The Islas – Oblivion (2021)
The Islas are no newcomers to The Other Side Reviews and they have kept us hooked to their sound through the positivity of ‘Last Time Forever’ after breaking our hearts with the indie rock tones of ‘Close’. Now, their debut EP Oblivion packs everything we have known about the band into six tracks before blowing it all out of the water. With their genre-pushing style, the band has you lost in their upbeat rhythms while engaging your brain through their thoughtful lyrics.
Drawing on youthful experiences and the journey to adulthood, The Islas move from sadness to anxiety and the bliss of first loves. Consisting of tracks written throughout the pandemic, their versatility is on full display as they merge indie rock with pop and extremely catchy melodic movements. If you are looking for an EP that captures the emotions we have all gone through at some point, this is the one for you.
The EP opens with ‘Don’t Wait for Me’ which strums into life with a rather soft feeling. The echoing of the vocals brings a contemplative vibe that adds poignancy to them. There is a lot of melancholy woven into the single as the lyrics try to pick up your spirits but is constantly met with a feeling of uncertainty. The stripped-back melodics are wonderful and provide a deep opening to the EP that sets the emotional pace. There is a burst of sound in the latter parts of the track that adds a new dimension to the track as you fall down a tunnel of lights and sounds.
‘Rock City’ lives up to the name as it has you bouncing around to an indie rock sound from the first moment. The melody has a foot-tapping vibe that does not let up for the entire song while the vocals hook you with their catchy calls. There is a youthful energy to the track that is a little at odds with the emotions of the lyrics. Through the vocals, you are led into a feeling of being out and having fun but still wanting to be at home instead. It is an interesting contrast of emotions and sounds that is a wonder to listen to. The band really showcases their musical prowess with this track as you are hooked to the catchy movements while steeped in the contrasting emotions.
The rolling tones of ‘The Absence of You’ brings a warm summer breeze to your ears. This warm feeling sweeps up into a dancing sonic movement that has you wanting to dance or jump around to the sound of the band. The jangle of the melody has a slightly tropical vibe to it that gets dropped for the energy of the chorus. As with many of their songs, the energy of the single is at odds with the lyrics and vocals. In this song, the vocals are packed with insecurities and the sadness of an ex moving on while you are not ready to. Bypassing feelings of love-sickness, the band dive headfirst into emptiness and a loss of self that beautifully juxtaposes the vibrancy of the melody.
‘Still Coming On’ carries some of the jangling guitars of the last track but removes you from the emptiness of the emotions. There is a feeling of wanting to move forward with life while knowing that you could face setbacks. The head-bopping melody has a stop-start to it at times that drives the messaging of the lyrics home. As you listen to this track, you are slowly filled with a building resilience that makes you feel like you can take on the challenges that come throughout life. While the song is not packed to bursting with good vibes there is the promise that they are coming in the future.
The bare drums that open ‘All The Same’ lower your energy after the last few tracks. There is a softer more balladic feeling to this track as the drums tap your ears and the lightly glinting higher tones softly twinkle. There is a stripped-back vibe to the track that brings a sense of monotony that has you dipping into days when time all fuses together for an indeterminable flow. While you are pulled into a strange lethargy through the melody, the lyrics and vocals temper monotony with happiness. There is a fair amount of sadness in the song but it hits in a strange way that doesn’t pull your emotions into depression. It is an intensely interesting song because of the variety of emotions you are led into.
The EP comes to a close with the title track ‘Oblivion’ that strums and rolls into your senses with a more familiar rock tone. There is an expansive feeling to the melody as it reaches into your soul and then out toward the horizon. The pulses of the drums lead you to a dreamy wash of soaring light tones that blossom with the vocals. There is a deep message in the lyrics that call for you to open your mind as the melody does on the chorus. The music has you rolling through an eye-opening journey of the failures in our perspectives while the vocals give a stark warning that we should all listen to.
The Islas have outdone themselves with their EP Oblivion that hits all the right notes. Each track showcases their versatility while tapping into experiences that we are all incredibly familiar with. The wash of various emotions swirls through your senses only to draw you into the mind-opening call of the final track.
Find out more about The Islas on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
