Islands
Ski Mask

Ski Mask is the 5th studio album by the Canadian band Islands. If you were still buying records, this one should find a place on your neo-psychedelic (indie) pop shelf.

Ski Mask follows, 12 months later, the contemplative and intimate (at least in content) A Sleep & A Forgetting, and it is supposed to be the album of maturity. It should be the album that proves that the Islands have their heads firmly on their shoulders.

Yes, I said "should" because, in reality, it isn't so. Those so-called "mature" albums are often a step away from mannerism, and I don't find that a positive thing, so: danger averted, rest assured, you still have a reckless album in your hands.

For those who missed the previous episodes, the Islands are the continuation of the Unicorns, a fabulous lo-fi band active in the Canadian indie circuit a few years ago.

The Unicorns' trajectory lasted just 4 years, from 2000 to 2004. They disbanded after impressing (me, more than the audience or critics) with their Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

Nicholas Thorburn (aka Nick Diamonds, vocals, guitar, and keyboards) and Jaime Thompson (aka J'aime Tambeur on drums) had something better in mind and formed the Islands, a group more focused on neo-psychedelic electro-twee indie-pop (well, you get it!).

Despite its irruption, Ski Mask is an organic album with its own cohesion. The 11 tracks work well despite rarely having a well-defined structure, featuring many "catchy pop hooks", even within a single piece, that capture and engage.

In just a few minutes, you shift from the exciting glam soft of Wave Forms, which winks at Beach Boys and David Bowie, playing between piano, synths (something already heard in the Unicorns but less edgy and more 80s), guitars, and xylophones; to the alt-rap of Death Drive, reminiscent of Why? from a few years ago.

Becoming The Gunship is an engaging ballad with brit pop echoes, ideal to be sung at the stadium or arena, if only such people filled the venues (even half a hall would suffice, but I doubt even that).

Finally, remember Hushed Tones, which starts like Jesus And Mary Chains and transforms into a piece that could easily be confused with the Electric President or Radio Dept.

No masterpiece on the horizon, pop history won't be made on these grooves, but it remains a pleasant album that, sooner or later, you will want to listen to again. That's not insignificant.