IDER – Late To The World

With Know How It Hurts, IDER released one of my favourite tracks last year, and they stirred my anticipation and curiosity for the upcoming album Late To The World. I was definitely rooting for Lily Somerville and Megan Markwick.

However, Know How It Hurts almost stands alone in its transfixing brilliance. Only the namesake opener with its harsh, guitar-shredding-like synths and urging melody or the indie-rock adjacent, fiery reckoning You Don’t Know How To Drive come close.

Unlearn, Girl, and Zero dare to be different. IDER abandon the opulent pop temple and journey into the minimalistic landscape. These tracks at least feel different, more daring and uncompromising. Definitely give them a go.

Yet, in between these experimental tracks and the exciting hymns, you’ll be left with rather bland, sugar-coated pop tunes reminiscent of the 2000s. They’re, like the whole album, produced crispy and clean—with the vocals of Sommerville and Markwick in centre-stage. But songs like Attachment Theory or Quiet Violence also feel so polished that you’ve nothing to grab on. Where has the grittiness gone?

But despite some songs musically falling short, Late To The World has essential and powerful messages worth spreading about womanhood, anxiety, and resilience. „We’re conditioned as women to see anger as an ugly thing, but the truth is I feel angry about a lot of things,” explains Markwick in the press release. “And anger is an important feeling because it can also incite change. It’s what gets us riled up and wanting to move the dial.”

Although the sound may be forgettable at times, the lyrics always remain authentic and captivating, creating relatability. Yes, in terms of storytelling, Late To The World is genuinely worthwhile.

I only wish IDER had roughened up its sound here and there. Then, the album would have succeeded spectacularly and more songs would have embedded themselves into my consciousness like Know How It Hurts did. But now, I constantly feel there is potential left on the table.

IDER – Late To The World

Release: 21 February 2025

1. Late to the World
2. Attachment Theory
3. Unlearn
4. Girl
5. Know How It Hurts
6. Hard Enough to Let You Go
7. Zero
8. You Don't Know How to Drive
9. Quiet Violence
10. Good Fight
11. Killing the Game
12. Encore