At a time Islands seemed as destined for mythology as the namesake of their previous incarnation, The Unicorns. Their second album, the piss-poor, personality-free Arm’s Way burst that particular bubble – Vapours goes some way towards reinflating it. Lynchpin Nick Thorburn is back to his witty, idiosyncratic best, the album veritably dripping with one of indie’s most off-kilter personalities. With elements of early electro and the return of their calypso touches, Vapours legitimizes Thorburn’s boast that Islands Are Forever.
