Monochrome and moody, the visuals to the track are reminiscent of 1930s cartoons, and depict the happenings of a run-down pub. Over the course of its runtime, we see a bizarre mixture of fighting bar attendee’s surrealist. Visuals, and cartoon renditions of the band playing the uplifting, optimistic track. The whole piece is truly unique and evokes a dreamlike atmosphere that captivates.

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“The dingy pub setting in the film is based on the Working Men’s Clubs of my hometown (Barnsley). It was nice to imagine IDLES bursting in and spreading a message of love,” said director James Carbutt. “During our research we discovered that no two Wetherspoons carpets are the same, they are all unique like snowflakes, so yeah making this film was a wild ride.”

The album the track features on ‘Ultra Mono’ did monumentally well upon its release, receiving praise from critics, and reaching number one on the album charts, the group’s first ever album to do so. It’s a riotous, electric album, with a multitude of hits, however, ‘Kill Them With Kindness’ has become a fan favourite. The engaging, artful visuals to such a beloved track are the perfect addition, and prove that IDLES talent aren’t limited to music, but visual media as well.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, 28th August at 10am, with pre-sale beginning the same time on Wednesday 26th. To access the pre-sale, fans can pre-order the upcoming album ‘Ultra Mono’ from the IDLES official website before 10pm on Tuesday 25th August.

Furthermore, there are a limited number of free tickets for key workers available as a ‘thank you’ for all their hard work. The offer closes at 8am on Wednesday 26th August and operates on a first-come-first-served basis.

The tour includes eleven dates at incredible venues around the UK in cities such as Glasgow, London, and Dublin, with the support acts to be confirmed soon. Followers will also be treated to three virtual live performances from Abbey Road Studios, on 29th and 30th August. Tickets for these shows are on sale now at £10 each, or £20 for a bundle for all three shows. More information can be found below or on the website, along with the unique set-lists for each performance.

The tour kicks off in early May 2021 in promotion of IDLES’ new album ‘Ultra Mono’, due for release on 25th September. So far, four singles have been shared: Lead single ‘Mr. Motivator’, followed by ‘A Hymn’, ‘Grounds’, and most recently, ‘Model Village’. Frontman Joe Talbot discussed the meaning behind the latter in a press release, saying, “I hated growing up in a city that was really a town that was really a fishbowl. I left as soon as I could, only to realise the fishbowl didn’t exist… just the fish, and they’re everywhere.”

According to the same press release, ” ‘Ultra Mono’ was sonically constructed to capture the feeling of a hip-hop record.” The album was produced by Nick Launay (Nick Cave, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire) and Adam ‘Atom’ Greenspan (Anna Calvi, Cut Copy), with the music and lyrics of band members Joe Talbot (vocals), Mark Bowen (guitar), Lee Kiernan (guitar), Adam Devonshire (bass), and Jon Beavis (drums).

The announcement involved a cryptic visual which shows a home video of the band members getting into different vehicles. It is augmented by drawn-out, grunge-esque, guitar sounds, which appear to be the opening notes from the upcoming single. The previous two releases, ‘Grounds‘ and ‘Mr Motivator‘ (2020), have been well received by fans. ‘Grounds‘ is one of the band’s most upbeat tracks to date. Joe Talbot’s characteristically aggressive vocals mean that the track will not be sung by church choirs, but it seems as though their sound is evolving.

Talbot describes ‘Grounds‘ as 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 let in‘. Talbot’s explanation demonstrates a shift to the spiritual. Their revolutionary sound seems to have transformed from the aggression of their first two albums, whilst maintaining their poetic movement for social change. The successes of their 2017 album, ‘Brutalism‘, and their 2018 work, ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance‘, mean that fans have high expectations for ‘Ultra Mono‘. ‘Brutalism’ propelled the band to fame. It was a highly political project which addressed misogyny and the class system, in a fiery, snarling 13 track call to arms. It earned rave reviews, including a four and a half star rating from American database, AllMusic. IDLES capitalised on their new-found fame by launching the blockbuster ‘Joy as an Act or Resistance‘ in 2018. It continued the political theme, as Talbot et al used the album to outline their position on Brexit. It received BBC 6 Music’s Album of the Year for 2018. 

‘Ultra Mono‘ has the potential to be the shining jewel in IDLES revolutionary crown. A mature focus has added to their political nature, but the strong opening notes of ‘A Hymn’ demonstrate that the band have far from mellowed. Fans will no doubt be counting down the days before the Tuesday release. IDLES have earned plaudits for their political sound, and there is no doubt that this edge will not leave the band. The heavy opening notes on the teaser trailer bubble with the classic IDLES sound, and in this most political of times, fans will be ready for whatever they have in store.