IST IST

SHARE THE NEW SINGLE ‘WOLVES’

LISTEN HERE: https://istist.lnk.to/wolves

Arguably one of the most uncompromising and idiosyncratic acts around, Manchester’s post-punk quartet ist ist have been carving their own niche since their inception just over five years ago. In refusing to bay to industry input of any kind, the band have managed to forge a reputation for being driven and dogmatic, and in doing so have garnered a burgeoning army of fans that are only two happy to follow them up and down the country.

Their latest single, ‘Wolves’ is the first taste fans will get of their recently announced debut album, Architecture, a body of work which for many, not least the band themselves, has been a long time in the making.

Three and a half minutes of progressive post-punk, it’s the perfect anthesis to the cookie-cutter indie-pop that so often calls Manchester home. Dark and brooding, a bed of eerie electronics introduces the underlying menace of the track and indeed the band themselves, joined quickly by frontman Adam Houghton’s distinct baritone – a precursor for the darkness that follows.

With such an inherent darkness bubbling beneath the surface, it’s only fitting that the band’s visuals match as well, with ‘Wolves’ video serving to exacerbate the sense of paranoia and disorientation. Like a bad trip one can’t shake, greyscale visuals flick across the screen, joined by kaleidoscopic images of wolves, coal, and the bleak brutalist architecture that’s played such a permanent part in ist ist’s ascent. It’s the band’s own brand of Lynchian dystopia, aiding an aesthetic with which they’ve become synonymous.

This is only the first taste, however. Each single taken from Architecture will have its own accompanying visuals that will make the descent in to ist ist’s psyche all the more visceral, something that should come as little surprise for anyone that’s followed the band since their inception as their visuals and light shows have become integral to the ist ist live experience.

It’s these shows on which ist ist cut their teeth, cementing their reputation as true forces to be reckoned with. Next of these, is a single launch at Manchester’s iconic Sacred Trinity church, a venue which has previously played host to the likes of Slow Readers Club, and is perched precariously on the industrial border of Manchester and Salford. Taking place on January 30th to celebrate the release of ‘Wolves’ – it’s a rare chance to see the band before they embark on a seven date tour of their biggest headline shows to date.

The dates are:

JAN

30th – Manchester, Sacred Trinity Church

31st – Halifax, The Lantern

MAY

6th – Nottingham, Bodega

7th – The Louisiana, Bristol

8th – London, Camden Assembly

9th – Manchester, Academy 2

13th – Birmingham, Dead Wax

14th – Sheffield, Record Junkee

16th – Glasgow, Broadcast