When IP1 were first offered the opportunity to get a sneaky peek at the new Ideals EP Let Your Anger Leave You it already seemed like a pretty mouthwatering prospect. From the first play it became clear that it was something much more. There is something transcendently inspirational about this release from the Ipswich-borne band, something that makes it an absolute pleasure to review.

As an overall package the EP is an incredibly tight collection of tracks. It is a thrilling and energetic release with a slightly bluer undercurrent than most, something that lends it a real credibility. Title track Let Your Anger Leave You is a brisk and punchy opener with a beat that the listener can’t help but be carried away by. With its undeniably haunting hooks and varied dynamic sound Altar is certainly set to become a firm favourite with many an old fan and make a whole host of new ones. Tracks like Do You Feel Like Home offer a slightly more reflective feel that show the real versatility of the group. One can’t help feeling that their sound is maturing overall and the group seem to be bringing a real wealth of experience to the release.

All in all the musicians work in perfect synergy, not leaving the slightest crack between their respective parts. Andrew Major’s vocals are almost always bang on the money; there is a reverberantly oaky tone to his voice that perfectly suits the balance of sound and his lyrics often have a nostalgic quality. Both he and Ben Smith bring a wide range of feeling to the guitar parts. Sometimes they offer meticulously ethereal melodies that caress the ears as on the sublime Eyes Open; at others they deliver a wall of keening, frenetic guitar that rings out like some sort of divine tinnitus. Simon Wilson’s bass acts as a ballast keeping things grounded, at points the plucking of his fingers faintly reminiscent of the lonesome tones evoked by the Joy Division-era Peter Hook. Finally Benjamin Ward weaves all the disparate threads of the EP together like an arachnid with some sort of breakneck beat sequencer in its brain. His frantic yet incredibly dextrous drumming overrides all the muscle control you have; only the most joyless individual in the world could resist earnestly bobbing their head and tapping their toes.

Perhaps one of the most exciting things about the band is their production quality and Let Your Anger Leave You is no exception. It has that slick feeling of city streets just after the rain; everything feels overwhelmingly clean and fresh and yet there is the unmistakable hint of dirt and grit lurking just beneath. It really is admirable how beautifully an Ideals track is crafted. Touches like a stray strand of resonating strings or the fading feedback of guitars never seem like a casual afterthought; they are details that bring the tracks to life. There is absolutely nothing imprecise or haphazard about their music and this single is a credit both to the substantial talent of the musicians and the knowing mastery of the studio work. You can’t help feeling that with all the heady energy of their music and the smooth almost sensual quality of the recording that somehow there is a vibrancy and immediacy there that even puts most live acts to shame.

In short this isn’t an EP to simply enjoy. It’s an EP to fall in love with, to get exuberantly and excessively carried away by. A release that bodes incredibly well for their upcoming European tour, Let Your Anger Leave You is yet more evidence that Ideals have an incredible career ahead of them.

Words: Josh Russell