There isn’t much music that I listen to that pulls double duty as far as song quality goes, not to mention being the perfect score for a scene from a movie I will never make. But the latest single “Bad Air, Still Water,” from Brooklyn-based alt/psych band, Futurist, definitely qualifies.

The new single comes out prior to the release of their new album Omens, and is the equivalent of a delicious appetizer before eating the rest of the four-course meal. It is satisfying yet I am still yearning for another bite. The drums pack a gratifying punch, carrying the momentum of the song while providing the perfect backing for Peel’s singing. His honest, full voice is by far the most vital part of the track. The guitar rings out clearly, occasionally carrying the lead while still giving all of the other elements room to breathe. “Bad Air, Still Water” manages to be both energetic and compelling, while retaining the atmospheric quality that holds the track together. Coming in at over six minutes in length, that is no easy task, yet Futurist manages and delivers it superbly.
Lead singer Curtis Peel shares of the song, “‘Bad Air, Still Water’ was inspired by the weight of it all. ‘Don’t pay any mind to the cynical. They don’t know any better.’ What do we do in those moments where we’ve fallen short of our higher self and are dealing with the disparity between how we thought it would be and what actually happened… and not succumbing completely to nihilism in the process. I think the tune is best summarized through the questions posed in the end of the song. ‘Is there no escape? Am I enslaved to this feeling? I mean am I even helping? Could you just in case, hold me responsible?’ We can’t really escape caring about who we are and the consequences of our actions, so we might as well embrace our autonomy as we move through so much that is out of our control.”
Having not released an album since 2011’s War is Yesterday, I am looking forward to the release of Omens this September, and I can’t wait to listen to the rest of what Futurist has prepared for us.
Lawson Nuland