existential crisis” that everyone faces in their daily lives.
Lurkgul was featured on NME’s ‘The 10 best Southeast Asian albums and EPs of 2022 – so far’ with her EP ‘She-fi fantasy’. In a review, Karen Gwee wrote: “Lurkgurl’s instrumental palette is varied and entrancing (see the dynamic ‘she-fidelity’), her command of vocal manipulation effective and emotive (hear her harmonise with herself on ‘she-fiction’). As her moniker makes clear, Lurkgurl’s the unassuming type. But those who care to step into her lo-fi world will be richly rewarded.”
The tracklist for Islands’ ‘Changes’ is:
1. ‘Islands
2. ‘Comet’
3. ‘9 – 2’
4. ‘Teenage Breakdown’ (feat. Lurkgurl)
5. ‘Fall Into Place’
6. ‘Dreams Suicide’
7. ‘New Person’
8. ‘Flower’