Islands
Vapours - Anti-
FILTER Grade: 77%

An homage to indie pop with lovelorn lyrics, echoing refrains and melodic hooks—Vapors, the third full-length album from the quirky Canadian band, forms a sugary sound that’s almost too hard to swallow. Commencing loud and fast, Vapors’ first half guises itself as a synth-happy dance record before switching to a darker, more pensive tone on “Tender Torture,” which leads into the lulling “Shining” and “Everything is Under Control.” Yet by ping-ponging between sounds, Islands lose their musical footing by the album’s hazy end, failing to find the cohesion to turn a few interesting songs into a great album.