Album Review: IDLES Return with 'Ultra Mono'

Your opinions and expectations be damned — IDLES returns with its most honest and unfiltered project yet in Ultra Mono. Bringing back all of the post-punk energy from projects past and adding elements of hip-hop and electronic production, IDLES’ third studio effort continues the upward trajectory for the UK’s newest superstar band.

Written by Adithya Srinivas

Image courtesy of Partisan Records

IDLES’ rise to prominence has been nothing short of meteoric. Though the band was formed way back in 2009, its debut record Brutalism wasn’t released until eight years later, followed by sophomore effort Joy as an Act of Resistance in 2018. After being relatively unknown for most of its time together, IDLES was suddenly projected into the limelight by the success of those two projects, further growing its audience with barnstorming performances everywhere the group toured. So when the band announced it’d be releasing its third studio album this year, IDLES faced the hefty weight of expectations from fans and critics for the first time ever.

Ultra Mono is an unapologetic middle finger in response to those very expectations. In an open letter on the front of their vinyl release, the band writes, “We are not what you think we are. Ultra Mono is the engine of what we are, now.” The band members decided they were going to do as they pleased while staying true to themselves, and the project we recieved is the direct result of that commitment.

Album opener “War” sends listeners right off the deep end, taking the plunge with Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan’s shrill and vibrant guitars, Adam Devonshire’s driving bass, and Jon Beavis’s rumbling drums in a wall of pure energy. Vocalist Joe Talbot greets the listener with various onomatopoeias of war instruments before leaving no doubt about the song’s message with the chorus, “This means WAR! Anti-WAR!” A barn-burner to start Ultra Mono is no surprise from IDLES, as “War” matches the unbridled power of openers “Heel/Heal” and “Colossus” from the group’s first two albums.

Quickly following is “Grounds,” which Bowen describes as the band’s imaginative attempt at creating what would happen if Kanye West made an AC/DC song — and it lives up to that ambitious premise. Glitchy guitar and electronic accents make way for a marching, steady drum beat, as Talbot preaches unity in the working class with the rousing chorus: “Do you hear that thunder? That’s the sound of strength in numbers.”

Ultra Mono is a project that is certainly not short of quotables. The track “Mr. Motivator” features some of Talbots’ signature, wonderfully evocative similes, such as “Like Conor McGregor with a samurai sword on roller blades,” and “Like Kathleen Hanna with bear claws grabbing Trump by the p-ssy.” The Zillenial anthem “Anxiety” presents the most relatable chorus on the record: “I’ve got anxiety / It has got the best of me / Satisfaction guaranteed!” The caustic and sarcastic takedown of English culture in the lyrics of “Model Village” are one-liner after one-liner, culminating in the hilarious chorus, “I beg your pardon? / I don’t care about your rose garden.” Perhaps the most on the nose line is in anti-rape track “Ne touche pas moi” (French for “don’t touch me”), which features Talbot and guest vocalist Jehnny Beth simply screaming “Consent!” over and over at one point, in case you needed reminding that it is really important.

Photo courtesy of The Skinny

“Kill Them With Kindness” is a change of pace for IDLES, as they opt to roll back the tempo from their typically high-octane performances. But this doesn’t mean any ounce of energy was left out, as the track is head-banging and foot-stomping madness. Beavis and Devonshire steal the show with thunderous performances behind the drum kit and bass; while Bowen and Kiernan’s guitars show up with heaps of attitude on the band’s closest evocation of a classic heavy metal cut in their discography. Talbot’s lyrics are, again, memorable, opening with “‘Arf! Arf! Arf! Arf! Arf! Arf,’ said the puppy to the snake,” while getting to the point of the song with lines like, “If you wanna beat the machine, keep your teeth clean.”

Later in the tracklist is the highlight “Carcinogenic,” starting off with lazy, silky, surf-inspired lead guitars before Talbot reams off a few of his many gripes with capitalism through the verses (“Get minimum wage whilst your boss gets a raise”). The frontman’s chorus reads like a glass-half-empty punk rendition of Drake’s “The Motto,” as he empties his lungs into:

 “You only die once 

You’ll never come back

You’re gone when you’re gone

So, love what you can.” 

The latter half of the track somehow turns the song’s name into chant, an impressive achievement in and of itself.

Photo courtesy of Loud And Quiet

With the penultimate song “A Hymn,” IDLES finally brings the energy levels back down to Earth. The distant lead guitar, prominent yet downbeat percussion, and enveloping bass back up Talbot’s sobering delivery of “I want to be loved / Everybody does.” This relatively quiet introspection of an almost universal insecurity is a welcome respite in the tracklist, managing to be far more than the token “slow song” some bands feel forced to include in their albums.

But the break doesn’t last long with book-ender “Danke” following close behind. As if IDLES didn’t spend a whole album burning the house down, the band sets fire to its ashes (just in case). Beavis cements himself as the standout performer on the album, with his infectious drums booming through every inch of the mix. As the band’s instruments swirl into a deafening climax, the song abruptly cuts out — closing Ultra Mono in one last peak of energy.

IDLES might be relatively new to the musical spotlight, but they’ve already laid claim to a signature style that defines Ultra Mono. Very little is hidden behind poetry or complex musical passages — it’s all here, in your face, right now — from their political stances to the music itself. The band takes some sonic risks this time around, adding new electronic elements with help from various producers, including hip-hop mastermind Kenny Beats. While these shifts are sure to find them new audiences, they’ll likely leave a few older fans in the past. Make no mistake — Ultra Mono is a fantastic album. Even for those fans who may not agree, the album is, at the very least, IDLES’ promise to continue getting bigger, better, and more real, and that should be music to everyone’s ears.