IDLES return with new album CRAWLER. As someone who feels the smoke from Ultra Mono is only just starting to set, I wasn’t expecting to hear another release so soon. However, seeing as the band have released something each year since 2017, I guess it makes sense, and that perhaps I’m a plastic fan. Ah well.
CRAWLER marks a new chapter for IDLES. As detailed in a recent interview with NME, Joe Talbot and the rest of the band revealed some internal struggles when it came to the creation of Ultra Mono. Sonically or lyrically, the band felt like they had to fulfil expectations on top of responding to certain criticisms. Personally, I felt you could feel that struggle throughout the record, which lead to the it almost burning itself out. Don’t get me wrong, I will always turn to ‘War’ for a boost, but reckon a reset comes at the best time.
Lead single ‘The Beachland Ballroom’ introduces us to this new approach with a mid-tempo number stalking its way through the speakers. Stark piano keys are paired with drums alongside an unnerving feeling of tension that seems to be present in all IDLES music. It’s given time to breathe and move at its own pace, allowing things to grow organically which isn’t often utilised. It makes for a refreshing sound, one that subverts expectations without forgoing everything we like about IDLES.
‘MTT 420 RR’ opens the record with six minutes of what could seen as a reflection to what occurred on Ultra Mono. The instrumental is muted, the vocals are minimal and once again to feel the tension seep through. Synthesisers lead the way as Joe state ‘are you ready for the storm?’ – a storm that never seems to come, sadly. ‘The Wheel’ restores that expectation though, upping the tempo and launching into a riff that grooves as much as it overwhelms the mind.
‘When the Lights Come On’ brings a more immediate sound as it features a driving drum beat alongside Joe’s sneering vocals. I get some real Interpol vibes from it. It reveals how varied CRAWLER is. While the tools are there to keep things accessible, there’s a range of genres explored that helps the record flow smoothly. ‘The New Sensation’ is an exciting foray into funkier times, ‘Progress’ is almost otherworldly with its industrial, warbling sound and how can you not enjoy the fuel injection of ‘Wizz’? It’s awesome.
CRAWLER is a great album and a strong introduction into this new version of IDLES. It doesn’t look to tick all the boxes of an instant hit, which means it doesn’t sound one-note which is where I feel Ultra Mono fell. It has a ton of depth to it – musically and lyrically – which is something I’m pleased to see return to their music. It has a lot to it that will take time to digest, but everything here so far goes down smooth.