IDLES are back with Ultra Mono, their third album, and they are not here to make friends. This is a record about anger, about power, and about the people who have to live with both. It is also, at times, a record about how that anger gets turned into art, and whether that matters. The band want to be necessary, not pleasant. That is the whole idea.
War Through Grounds
The album opens with “War,” a track that sets the tone immediately: loud, confrontational, and built around a repeated riff that refuses to let up. It is a statement of intent, and it works. “Grounds” follows, and it is the first moment where the record starts to breathe. It is slower, more patient, and it lets the lyrics land harder. The song is about being forced to defend yourself, and the band deliver it with a precision that makes the aggression feel earned rather than staged.
“Mr. Motivator” is a shorter, sharper burst, a track that leans into the band’s reputation for physicality. It is fun, but it is also the first sign that the record is starting to repeat itself. “Anxiety” slows things down again, a quieter, more reflective piece that gives the listener a chance to catch their breath. It is a welcome shift, even if it does not quite reach the heights of the earlier songs.
“Kill Them With Kindness” is the record’s most obvious political statement, a track that takes aim at those who refuse to engage with the problems around them. It is blunt, and it knows it. “Model Village” is the standout of the first half. It is the most fully realized track here, a song about the way society tries to shrink people down into manageable sizes. The chorus is huge, the rhythm is relentless, and it is the clearest example of the band doing exactly what they set out to do.
Carcinogenic Through The Lover
“Ne touche pas moi” is a shorter, more aggressive cut, a track that feels like it is tearing through its own boundaries. It is not the most memorable thing on the record, but it does what it needs to do. “Carcinogenic” is heavier still, a track that deals with the damage done by living in a toxic world. It is not subtle, and it does not try to be. “Reigns” slows things down again, a track that deals with power and control. It is a solid, if unremarkable, addition to the middle stretch.
“The Lover” is the album’s most tender moment, a track that deals with love and loss in a way that feels personal rather than political. It is a risk, and it mostly pays off. It is not the kind of song that will define the record, but it gives the album a range that some of their peers lack.
A Hymn And Danke
“A Hymn” is the longest track on the record, and it is also the most ambitious. It builds slowly, layering instruments over each other until it reaches a climax that feels genuinely cathartic. It is the track that best captures the idea of turning anger into something productive. “Danke” closes the album on a note of gratitude, a track that feels like a genuine thank-you to the people who stuck with the band through everything.
Final Word
Ultra Mono is a strong, uneven record. The highs are very high, and the lows are not terrible, but they are definitely there. The album’s central tension — the desire to be necessary rather than pleasant — is a genuine one, and the band mostly manage to live up to it. The standout tracks are the ones that commit fully to that idea, while the weaker moments are the ones that seem to be playing it safe.
Here is how the record breaks down:
- “Model Village” — the best track on the album, and the clearest example of the band doing what they set out to do.
- “Grounds” — a quiet, patient highlight that proves the band can slow down without losing focus.
- “War” — the opening statement, and it lands.
- “A Hymn” — the longest track, and the most ambitious.
- “The Lover” — a welcome moment of tenderness, even if it does not quite reach the heights of the others.
The lesser tracks — “Mr. Motivator,” “Anxiety,” “Ne touche pas moi,” “Carcinogenic,” “Reigns” — are not bad, but they are not essential either. They fill space rather than expanding it.
The record’s ambition is its strength and its weakness. The band want to say something necessary, and they often do. But the moments where they play it safe are easy to spot, and they pull the record down. This is a band at the peak of their powers, but they are still learning to trust themselves.
Ultra Mono is a worthy follow-up to their previous work, and it is the sound of a band that is still figuring out exactly what they want to be. It is loud, angry, and occasionally beautiful. It is not perfect, but it is consistently interesting.
- War3:07
- Grounds3:08
- Mr. Motivator3:15
- Anxiety2:59
- Kill Them With Kindness3:49
- Model Village3:55
- Ne touche pas moi2:34
- Carcinogenic3:50
- Reigns4:02
- The Lover3:17
- A Hymn5:19
- Danke3:34
