Vital Idles

Scottish quartet Vital Idles play an anxious brand of indie pop containing poetic observations laced with deadpan humor. Highly reminiscent of the early Rough Trade roster, their songs express raw emotions through abstract, bare-bones post-punk. Frontwoman Jessica Higgins, Nick Lynch, and Matthew Walkerdine help run Good Press, a Glasgow-based publisher and art book shop, and guitarist Ruari MacLean previously played in noise-pop group Golden Grrrls, as well as Rose McDowall's band. Vital Idles began playing shows in 2015, and released two cassettes of demos that year. Their debut 7" single, "My Sentiments," appeared in 2016. Edwin Stevens (aka Irma Vep) and MacLean engineered the band's debut full-length, Left Hand, which was released by Upset the Rhythm in 2018. ~ Paul Simpson