The London-based duo, consisting of Megan Markwick and Lily Somerville, have always made it easy to engage with their music. For starters, you won’t go far wrong with mixing classic pop and electronica. If it’s harmonies you’re after, theirs are ethereal. The lyrics are personal and relatable. And yet, both 2019’s Emotional Education and 2021’s shame were a bit hit-and-miss, making you wonder if IDER could do any better. Their new album gives you the answer: a resounding yes.
Late to the World is the duo’s most mature, refined and meaningful work to date. They have perfected their craft and, across 12 songs over 41 minutes, they hardly put a foot wrong. In fact, it is such an assured album that it’s the world you’re worried about. “We don’t give up, we don’t give up”, they sing on “Girl”, and this mantra of sorts runs throughout the album in various manifestations – is the world ready for such resilience coming from two young female artists?
Never ones to shy away from tackling delicate subjects, IDER focus on change and growth, exploring the many facets of the topic such as the individual trying to fit in, the difficulty inherent in relationships, and femininity in a men-dominated world. Those unfamiliar with the duo’s back catalogue should brace themselves for ruthless honesty that comes in the shape of self-confrontation, outspoken attacks on male entitlement, and the occasional expletive. All of that courtesy of two unabashed voices.
“I, I had a feeling / I can believe in / I’m okay” the duo sing on the album-opening title track, a song about learning to accept yourself, and a little nod to the Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling”. This sets the tone for a deeply emotional ride, and what follows is a series of variations on the central theme of turning into a better, more complete person. The song may be a catchy dance floor banger (“Attachment Theory”), a hip-hop-influenced declaration, effective in its relative minimalism (“Unlearn”) or an airy, slow-burning ballad (“Quiet Violence”), it invariably champions being/becoming unapologetically yourself.
Few albums contain only standouts, and Late to the World
is not one of them. At the same time, even the slightly lacklustre
offerings have something that stops you from wanting to skip them –
beyond having strong lyrics, that is, which is an intrinsic quality to
every IDER song. One of the synths on “Good Fight”, for instance, sounds
like a ticking clock that refuses to be buried under all the drum
machine layers, while “Killing the Game” juxtaposes a slow tempo with a
fast synthesizer beat before the song explodes into the chorus. Thanks
to IDER and producer/co-writer Dann Hume’s creativity, these little
treats make each track memorable, but the real strength of Late to the World lies in the duo’s vocals.
The album might work even if you stripped it of all
instruments; this is how perfectly the two singers’ voices complement
each other. They alternate with ease between pitches and combine intense
speak-singing with haunting background vocals as if it’s a breeze. This
variety makes their sound distinctive and sets them apart from
contemporaries such as Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo or Gracie Abrams,
who only have themselves to harmonise with. To be clear, IDER don’t have
the vocal span of, say, Mariah Carey, but how skilled they are as
singers is almost irrelevant. Who cares about range when the delivery is
so genuine?
Indeed, ‘genuine’ may well be the word to sum up both the
album and IDER themselves. Even though they rely on what’s tried and
tested – electropop rooted in the 80s and tweaked to cater for
contemporary audiences – they do everything on their own terms.
Addressing angst, feminism and the challenges of relationships, Late to the World
is not a feelgood album. It won’t put a smile on your face. At times
you may find it a touch too wistful or melancholy, or that the lyrics
hit too close to home. But it’s even more likely that, once the final
song (“Encore”) is over, you’ll be feeling empowered and wanting more.
