47. Idles - "Tangk"

I’ve despaired about modern indie for a long time. In fact, my left turn into extreme metal about twenty years ago was fuelled primarily by the fact that I lost faith and interest in that whole world. However 2024 has heralded more interesting indie albums than I have come across in the entire of the previous decade.

Idles sit within the modern punk revival but with their fifth album, they are cultivating their very own iteration of post-punk. “Tangik” takes the genuine nature and “realness” of their earlier releases and pushes it in a more emotive direction. This is a vulnerable album that sees the facade of impenetrability removed.

This is no longer a rallying call for smashing the system, instead, it is an honest appraisal of life and all its inevitable heartache and disappointment. “Tangk” soundtracks the point where the dreams of rebellion fade and the sludge of everyday existence kicks in.