There’s a recipe to being a hopeless romantic: You swoon, you love, then you get your heart stomped on and find another crush by next Tuesday (don’t forget to journal about it).

Love sure can be exhausting, but have no fear, fellow bleeding hearts, for pop synth band Future Islands takes its highs and lows and spins the perfect tunes to dust off your jaded heart and your boogie shoes.

The Baltimore-based trio has churned out heavily ’80s influenced pop ballads since 2003, although the crew has lost members and even broken up since their beginnings more than a decade ago. As any seasoned veteran in chasing love knows, however, things falling apart is an irresistible motivator. 

The now steady group consists of Gerrit Welmers, keyboardist extraordinaire who sets up Pretty In Pink-esque melodies, and William Cashion (guitar, bass) who lays down a broody and rhythmic foundation. As soon as the melody and beat sync together, Samuel T. Herring throws his vocals into the mix like a freshly lit firecracker; he’s intense and a little anxiety-inducing, but produces an overall stunning display.

Together, Future Islands creates a sound that hits you right in the heartstrings and touches on topics of lost love and ripening youth, a contagious concoction. By the release of their sixth and most recent album, The Far Field (2017), the boys have stirred up feels at big festivals like Coachella and Bonnaroo — they’ve even jived on David Letterman’s stage.

Mix together the raw authenticity and downright catchy tunes of Future Islands and you’ll want to kick up your feet, throw the windows open and take a nice, deep exhale as you daydream about all the lovers on your heartbreak shelf.

Don’t forget to sew your heart onto your sleeve with Future Islands and alt-rock band Oh Rose, 8 pm Sunday, Sept. 9, at WOW Hall; tickets $20 in advance and $22 day of.

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