Album review: IST IST - Protagonists

This article is a repost from my old blog sound-a-word.

IST IST release their new album, ‘Protagonists’.

We’ve been waiting for it for a long time. Finally it's here.

IST IST is finest post-punk from Manchester. With a sound that's powerful and deep. It’s one of those bands you immediately recognise by their unique sound.

Their third studio album, ‘Protagonists’, is all about new beginnings: It explores love, tricky relationships and the feeling of being trapped by the past.

The album is full of big tracks, like the opening track, ‘Stamp You Out’, which was released last year. It’s the uncompromising lead single with that typical dark sound and amazing bass lines. While ‘Something Has To Give’ echoes one of the album’s central themes of new beginnings, the cathartic, atmospheric ‘Nothing More Nothing Less’ once again delivers their signature post-punk sound. ‘Mary in the Black and White Room’ takes a more philosophical turn, offering synth layers blended with big, daring bass lines. ‘Artefacts’ is a moody but wonderful piano-led piece of art. ‘Fool's Paradise’, on the other hand, offers a dystopian sound and feel, alluding to the difficulties of family relationships. We also meet ‘Emily’ again. She needs no introduction to long time fans. The epic and deep sound of the song is huge. The album closes with, ‘Trapdoors’, a track about someone trying their best but the past holding them back, the trapdoor being the symbol for this.

Protagonists is an intense and dark music trip and with every further listen, the album gets better and better.

IST IST have built their own path in music. They are sure of their own identity. And you hear it.