New Music: IAMX – Artificial Innocence

Not many people get to be in two iconic bands, especially if, like Chris Corner, those bands are as groundbreaking as Sneaker Pimps and IAMX.

Over the years, Corner and IAMX have forged a path that sits outside conventional genres and scenes, something that has increasingly become one of the band’s strengths. If you’ve been lucky enough to see the band live, you’ll know the range of people the band attracts, from baby goths to suburban parents.

Artificial Innocence is a prime example of why that is the case. You could loosely ascribe a dark wave label to it, maybe gothic rock too, but neither really grasps the essence of what makes IAMX one of the best bands of our time.

Corner’s vocals are like an echo from the past, crafted and ceremonial, a call to prayer for those of those who view themselves as outsiders, in tune with their own being, negotiating an alien world as if they walk in the footsteps of Thomas Jerome Newton.

Artificial Innocence, for all its regal references and talk of unexplained needs, focuses on staying in the present, aware of the cost of not doing so, a funereal march that warns us to be ourselves but be aware of the potential consequences.

IAMX don’t sound like anyone else, so comparisons are meaningless. But if you like electronic rock that is dark, literate, thoughtful, and driven by a magnetic creative genius, then that is IAMX.

To tie in with the single, the band’s Artificial Innocence tour begins on the 14^th of March with a headlining performance by IAMX at Leipzig’s EoNLY Festival. That is followed by thirteen dates across Europe, in cities where IAMX has not appeared in recent years. The band will also appear at Infest in Manchester this August.

You can listen to Artificial Innocence on Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and Spotify. For venue and ticket details for upcoming live dates, check out IAMX on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook.