Over the years, IST IST have forged a formidable reputation on word of mouth excitement, amassing a dedicated cult following in the process. Operating with a fierce northern DIY work ethic, the band have an ever-growing back catalogue of successful studio and live releases. Self-releasing their entire repertoire through their own Kind Violence Records label, the band’s output has been championed by BBC Radio 1 and BBC 6Music, Radio X, XS Manchester, KINK FM in the Netherlands, The Times and more.
On 6th February IST IST released their keenly anticipated new album: ‘DAGGER’. The record marks their fifth full-length studio album, and arrives on the heels of last year’s acclaimed Top 30 effort ‘Light A Bigger Fire’.
With a swelling fanbase across Europe and some of their biggest UK shows to date on the horizon, including a totemic hometown show at Manchester’s Albert Hall, and a trip adjacent to Brighton Beach at Quarters on 25th April, the hungry, anthemic quality of ‘DAGGER’ feels destined to cut through even the most capacious of spaces.
Wasting no time to sit on their laurels, IST IST launched into laying down the bones of what would become their upcoming fifth album. As guitarist Mat Peters reflects:
“We started working on the album as soon as we got back from the European tour in late 2024. The momentum you carry from a tour into the studio is powerful and you’re still in that live headspace, so the music you write in those moments tends to be more visceral. You go with the flow a little bit more rather than it being methodical. What you end up with is a collection of songs already primed for the stage.”
Alive with ambitions for the band’s next evolutionary stage, IST IST approached esteemed producer Joe Cross (Hurts, Courteeners, Slow Readers Club), tasking him with creating a conduit with which to conduct their big ideas. Rekindling the chemistry that had spawned their previous work together, pretty soon, something special began to materialise from the partnership again. Bass player Andy Keating adds:
“We wanted to make some braver and more brash choices during the recording process. We wanted to make this record for ourselves first and foremost. There was no agenda beyond capturing the post-tour energy and playing the sort of things we wanted to listen to. The result of that is our most direct album since our debut ‘Architecture’”.
Lead single and album opener ‘I Am The Fear’ is demonstrative of this brave new world; an electrifying juggernaut piled high with oscillating synth strokes, meteoric basslines, and stacked guitar tones.
Whilst the intrinsic, shadowy essence of IST IST’s trademark sound remains firmly in place, a panoply of new influences and inspiration ripples across these 10 tracks with a striking sense of redefinition.
From the lightning bolt pop immediacy of ‘Warning Signs’, to the skyscraping synth reachings of ‘The Echo’; the loping rock swagger of ‘Burning’, to the scintillating sci-fi soundtrack-primed ‘Encouragement’, and the spacious ambience of ‘Song For Someone’, ‘DAGGER’ glitters from the darkness with luminescent melodies and incisive hooks.
While ‘DAGGER’ charts another seismic step forward for the band in terms of confidence, control, and execution, fans will be reassured to hear that it has come at no sacrifice to their modus operandi. Completely self-funded, and due to be released completely independently via their own Kind Violence Records imprint, five albums in, ‘DAGGER’ symbolises the driven DIY ethic that has been programmed into IST IST’s DNA since day dot.
Of the album’s title, Adam Houghton of the band said:
“The album title ‘DAGGER’ relates to the duality of life and our lives as musicians. A dagger is a double-edged blade, as is life. There is a lot of beauty and romance in the world but it’s also full of danger and violence. Our lives as musicians and artists is at times so rewarding but we walk the tightrope of being able to release our art into the world and it potentially coming crashing down the next day if freedom of expression is curtailed, as it is in lots of places, or if people just don’t like your latest output. One day we could be touring and taking our music all over the world and the next we could be looking for a job. We wanted the artwork to encapsulate this paradox – something elegant and eye-catching whilst inherently dangerous and provocative”.
Catch IST IST marking their decade long career and teasing new music from ‘DAGGER’ at the following UK + IE shows:
UK + IE HEADLINE SHOWS:
Norwich – Waterfront – 09.04.26
London – The Garage – 10.04.26
Exeter – Phoenix – 11.04.26
Oxford – O2 Academy 2 – 12.04.26
Newcastle – The Grove – 16.04.26
Glasgow – Oran Mor – 17.04.26
Sheffield – Network – 18.04.26
Nottingham – Rescue Rooms – 23.04.26
Bristol – Thekla – 24.04.26
Brighton – Quarters – 25.04.26
Dublin – The Grand Social – 28.04.26
Belfast – Ulster Sports Club – 29.04.26
Manchester – Albert Hall – 01.05.26 (w/ Support from DESPERATE JOURNALIST + THE YOUTH PLAY)
Tickets for all shows on sale HERE.
