After a near five-year musical hiatus, Nick Thorburn is back with Islomania, the eight-studio album from his triumphant indie pop project, Islands. Islomania tells a story of newfound inspiration with tones of self-reflection, soundtracked by the upbeat and feel-good synth-pop that we’ve always loved about the band. Given that we didn’t even know if we’d hear from the post-Unicorns pop stalwart again, Thorburn’s comeback is both lively and assertive. 

On the opening track “Islomania,” Thorburn lusts to be self-driven, with vocals over a lo-fi indie-pop beat, bellowing “For you and no-one else… do it for yourself.” On the track “Passionate One”, he sings about breaking free and grabbing hold of his passion again.

Thorburn narrates a niche journey of change and struggle, hidden behind his signature croon that he pairs with a modern blend of indie-rock and electro-pop. The funky and almost psychedelic comeback tells a story evidently curated at his own pace. With this album being years in the making, Thorburn’s Islomania feels almost experimental in terms of sound production, which make for a very welcome return. 

Best track: “Islomania”