Idles are back in the studio and cooking up something powerful. Frontman Joe Talbot has revealed that the band has already recorded around 10 tracks for their upcoming sixth studio album — and according to him, it’s sounding “more driven” than anything they’ve done before.
Speaking with NME, Talbot confirmed the band has laid down a solid batch of songs and will return to finish the album later this year. They’re once again working with Kenny Beats and Nigel Godrich, the production duo behind their critically acclaimed 2024 album Tangk.
“We’ve recorded a bunch of songs. We’ve got like 10 songs and we’re going to go back and do a bunch more,” Joe said. “We’re doing some other projects in between, but we’re going to come back to the album later in the year and get it finished. It’s really magic, I can’t wait.”
When pressed about the album’s sound, he added simply:
“This album is more driven. That’s all I can say, really. There’s more of a drive to it.”
For now, the band is turning their attention to Idles Block Party, a two-day hometown blowout in Bristol’s Queen Square on August 1 and 2. The festival-style event will feature two different headlining sets from Idles, along with performances from Soft Play, Lambrini Girls, Sicaria, The Voidz, and Hinds.
“Bristol is our first outing. It’s our homecoming show, and the only UK show we’re doing this year,” Talbot shared. “These shows are a celebration of everything we’ve got to so far. We want to do it with music we love and people we love in the city we love.”
Their last album Tangk earned massive praise and five Grammy nominations, but Talbot insists the band isn’t chasing awards for recognition.
“You shouldn’t ask another person for validation, you should be able to just believe in yourself,” he told Variety. “To need validation from the award itself would be toxic.”
Idles might not need the trophies — but with a new, energized sound and more raw material on the way, they’re clearly not done evolving.
