Idles – Tangk Review

Formerly fiery charms from Idles are traded in for offers to dance cheek to cheek on latest record, Tangk. Farewell to the punchy punk tones of a band whose dependable early works survive on both excessive quality and the smug notion their first two albums are better than the work which followed. Joy As an Act of Resistance lingers on the mind, the reactionary skill Joe Talbot and company enlisted there as they studied the fragmented United Kingdom is bubbling under Tangk too. Lead single Dancer swerved in an exciting, dance-driven direction though follow-ups Grace and Gift Horse felt plodding and safe. Tangk is a stroke of both as they continue to point out the obvious but do so with sharp instrumentals and a demanding string of vocal performances from Talbot.  

Confident opener IDEA 01 sounds as it suggests, an idea. It does not go anywhere though the whirring engines in the background and a continuing clutter of piano keys marries the desperate need to release this post-punk energy with a desire to move their sound on. These next steps are monumental, and the mixed bag of singles hides this. Spotty relevance and lyrics do not give much headway beyond the assertions made by Idles on their earliest records. Gift Horse feels well placed here, forgotten by the end of the album and overshadowed by POP POP POP, a volatile and feedback-reliant piece which hits out at the chart toppers and their empty ambitions. This is Idles in fine form and the protest made against pop as crunchy repetition from Talbot filters through marks an exceptional social punch. 

Reactionary works are still Idles’ bread and butter but their slight shift to lighter, electronic moods on Roy and Dancer hear LCD Soundsystem as a huge influence, not just featured artists. Idles make their route through these electronic dependencies and stripped-back shockers, A Gospel marking the latter. Tangk is keen to highlight Talbot as a singer, not just a rage machine who now hopes to dispense love. Talbot said it best himself; he has never had to sing so much on a record. It marks a major risk and departure for Idles but it suits the new style. Relinquish the fury. Tangk is one of the few examples of where fighting hate with love could work. “We wanted to sing more,” Talbot said. That they do. 

But in singing more comes a shift in mood. Heavier work and industrial clangs on Grace gift Idles a new mission. Droning and electronic tones throughout Tangk give Idles new range to toy and meddle with. Idles sound back at their best. They do not lose their feverish intent, instead adapting to these distorted pangs of dance-punk delights. It suits them well and it is refreshing to hear a band with over a decade of experience behind them still willing to move with what their heart tells them to. Tangk is a fresh explosion where Talbot loses himself and finds a new meaning. He charts this feeling well on Jungle. There are still venomous shockwaves, but they are bolstered by a consistent punk frontman finding his voice and feeling for truthful emotional ties to his still-varied topics.