Future Islands’ newest album, “On the Water,” left me musically bemused — but strangely intrigued.

The first go-round, it felt as if the ’80s had crawled out of a pile of blow and vomited into my ears — but after a second and more thorough listen, I found most of the songs enjoyable.

The beginning title track sent a melancholy chill down my spine ­– with an eerie synthesizer and ominous wailing vocals – making me feel as if I was crying into my denim jacket, skating by myself in a roller disco, watching all the couples pass by me.

"On The Water"

By track two, “Before the Bridge,” the tempo is brought back up from it trolling pace and lead singer Samuel Herring’s storytelling style is sped up to a more pop-driven tone.

As each song progresses, the mood is juxtaposed from the next – taking you along the journey the band’s songs delve into.

Rinse, lather and repeat.

At times, the often spacey and ambient melody is well-balanced, with simplistic rhythms that had me tapping my feet and hands as I listened. And with the combination of sounds of the ocean in the background of numerous tracks and Herring’s romanticized lyricism, it seems to work.

The songs tend to carry you along, tugging emotionally — each song to the next.

As I listened to each song, The Cure’s undertones were almost unavoidable. At other moments, Duran Duran seemed like a better comparison.

And the term “post-wave” resonates with the band’s sometimes tranquil, sometimes poppy, new wave and post-punk combo.

But the song that hooked me into the album and evened my opinion of the band is called — coincidentally — “Balance.”

Not only was it the song the separates itself from the rest of the album – with a fast-paced, techno-esque drum beat and an addictive bass line and keys that kept me humming along — Herring’s slightly raspy and pitch-fluctuating vocals also sucked me in.

And I’ve been spit out a fan … for the most part.