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"Dancer"
Single by Idles featuring LCD Soundsystem
from the album Tangk
Released	18 October 2023 (2023-10-18)
Genre	Post-punk dance-punk disco
Length	3:09
Label	Partisan
Producer(s)	Nigel Godrich Kenny Beats Mark Bowen
Idles singles chronology
"Crawl!" (2022) "Dancer" (2023) "Grace" (2023)
LCD Soundsystem singles chronology
"New Body Rhumba" (2022) "Dancer" (2023)

"Dancer" is a song by the British rock band Idles, released on October 18, 2023 as the lead single from their album Tangk, released in February 2024. It was their first new music since their 2021 album Crawler, and it features backing vocals from James Murphy and Nancy Whang of LCD Soundsystem.

Release

"Dancer" was first teased with an audio snippet in a YouTube video uploaded to the band's official channel on September 20, 2023, while its title was revealed in another snippet posted to their official Instagram account on October 4. Later Instagram posts on October 6 and October 12 revealed the song's release date and single cover, respectively. On October 18, the song was released along with a music video uploaded to YouTube, as well as an announcement of the album's title and release date. As described by Music Feeds, the music video " the band in mock-ABBA mode, white suits and all they strut towards the camera while the pounding music unfurls around them. a janitor blasting the track through their headphones while they get through a particularly menial shift".

Reception

"Dancer" was met with primarily positive reviews. Rolling Stone described the "raucous" song as showing the band's "trademark post-punk instrumentals mix with a poppier and more melodic chorus", while Hot Press characterized the "playful and scuzzy" track by its "heavy bass, dirty guitar riffs, and joyous vocals". Uproxx praised frontman Joe Talbot's vocals as " command over the dance floor", while American Songwriter commented that the backing vocals from members of LCD Soundsystem " themselves to a spooky, urgent tone that complements Talbot’s guttural, grungy voice", and also added that "there’s a note of innuendo" Consequence described it as "swampy, spine-tingling, hypnotic", naming it the "song of the week" on October 20 and commenting that "being hip-to-hip and cheek-to-cheek has rarely sounded so visceral".

Regarding its overall style, Medium commented that the song is " of disco, but with loud guitars instead of funky, electronic beats" and that it shows the band "make an effort to artistic boundaries" as they "put a rhythmic spin on their sound". The comparison to this genre was furthered by Music Feeds' conclusion that "IDLES have entered their disco era – albeit with a great deal of sweat, horror, and aggression laced with something that looks a little like love, if you squint at it sideways".

References

1. "IDLES announce new single 'Dancer'". Rolling Stone UK. 6 September 2023.
2. "Morning Becomes Eclectic playlist, October 18, 2023". KCRW. 18 September 2023.
3. "IDLES Announce New Album, Go Disco in Video for Lead Single 'Dancer'". Music Feeds. 19 October 2023.
4. LOVE IS THE FING #idles #shorts, retrieved 18 October 2023
5. Dunworth, Liberty (4 October 2023). "IDLES tease raucous new single 'Dancer'". NME. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
6. "Instagram". Retrieved 18 October 2023 – via Instagram.
7. "Instagram". Retrieved 18 October 2023 – via Instagram.
8. "Idles – Dancer (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
9. "Idles Announce New Album Tangk, Enlist LCD Soundsystem for New Song". Pitchfork. 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
10. Earp, Joseph (19 October 2023). "IDLES Announce New Album, Go Disco in Video for Lead Single 'Dancer'". Music Feeds. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
11. Zemler, Emily (18 October 2023). "Idles Tap LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy, Nancy Whang for Raucous Single 'Dancer'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
12. Richards, Will (4 October 2023). "Idles announce new single 'Dancer'". Rolling Stone UK. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
13. Browne, Niamh. "Idles announce new album Tangk". Hot Press. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
14. "Idles Announced New Album Tangk, Shared 'Dancer' Video". Uproxx. 18 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
15. Boisvert, Lauren (18 October 2023). "Listen: IDLES Release New Single, Announce Album 'TANGK'". American Songwriter. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
16. "IDLES' "Dancer" Is Our Song of the Week". 20 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
17. Duguay, Rob (18 October 2023). "Idles Put a Rhythmic Spin on Their Sound With 'Dancer'". Culture Beat. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
18. Earp, Joseph (19 October 2023). "IDLES Announce New Album, Go Disco in Video for Lead Single 'Dancer'". Music Feeds. Retrieved 19 October 2023.

• 2023 singles
• 2023 songs
• Idles (band) songs
• LCD Soundsystem songs
• Song recordings produced by Kenny Beats
• Song recordings produced by Nigel Godrich