IDLES – “A Hymn”
Last month, the fiery British rock band IDLES announced their new album Ultra Mono, the highly anticipated successor to their beloved 2018 release Joy As An Act Of Resistance. After previously teasing the new collection with “Mr. Motivator” back in May, the announcement also came with a fierce, infectious new song called “Grounds.” Today, they’re back with another new one.
IDLES’ latest is titled “A Hymn.” “‘A Hymn’ is a hymn that rejoices in the sinister flesh-eating virus of the pedestrian,” frontman Joe Talbot said in a statement. “It sings the tune of normal’s teeth sinking into your neck as you sleep stood up with your eyes open. Amen.”
Compared to “Mr. Motivator” and “Grounds,” “A Hymn” is moody and meditative. Above music that sounds less ferocious than it does a patient storm looming on the horizon, Talbot sings “I want to be loved/ Everybody does/ Shame.” The track comes with a video directed by Ryan Gander, featuring the individual members of IDLES taking drives with their parents through their hometowns. It was filmed on a stereotypically grey English day, and it suggests a certain kind of monotonous dead-end suburban living — if you happen to be from the American equivalent, the music IDLES is making here will suddenly make a whole lot of sense. Check it out below.
Ultra Mono is out 9/25 via Partisan.