Island is Fou De Toi’s attempt to write a happy song in contrast to their otherwise meloncholic repertoire. I think they succeeded. From the first guitar chord, Island chimes in like…well…chimes – bright and clean and warm. The singer’s voice resembles Chris Martin’s from Coldplay a little. Playful synths glide in toward the end of the verse before drenching the chorus in a kaleidoscope of color and melody.
The backing vocals add a pleasant layer of harmony to the song. The harmony is sometimes composed of the lead with an accompanying falsetto, at others an unaffected, almost spoken barritone mumbles alongside it.
The result is a song fit for any summer occasion: house party, barbecue, spontaneous water balloon fight, even easy-listening at work should you find yourself stuck there on a gorgeous summer weekend. It will make you that much more eager to get out of work so you can rush to the nearest plaza, square, or park and surround yourself with the throngs dressed khaki shorts, and designer graphic t-shirts, wearing supernumerary rubber and leather wrist bands and neon framed sunglasses as they drink Kale infused smoothies and debate which EDM spot to hit tonight.
