Idles: here's “Levitator”, the new track previewing their next album and a return to post-punk fury

Idles have begun unveiling the band's future live with “Levitator”, a new track that offers the first real taste of the material destined for their sixth studio album, expected in 2027. After the release of “Tangk” in 2024 and their subsequent work on the soundtrack for Darren Aronofsky's film “Caught Stealing”, the Bristol band seem ready to open a new creative chapter.
“Levitator” debuted on 27 and 28 May at the Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City and has since become the band's regular concert opener, also appearing in sets at festivals such as Primavera Sound, NorthSide and Pinkpop. The track builds from a stark, driving riff, over which Joe Talbot's voice initially stays controlled before giving way to a sonic explosion that pulls Idles back towards more abrasive, direct territory. It's an approach that recalls the urgency and fury of their debut “Brutalism”, the record that in 2017 established them among the key figures of the new British post-punk scene.

The track's characteristics seem to confirm recent statements from guitarist Mark Bowen, who described the upcoming album as the most energetic and exciting work the band has ever made. According to Bowen, the group has chosen to return to a more immediate, instinctive way of writing, built on direct interaction between the five musicians in the rehearsal room, steering clear of overly elaborate arrangements. For now Idles haven't announced a release date for “Levitator”, but the track looks set to remain a fixture of their summer setlists, marking the approach to what promises to be a return to the band's fiercest, most visceral roots.

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