<p><span><span>- Over the past two years you would have been hard pressed to spy a legacy music media outlet that didn’t proudly wave the flag for Briton’s pugnacious punks IDLES. Since <em>Joy As An Act Of Resistance’</em>s angry aplomb gripped us, the gents have ridden high on waves of praise and a firebrand barrage of piss and vinegar. Where they would jet off to on the heels of said record and at the same time as giving their passports a workout as they punched up over two hundred plus shows in the interim, I had no idea. The best representation of it actually comes in the form of <em>Ultra Mono’</em>s album cover. An almost comedic artwork is the pinpoint transmutation between sensory forms of what this record sounds like. It wouldn’t have been outside the realm of belief to expect, as <strong>Finn McKenty</strong> would put it, a more “mature sound”…fat chance of that here, mate! All aboard the model train as we rush recklessly into a wall.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Never would I have thought a slew of onomatopoeias would kick off a record but here we are. Imitations of instruments of war start things with an almighty bang as it alternates between vocal and drum lines and full-band-cannonade. When everyone joins in, a downwards wail mulches itself in the noise to instil an anxious fire under your arse. Said formula is manipulated to drag out the bare/balls-out dynamic on <em>Ground</em>. Here guitars blips on our radar between measured throes of intensity. Gradually it peaks into white water chaos and crashes into the imagery heavy <em>Mr. Motivator. </em>And Joe Talbot, man, Joe Bloody Talbot. He puts together entertaining picture after entertaining picture in a way that had me both in stitches at their absurdity and wanting to see how their wack premises would look in front of my eyes. Who wouldn’t want to see Connor McGregor with a samurai sword on roller blades? The morbid curiosity alone is far too intriguing. I want all these analogies to replace the “hang in there” motivation posters. <em>Anxiety </em>& <em>Kill Them With Kindness </em>works as a solid combo. The former is a more direct song supplied with an abundance of <strong>Adam Devonshire</strong>’s ceaseless bass rumble. A march is more appropriate for the latter after a whisper quiet introduction. If <em>Model Village </em>doesn’t end up on Heroin Skateboard’s next full video’s soundtrack I’m going to be thoroughly bummed out. Rattling off a laundry list of idyllic sights with bursts of outside elements cutting in with oddly fun interactions with the rest of the songs, it is so very clear why this song was the lead single. IDLES embrace catch cry territory on <em>Carcinogenic </em>& <em>No Touch Pas Moi</em>. The French phrase is delivered by vocals we’ve not heard yet and pops a whiff of difference. The mature sound joke earlier is on the precipice of coming true because of <em>A Hymn </em>being the longest song the five piece has done to date. Maybe there’s a kernel of truth in that offhanded comment. In the face of this veritable epic by IDLES’ standards, it barely drags and the is a welcome breather before <em>Danke </em>wraps us up. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>IDLES have kept on keeping on their own tracks. There’s an endless glossary of terms you can use to describe how damn good this record is and this band are. All you need to know, my friend, is that as long as IDLES are going, they’ll continue to pump out music well worth your time.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>- Matt Lynch.</span></span></p>
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