After teasing their next full-length project over the last few months with the singles ‘Know How It Hurts’, ‘Unlearn’, ‘Girl’, ‘You Don’t Know How To Drive’ and ‘Attachment Theory’, leftfield alt-pop duo IDER have just shared their third album ‘Late To The World’ alongside focus track ‘Killing The Game’ out now via Nettwerk.
Produced by Dann Hume (Laura Mvula, Troye Sivan, Tkay Maidza) and recorded on residency in his church-cum-studio between summer and autumn 2023, ‘Late To The World’ pushes IDER’s tender sound in a tougher direction. It is both bigger in scale and deliberately restrained, honing its contrasting textures of lush electronics and blistering indie rock. The result, they say, is the album they’ve “always wanted to make”.
Drawing on a mix of dejected British new wave, euphoric electro-pop and swooning alt rock in the vein of Mazzy Star, the resulting sound is as cinematic as their storytelling – with an added dash of grit and the introduction of live drums (while they’ve always used a live drummer on tour, this is the first time they’ve been laid to record) that reflect the album’s real world footing.
As liberated in subject matter as it is in sound, ‘Late To The World’ represents IDER’s long and continuous journey of self-discovery both as individuals and as a band. It’s an album borne from weathering the confusion of your twenties and stepping into the clarity of your thirties; its 12 tracks acting as rallying cries for rejecting societal pressures and turning up to life at your own pace.
Focus track ‘Killing The Game’ is the penultimate song on ‘Late To The World’ and wholly embodies the central theme of the album; being a late bloomer. A calm yet powerful electro-pop track, lyrically it looks at how the world can sometimes feel it moves on without you, unable to keep up and unsure if you want to. The band say; “Killing The Game is for the socially anxious. Set at a party, watching people enjoy themselves whilst you feel like you’re on the outside - the perception that everyone is ‘killing the game’ whilst you are being left behind”.
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The ambient-infused dub of Dream Cycle Inc. is atmospheric, hypnotic, and immersive—blending deep, pulsating basslines with ethereal atmospheres and intricate rhythmic textures. Sonically, it draws from ambient, dub techno, and progressive house, creating a world where synthetic textures and organic elements merge seamlessly. There's an underlying sense of movement—like drifting through a futuristic metropolis at twilight, caught between euphoria and introspection. The sound of dissolving, and rediscovering reality through a hazy, melodic lens.
To truly grasp Jan's diverse musical preferences, we must delve into his teenage years, a time when he unearthed his second profound passion amidst the haunting melodies of gothic rock and the pulsating beats of dark electro: the realm of adventurous dance music. The 90s unfurled an exhilarating tapestry of sonic exploration, birthing a myriad of dance music genres. Jan found himself captivated by the pioneering spirit of labels like Planet Dog, which wielded immense influence over his musical odyssey. Acts such as Eat Static, Banco De Gaia, Children of the Bong and Future Loop Foundation, all stalwarts of the Planet Dog roster, expertly fused elements of dance, trance, dub, ambient, and drum & bass into spellbinding compositions.
Jan found solace in the label's seminal compilations, like the transcendent ‘Feed Your Head’ series, which whisked listeners away on psychedelic voyages through ambient-infused dance realms. Another gem in his musical trove was the legendary ‘Dubnology’ compilation, which further enriched his sonic landscape. It was through these sonic escapades that Jan encountered bands like Dreadzone, opening the door to the mesmerizing world of techno-infused dub, leaving an indelible mark on his musical psyche. With Dream Cycle Inc., Jan endeavours to revisit and reanimate the very essence of these transformative sounds that have left an indelible imprint on his musical soul.
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| Photo - Tanjeryne Hoffman |
Following her autumn 2024 single “Mona Lisa” – heard everywhere in Canada on CBC, in the U.K. on Alternative Roots, and in the U.S. on stations such as KTAL in Las Cruces, New Mexico – Lily Monaghan is back with “Willing To Wait,” a song that sees her expanding her sound beyond its traditional singer/songwriter origins.
Made in collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist Kurtis Schultz in Lily’s hometown, Edmonton, Alberta, “Willing To Wait” places her within a full-band context for the first time, with stunning results. With Lily’s enchanting voice at the forefront, the song demonstrates that she’s more than ready to take the next natural step in her musical evolution.
She says, “‘Willing To Wait’ is meant to encapsulate that feeling of stagnation that accompanies existing in your mid-Twenties. When I wrote the song, I was hyper aware of the different life stages my longtime friends and I are all at, despite being the same age. Some have careers, apartments, pets and relationships, while others are full-time students or unemployed.
“Life takes us in different directions and there is nothing we’re able to do about it. With age comes an inevitable distance within some relationships; ‘Willing to Wait’ acknowledges this and is a love letter to these people in my life. Declaring that no matter how far away life pulls us, I will always be here and waiting for the day we come back together again.”
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