Strong live bands often face an uphill battle to record an album that matches their stage presence.

On their latest album, “Singles,” Future Islands comes as close as any of their prior material.

The Baltimore-based band is one of the more talked about bands after the recent South By Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, as singer Samuel Herring has become even more known for his stage presence and dancing. Looking at any number of Youtube videos of the band from recent years, this stage presence isn’t really new, but the entire band reached a new level.

A reputation as a great live band is as much a curse as it is a blessing. For Future Islands, there’s a level of fervor in the live performance that only adrenaline, hand-rolled cigarettes, amplifiers in an enclosed space and perhaps a few beers can help the band attain.

But on “Singles,” the Baltimore-based group has new bravado. Singer Samuel Herring has perfected the softer sides of his husky vocals without sacrificing power. Herring starts out songs like “Spirit” in a husky whisper before expanding into his swaggering, almost over-the-top peaks.

Herring showcases an expansive vocal range, but not necessarily in terms of hitting notes and reaching octaves.

On “Seasons (Waiting On You)” he subdues his singing to throaty pop. His voice ranges from a croon — “A Dream of Me and You” — to a whisper to a growl to a shout — “Fall From Grace” — and all across the spectrum, often on a single song.

Credit keyboardist Gerrit Welmers and bassist William Cashion for providing steady backing to provide Herring’s vocal kaleidoscope a consistent background. Cashion’s bass is the driving rhythm and force behind the band’s 1980s-inspired synth pop, especially behind tracks like “Sun in the Morning,” “Doves” and “Back in the Tall Grass.”

The band never reaches the gruff heights of tracks off their prior album “On the Water.” On first listen, it’s too subdued in comparison, but the group thrives with balance and control.