IDLES confirm third album ‘Ultra Mono’

After we headed into the studio last month to try and get the goss on LP3, IDLES have confirmed that their third album ‘Ultra Mono’ will be landing on 25th September via Partisan Records.

Speaking to us about the follow-up to 2018’s ‘Joy As An Act Of Resistance’, frontman Joe Talbot explained, “Emotionally I’m not healed, I’m healing and that’s what’s on the record. So this one is about processing and finding pragmatic ways of moving forward, and from your reaction to that trauma, you build something concise and beautiful. This is the instruction manual to ‘Joy…’. It’s important to love yourself, but how do we do that? This is how we do that: by building something instead of just talking. It comes a lot from the differences in therapy I’ve had. On the first album, I was talking about my past and accepting that how I felt was normal, and now I’m in CBT which is [about finding] pragmatic steps to change your outlook so that in the future you’re emotionally mature.

“The songs are all projections of inner workings,” he continued. “I’m not preaching or telling anyone else what to do. I’m showing people what I’m doing to become a better person in the long run - no, not better, but a more productive person…”

To celebrate the news of ‘Ultra Mono’, the Bristol punks are also sharing album gem ‘Grounds’. “We wanted to write a song that embodied self-belief, and gave us self-belief - a counter-punch to all the doubt we build up from all the noise we so easily let in,” Joe says of the song. “We wanted to make the sound of our own hearts’ marching band, armed with a jack hammer and a smile. We wanted to make the sound of our engine starting. So we did. Thank you.”

Ahead of the record’s release, IDLES will also host three live performances recorded in an iconic studio from 29th - 30th August. Upon purchase of a ticket, attendees will receive a unique link to access the performance live. Tickets are on sale now, more info and link to purchase HERE.

Watch the video for ‘Grounds’ and see the full track list below now.