Though the Strokes had been together over 15 years when they released Future Present Past, it still represented a few firsts for the band. Not only was it their first release on Julian Casablancas' Cult Records label, it was also their first EP since 2001's The Modern Age, the three-song set that sparked the bidding war that led to the band's contract with RCA. Freed from that deal, they sound more engaged and electrified on Future Present Past than they have in years. If the EP's track list corresponds to its title, then the Strokes' future and present sound a lot like Casablancas' other band, the Voidz: "Drag Queen" is easily one of their oddest songs, with woozy, pitch-shifted vocals, a guitar solo that sounds like a fanfare, and synths and a bassline that recall New Order. It's still identifiably the work of the Strokes, though, thanks to Fab Moretti's metronomic precision, Nikolai Fraiture's flowing, surprising basslines, and Albert Hammond, Jr. and Nick Valensi's alternately taut and soaring guitar work. Similarly, while "OBLIVIUS" borrows from the Voidz's overstuffed feel and its disco-tinged beat and preening guitars share a kinship with Ratatat, it also proves that the Strokes' skill at sounding carefree and heartbroken at the same time hasn't diminished since The Modern Age. Indeed, "Threat of Joy" makes it clear that the Strokes have just as much fondness for their early days as their fans: despite its silky guitars and '60s pop vocal harmonies, it's the most traditionally Strokes song here, a distillation of rock's most carefree essence delivered with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude that's still arguably more rebellious than getting riled up. Finally, Moretti's "OBLIVIUS" remix makes the most of the song's dance leanings as well as Casablancas' declaration that "it's not my midnight yet," a sentiment that perfectly sums up Future Present Past as a reminder that there's more to come from the Strokes.