Meet IDER

Ider

The alternative pop duo you didn’t know you needed

Lily Somerville and Megan Markwick are London-based flatmates and best friends and together, they form an alternative pop duo: IDER. In their new album, called “Emotional Education”, the two artists join their voices to express the complexity and anxieties of the millennial generation. Standing out from the classic pop songs, IDER’s music will blow your mind and soothe your soul. Raw talent in sight!

At first sight, it seems like they have known each other forever and yet, Lily Somerville and Megan Markwick met at university, just a few years ago. Indeed, they were both studying music and clicked instantly. They started living and writing together, making songs in their bedrooms. Like many other artists, they started uploading tracks on Soundcloud. “Sorry”, “Million” or “King Ruby” were already very promising, showing their alternative electro pop music universe. Their debut songs quickly caught the right people’s attention in 2016 and allowed them to make an EP the next year: “Gut Me Like An Animal”. Lily and Megan kept writing more and more new songs such as “Learn To Let Go” or “Body Love”.

This summer, IDER released their first album: “Emotional Education”. The British duo kept the same writing process as the previous years. They both wrote on their own before sharing their creations with one another. However, that would not have worked without that special connection. Their strong friendship helped them feeling free to share their emotions and experiences. Lily and Megan agree: they can talk about pretty much anything together. For instance, Lily wrote “Saddest Generation” and Megan only changed a line: “where is the emotional education we’re all looking for?” which gave the opus its title. This very raw song tackles loneliness, isolation and is based on mental health statistics. Indeed, people are more and more affected by these issues, especially teenagers and IDER’s music is here to show them that they are normal and not alone.

Honest and spontaneous lyrics, both personal and universal, are one of the characteristics that distinguish the British duo. Whether it is conscious or not, Lily and Megan’s songs sound like a genuine analysis of the modern world. In a society where we are all in a rush and try to show the best of us on social media, their music is here to reassure and calm everyone down.

This therapeutic mix of pop and electronic music is surprisingly unique and each of the eleven tracks of “Emotional Education” is a real gem. “You’ve Got Your Whole Life Ahead Of You Baby” alludes to the FOMO syndrome that teenagers and mid-twenties can sometimes feel. “Mirror” tackles the feeling of being lost after a relationship. “Busy Being A Rockstar” is about the absence of a father and “Swim” refers to anxiety and depression, trying to make it in the music industry. Add catchy instrumentals with synth notes to these beautiful lyrics, precise harmonies showcasing Lily and Megan’s singular voices and unexpected crescendos: the perfect recipe to fall in love with IDER.

Lily and Megan will be supporting Sigrid on some of her shows in Europe and will also have headline ones. If you relate to their music, join the movement and get yourself the emotional education you need!

Listen if you are a fan of:

Maggie Rogers’ catchy productions, honest lyrics that seem to be extracts of a diary, Simon and Garfunkel’s capacity to mix their voices like nobody else.

One song to listen to:

“Mirror” for its perfectly executed echoing harmonies, its resonant and self-reflective lyrics and its powerful crescendo bridge ending the song triumphantly.

Words by DéBORAH GAILLARD PHOTO: ALL RIGHTS RESERVED