Punk icons IDLES have released an animated music video for their stellar track ‘Kill Them With Kindness’, taken off their latest album ‘Ultra Mono’. The video was designed and directed by James Carbutt and animated by Pip Williamson.
Monochrome and moody, the visuals to the track are reminiscent of 1930s cartoons, and depict the happenings of a run-down pub. Over the course of its runtime, we see a bizarre mixture of fighting bar attendee’s surrealist. Visuals, and cartoon renditions of the band playing the uplifting, optimistic track. The whole piece is truly unique and evokes a dreamlike atmosphere that captivates.
“The dingy pub setting in the film is based on the Working Men’s Clubs of my hometown (Barnsley). It was nice to imagine IDLES bursting in and spreading a message of love,” said director James Carbutt. “During our research we discovered that no two Wetherspoons carpets are the same, they are all unique like snowflakes, so yeah making this film was a wild ride.”
The album the track features on ‘Ultra Mono’ did monumentally well upon its release, receiving praise from critics, and reaching number one on the album charts, the group’s first ever album to do so. It’s a riotous, electric album, with a multitude of hits, however, ‘Kill Them With Kindness’ has become a fan favourite. The engaging, artful visuals to such a beloved track are the perfect addition, and prove that IDLES talent aren’t limited to music, but visual media as well.
