Idles - Ultra Mono

Originally released in 2020 as the explosive successor to Joy As An Act Of Resistance, Idles’ third album Ultra Mono sharpened the band’s trademark force into something heavier, leaner, and more confrontational. Built around the concept of “brutalism” in sound, the record delivered pounding rhythms, blown-out riffs, and shouted affirmations crafted to feel like blunt-impact catharsis.

While the music itself became a defining moment for Idles, the release also spawned one of the most absurd — and sought-after — vinyl variants of the era. Of the initial pressing, only 1,000 copies were issued with a reverse gatefold, a manufacturing quirk that instantly turned into a collector frenzy. Fans hunted them down, prices climbed, and the variant became one of those oddball artifacts that only intensifies a band’s mythology.

If you're an Idles devotee or a completist building out your shelf of rare pressings, this is one of the true trophy pieces. And if you’re still on the lookout for it, just let me know — I might be able to help you track one down.