From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth

Orders will include a newspaper/zine 

Future Islands are an emotionally charged synth pop group, known for their dexterous melodic touch, stately momentum and impassioned delivery. Over the past twenty years they have travelled a rare arc, from promising newcomers to best-kept secret, from cult favourites to heroes of the genre. As they reach this remarkable milestone, they resist the obvious move. Instead of a ‘best-of’ compilation victory lap, Future Islands present From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth - an immediate and accessible collection – half of which has never appeared on streaming services – comprising alternate hits, rarities, and fan favourites that showcase the band’s palette and bring further colour to their uniquely universal appeal.

Future Islands have chosen this moment to shine a light on the less obvious, giving everyone the chance to glimpse at how they’ve grown as a band. This is not mere fan service however, nor a nostalgic exercise in self-congratulation. I’ve worked with the band since their first album, and this release feels more like a resetting of the narrative, or rather a reaffirmation of who they truly are. Future Islands have always been more than a viral moment; their career contains extraordinary depth and nuance, often overshadowed by louder peaks. Here, that breadth is finally acknowledged. These songs reveal a band comfortable with subtlety, grace, and emotional endurance - and they have never sounded more eternal.

As the title suggests, this double-LP traces the group’s journey from humble origins toward ever-widening horizons. Twenty songs for twenty years, four members of the band, four sides of vinyl. There’s a well-known Tennessee Williams quote that talks of this kind of duration - “time is the longest distance between two places.” It is time that really separates the floor from the fountain. Future Islands have developed from a pulse-quickening prospect into something more majestic and sustaining. What remains constant though is that romantic core, keeping perfect time with a melancholic pendulum, documenting those moments that vanish with fleeting beauty.

• Christopher Tipton, January 2026 (Upset The Rhythm)