IST are one of the most prominent acts in the modern British post-punk revival. Formed in Manchester in 2014, the quartet – comprising Adam Houghton (vocals and guitar), Andy Keating (bass), Joel Kay (drums) and Mat Peters (synths and guitar) is renowned for its dense, atmospheric sound, driven by deep bass lines, textured synths and Houghton’s cavernous baritone vocals. Carrying on the industrial and melancholic legacy of their hometown (with indelible influences from acts such as Joy Division and Interpol), the band have forged their own path in a fiercely independent manner through their own label, Kind Violence Records. Following the initial impact of the albums *Architecture* (2020) and *The Art of Lying* (2021), which cemented their place on the UK’s underground scene, IST IST reached new heights of recognition with *Protagonists* (2023), an album that peaked at number two on the UK independent albums chart. Commercial and critical acclaim followed with ‘Light a Bigger Fire’ (2024), which catapulted the band into the alternative mainstream by entering the UK’s overall Top 40 straight away. Maintaining a relentless pace of production, the group released the acclaimed live album *On Fire* in 2025 and returned to studio recordings in 2026 with *Dagger*, widely praised by music critics as their most focused, mature and anthemic work to date.
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