Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
As a species we cannot but help be influenced by the times we live in, and by the feeling of doubt that creeps into the minds of those who see the future as one of understanding that we are only ever one step away from self-annihilation, of placing ourselves in the hands of the dystopian regime, always fretful that the blessing that is utopia is but a mirage, a paradise to be striven for but always kept out of reach for the fear of what the image of perfection would do to our minds.
A blue-print is to be built upon, it takes vision to bring the technical drawing to life, to make the bold and incisive plans that make Architecture of any kind, social, one of construction, or of a design for humanity, as close to the ideal as possible, and it is with the themes of dystopia, emotional instability, the fear of political upheaval and the damned insinuations by those who refuse to come down from their ivory towers and dreamlike existence, that the categorically beautiful and dogmatic approach by Manchester’s Ist Ist becomes a fully-fledged intention of anger, hope and loss that is gloriously fitting of any debut album.
The album is a sincere and productive statement, one that adheres closely to the rigorous determination the band have shown in their touring and formidable performances, and across songs such as the opener Wolves, Discipline, A New Love Song, the powerful and heart-rending Drowning In The Shallow End and Under Your Skin, the foursome have adopted fully the desire to be in control of their own destiny, a hard enough ask for artists of all creeds and followings, especially when someone wants to own you, to take credit for bringing your vision to life and having the ability to change your soul at the same time.
Architecture is a break from the intrusive and instead shows how sticking to your own authority, to an arrogance steeped in assertive pleasure, can bring about serenity for the listener and the artist alike. Utterly compelling, forceful and unashamed, Ist Ist have brought their vision off the page and truly, terrifically, to life.
Ist Ist’s Architecture is out now and available from Kind Violence.
Ian D. Hall