Indie rock band IDLES kicked off the week with a bang after posting a mysterious Instagram post captioned ‘16 JUNE 2020’. Amidst much excitement and fan speculation over the post, IDLES followed up the cryptic post by confirming they indeed would be dropping a new album titled, Ultra Mono via Partisan Records. To give fans a taste of what to expect from the project they slipped out new single, “Grounds.”
On “Grounds,” the group comments on the political power that people have when they come together for a joint cause. Lines like, “Do you hear that thunder?/ That’s the sound of strength in numbers” asks people to go out and work together to further causes they support.
IDLES’ lyrics also attack people who simply claim to care about a cause but don’t actually go out and do anything. While this song has likely been in the works for a long time, it is perfectly timed with the height of the Black Lives Matter movement going on today. The song takes a hard and fast stance in support of the movement with the line, “So I raise my pink fist and say black is beautiful.”
During the song’s chorus Talbot also sings, “I am I/ Unify.” The band has described this phrase, “I am I” as central to the thesis of their upcoming record: “Ultra Mono is ‘I am I’ and over the past few years we have come to understand that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves.” This ties to the central motif of self-acceptance which IDLES says we will see on Ultra Mono.
Take a listen for yourself! Stream the full track below. Let us know what you think below in the comment section.
Ultra Mono will be released September 25th and can be pre-ordered HERE.
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