IST IST

IST IST (stylized in all caps) is a post-punk band with a dark, moody sound. There is a great deal of Joy Division influence in their work, particularly in terms of Andy Keating's bass lines and the way vocalist Adam Houghton uses his baritone, with shades of Matt Berninger (of The National) also detectable in his voice. A lot of their songs have the classic post-punk repetitiveness as their backbone, though they appear to have started to gravitate towards a more melodic and more indie rock territory on their 2021 album The Art of Lying, where the synths and the guitar give the band a mid '80s sheen. Perhaps not quite the New Order sound, but they certainly give off early synth pop vibes. The songs are somber, effective, and they come with satisfying heft.