Future Islands members making rap & ambient music (one in NYC this weekend)

When Samuel T. Herring isn’t showcasing his signature growled vocals as the frontman of Future Islands, he’s taken on the rap alias Hemlock Ernst, dropping several notable rap tracks over the years with Madlib, Aesop Rock, and Open Mike Eagle, along with landing a feature on the new DJ Shadow album. This week, Sam’s announced a new album under the moniker, which is a collaboration with producer Kenny Segal (who released an album with Billy Woods earlier this year). The album’s called Back at the House, and it’s out October 25 via Ruby Yacht.

Alongside the announcement, Sam and Kenny Segal have shared the album’s lead single, “Down,” which presents Sam’s focused, sinister flow over Kenny’s ethereal instrumentals; if you’ve been following Sam’s rap ventures closely, it’s a promising taste of what’s to come. Stream the new song, and view the artwork/tracklist for Back at the House, below.

In other Future Islands news, bassist/guitarist William Cashion is set to perform at National Sawdust on September 28, where he’ll perform new ambient music inspired by Brian Eno, Suzanne Ciani, and more that he calls “postcard music,” which is described as “music that doesn’t have a beginning or an end, music to listen to with your eyes closed” Tickets are on sale for that, as well as the rest of opening weekend for National Sawdust’s fifth season.

Hemlock Ernst with Kenny Segal – Back at the House tracklist
1. North to South
2. Messy
3. Bless The Fire
4. Slabs of the Sunburnt West
5. Addicted Youth
6. Down
7. The One
8. Jargonne
9. Stone Soup
10. Back At The House
11. Less Unsettled