Belfast post-punk/electronic provocateurs Chalk return with “I.D.C”, a confrontational and razor sharp new single that further cements their reputation as one of the most vital acts emerging from the city’s underground. Taken from their newly announced debut album Crystalpunk, due for release on March 13th, the track feels like both a statement of intent and a warning shot.
From the outset, “I.D.C” thrives on tension. Pummelling electronic beats lock into rigid, industrial rhythms, while jagged synth lines and abrasive textures grind against each other with surgical precision. Chalk have always excelled at blending post-punk urgency with club-ready electronics and here the fusion feels especially refined, cold and mechanical, yet brimming with nervous energy. There’s an almost claustrophobic quality to the production, as if the track is constantly pressing in on itself, daring the listener to stay engaged.
“I.D.C” leans into detachment and defiance. The delivery is blunt and emotionally distant, perfectly mirroring the track’s title and its nihilistic undertones. Rather than offering catharsis, Chalk lean into discomfort, embracing apathy as a weapon rather than a weakness. It’s this refusal to soften their edges that makes the track so compelling.
The track feels like a snapshot of modern disillusionment equal parts personal burnout and societal fatigue. It’s music made for dark rooms and flickering strobes, yet it carries an unmistakable sense of purpose beyond the dancefloor.
If Crystalpunk continues in this vein, Chalk’s debut album promises to be a bold and uncompromising document. “I.D.C” doesn’t ask for your attention, it demands it, and it’s further proof that Chalk are operating on their own uncompromising terms.
”I.D.C.” deserves a well earned 9 out of 10
Crystalpunk’ Tracklist
01 – Tongue
02 – Pain
03 – Can’t Feel It
04 – Longer
05 – One-Nine-Eight-Zero
06 – Eclipse
07 – Skem
08 – I.D.C.
09 – Béal Feirste
10 – Ache
Pre-order https://symphony.to/chalk/crystalpunk
Reviewer – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic