Idles make a fine art of mayhem in ‘Stendhal Syndrome’

Every weekday, DIY’s new music know-it-all Neu brings you one essential new release to get obsessed with. Today’s Neu Pick comes from Idles.

Art galleries, by and large, tend to be fairly tranquil places. Places in which to silently take in works by contemporary painters with a thoughtful hand upon chin, places in which to mosey without a whisper. Not in Idles’ book. In their new video for ‘Stendhal Syndrome’ the band’s bassist Adam Devonshire spends much of his time running frantically around some of London’s arty institutions - the Tate Britain, and National Gallery, to name a couple - causing bemusement and mayhem.

“Armed with our secret weapon, (a lovely and excessively tall Belgian man called Ben) both Lee and I set about the gallaries of London and proceeded to film me pissing about infront of a total of 91 pieces of art,” ‘Stendhal Syndrome’s brazen star Adam tells us. “Gin was needed. All moves featured are choreographed by myself under the guidence of the director/singer/artiste extraordinaire [and Idles frontman] Joseph Talbot. I am available for dance lessons if anyone is interested.”

“This is a song to celebrate art, to celebrate something you love and to celebrate the acceptance that all things you love might be a shitpile to your neighbour,” added Joseph, “but that’s fine because all is love (unless said neighbour is a prick and then, in which case, ignore said prick).”

It’s the kind of antics to perhaps expect from Bristol band Idles, tbh.

‘Stendhal Syndrome’ appears on the band’s forthcoming album ‘Brutalism’ - we’ve got the first play of the bonkers music video below. They’re also off on tour in March, with all the details available here.