On September 25th, IDLES will release their anticipated third album – ‘Ultra Mono’ – via Partisan Records. Accompanying today’s announcement, the band have shared album highlight and thunderous call-to-action – “Grounds” – alongside a music video (dir. by Rob French). Listen/watch below and feel free to share:
Frontman Joe Talbot says of “Grounds”:
We wanted to write a song that embodied self-belief, and gave us self-belief – a counter-punch to all the doubt we build up from all the noise we so easily let in. We wanted to make the sound of our own hearts’ marching band, armed with a jack hammer and a smile. We wanted to make the sound of our engine starting. So we did. Thank you.
Ahead of release, IDLES will also host a series of three live performances from an iconic studio on Aug 29-30, which will be professionally recorded, filmed, and live-streamed. Upon purchase of a ticket, attendees will receive a unique link to access the performance live.
Recorded in Paris and produced by Nick Launay (Nick Cave, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire) and Adam ‘Atom’ Greenspan (Anna Calvi, Cut Copy), with Kenny Beats (FKA Twigs, DaBaby, Vince Staples) providing additional programming, ‘Ultra Mono’ was sonically constructed to capture the feeling of a hip-hop record. Across all twelve brutally relevant tracks, the band double down on the vitriolic sneer and blunt social commentary of their past work, with themes of active presence, inclusivity, class, gender inequality, nationalism, community, and toxic masculinity remaining ever-present. ‘Ultra Mono’ also features guest vocals from Jehnny Beth (Savages), and additional guest contributions from Warren Ellis (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), David Yow, and Jamie Cullum.
