TANGK
A surprising pivot toward danceable grooves, electronic textures, and tender crooning. The Bristol band trades raw fury for heavy, romantic soul.
A surprising pivot toward danceable grooves, electronic textures, and tender crooning. The Bristol band trades raw fury for heavy, romantic soul.
Vulnerable evolution
Sweaty club floors and bruised knuckles give way to a warm, thumping pulse. Basslines swing with a heavy, hip-shaking swing while jagged guitars soften into glowing electronic hums. You hear a bruised voice trade its usual bark for a tender, late-night croon, finding a strange, romantic grace inside the noise.
Late Night saturates this record far more than the artist's norm.
Critics warmly welcomed the album's shift toward a softer, more open-hearted sound, praising the rich production and vulnerable themes that expand the band's identity beyond their signature punk intensity. Although some reviewers felt that not every sonic experiment is entirely successful, the consensus largely embraced the record's emotional depth and mature direction.
“IDLES wanted TANGK to be their Kid A, but they ended up delivering their Tranquility Base Hotel Casino”Read review
“The ambitious and mature fifth album has its hand on its heart and feet on the dancefloor, as the Bristol band prove that they’re so much more than punk”Read review
“A collection of love songs, with co-production by Nigel Godrich and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy and Nancy Whang along for the ride”Read review
“The Bristol quintet have their hearts in the right place on their fifth album, but the project fails to reach the same reflective, vibrant highs of their previous work”Read review
“The record’s more direct first half may appeal to those who want their old school IDLES fix, but repeated listens to its rangier second half reveal an emotional complexity and sonic cohesion that have long escaped the band”Read review
“On their fifth album, the UK band enlist Nigel Godrich and Kenny Beats for a smoother, softer rock record that still fires its love songs from a canon”Read review
“The album underpins its more personal and emotional lyrics with rich, layered arrangements”Read review
“IDLES are an easy band to like. They present a vision for hard rock and punk rock that’s inclusive, empathic, and open-hearted on their latest LP, TANGK”Read review
“It doesn’t all work, but there are plenty of smart, intriguing ideas as Idles prove they don’t just do howling fury”Read review
“A level of fragility that has not yet been displayed by IDLES, it is an album that swaps brash vocals with more tender notes. Love is the thing, and it seems like it is here to stay”Read review
“There’s a great depth of sound throughout, no doubt thanks to Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich who co-produced and mixed Tangk, and it allows the heavenly moments to feel even bigger”Read review
“On TANGK, IDLES have broadened their horizons while retaining the guts and soul that made them. With prudence, craft, and ambition they’ve created something that borders on the monumental. Divisions be damned”Read review
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