IDLES – Romantic Gestures

IDLES are back for real this time.

After a long hiatus that has, quite frankly, been too long, Bristol’s premier post-punks have returned, and this time it’s for keeps.

This, the video for the second cut from their MEAT EP, proves the point. Just as stuttering and strangely compelling as the song it complements, it features knives, guns and crying, but where there is despair, there is also glitter, flowers and a sick sense of humour.

Conceptualised by frontman and lyricist Joe Talbot, his explanation of the song’s influences draws these disparate elements together.

“The song was written at a time when I was really disillusioned by relationships,” he explains. “Mainly with women, but also with friends and family – I’m just calling out the bullshit in romanticism; there’s a whole world of people getting confused between love and being terrified of dying alone. Fuck that.”

The video is meant to capture the darkest, most evil side of love – in Talbot’s words, “that dank shitty corner of the heart that reeks of jealousy and would eat their lover alive in order to keep them”.

Watch above to see IDLES do what IDLES do best.