The UK group’s fourth album, Crawler in as many years and the follow-up to their first No. 1, 2020’s Ultra Mono. The 14-track project was recorded at the famed Real World Studios in Bath during the COVID-19 pandemic and co-produced by Kenny Beats (Vince Staples, Slowthai, Freddie Gibbs) and IDLES guitarist Mark Bowen. First single “The Beachland Ballroom,” named after the iconic Ohio venue, is an honest-to-goodness soul song featuring a gorgeous, gripping vocal performance from frontman Joe Talbot. On CRAWLER, the group bring to life vivid stories of trauma, addiction and recovery with their most soul-stirring music to date. There are, of course, numerous moments that will inspire absolute mayhem in a packed concert venue this autumn, like the warped glam rock of “The Wheel,” the 30-second grindcore slap to the head of “Wizz” and the unhinged, pulverizing bass-and-drum groove of “The New Sensation.” But there are also fresh textures and experiments that push IDLES into thrilling new territory, like the alternate universe marching band anthem “Stockholm Syndrome” and “Progress,” a “mantra of realisation” that soothes both body and mind in a way few IDLES songs ever have before.
