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Idles

Tangk

Written by: PP on 18/03/2024 23:16:23

Five albums down, Idles remains one of the most frustrating bands out there for critics like me. Their live performances are known for their addictive energy and eclectic crowd dynamic, while their recorded output continues to be so fucking pretentious it's flat-out irritating to listen to. The same formula continues on "Tangk", which might just be their most pompously arrogance-oozing record yet, this time sounding like a reductive Blur record altered using a post-punk filter.

It's a soundscape that oozes "we know better" with almost every note. It's attempting to sound kitsch through its artsy fartsy experimentation on songs like "Roy", while the weirdo ostentatious electronics contrasting indie rock guitars on "POP POP POP" are as minimalistic as they are pointless. The problem is, it's not just boring, it's annoying. You can compare "A Gospel" to Damon Albarn's quieter work with Blur as well as his solo material, but where he emits pure class through soothing and depth-laden melodies, Idles just sound dishonest in their attempt to sound avant-garde.

Idles have always been at their best when Joe Talbot lets his fury loose and unleashes some of that punk subtext they're trying to embed in their soundscape. "Dancer" ups the tempo and emits some of that rage they've been missing for the first five songs, albeit through an unnecessarily unpolished and messy production. "Hall & Oates" is a highlight track precisely for that reason: it's rowdy and raw, and echoes some of that hallmark energy they've known to display in a live environment. "Jungle" is likewise rock'n'roll during its chorus - but here the strangely echoing verses pull the carpet underneath the song and draw it into pretentious land once again.

Overall, "Tangk" features far too many pop nuances embedded within experimental indie rock and off-tune post-punk to be a good record. It's almost as if it's purposefully written to piss people off, because honestly, who listens to a record like this and thinks it's great? It's tasteless and insipid, so what on earth else are they listening to? Savages or maybe Fontaines D.C.?

Download: Hall & Oates, Dancer, Gift Horse, Jungle
For the fans of: iceage, Fontaines D.C., Damon Albarn
Listen: Facebook

Release date 16.02.2024
Partisan Records