Yves Tumor makes what may be outlined as rock music, however not a lot within the direct sonic combos that the style is understood for. As a substitute, Tumor makes rock music in the way in which the counterculture motion the music grew out of is understood for, with a deal with creativity, invention, and producing sounds that blast away expectations.
With their newest album, ‘Reward A Lord Who Chews However Which Does Not Eat; (Or Merely, Sizzling Between Worlds)’ the experimental producer and songwriter transcends even additional, dipping into electronica, alt-pop and punk territory and touchdown on a set of songs which can be equally weird and pleasant.
With their earlier albums, 2016’s ‘Serpent Music’ and 2018’s ‘Secure In The Arms Of Love’, the Tennessee native made a reputation as an experimental noise artist and avant-garde pop star. Then got here 2020’s ‘Heaven To A Tortured Thoughts’, which was maybe the primary style of the musician’s gigantic rock aspirations, weaving collectively tales of intercourse, the satan and depravity backed by glam rock. Produced by Noah Goldstein (Frank Ocean, Drake, Rihanna) and combined by Alan Moulder (My Bloody Valentine, 9 Inch Nails, The Killers), ‘Reward…’ takes all of that imaginative orchestration of Tumor’s earlier releases, and hones it with sleeker development.
Album opener ‘God Is A Circle’ arrives with screeching, stuttered beeping and frantic respiration proper as Tumor’s baritone voice kicks in. “Typically, it seems like / There’s locations in my thoughts that I can’t go” they observe of a chaotic relationship over distorted industrial rock. However the album’s first style isn’t indicative of the remainder of its programs: ‘Heaven Surrounds Us Like A Hood’, launches off with a ‘70s-indebted guitar riff and a toddler’s voice suggesting that “if you die, it’s okay. You may simply restart”, earlier than spiralling into darkish pop-punk melodies.
On ‘Echolalia’, the music takes on the form of heavy rock music earlier than reworking right into a trembling ballad. ‘Worry Evil Like Fireplace’ shape-shifts in the same approach, shining a light-weight on Tumor’s means to sing in soulful vocal ranges as they clarify: “Heaven is a spot that all of us have / We watch town vibrate”. In lesser arms this broadness could be grating; right here, after all, it’s thrilling.
Most of the album’s themes see Tumor questioning familial bonds, ties to themselves and to spirituality, and a wrestle with the next energy. In ‘Meteora Blues’, they sing, “I’ll at all times pray to an empty sky” however within the interlude of ‘Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood’ a toddler says, “I really like the color blue as a result of it’s within the sky and that’s the place God is.” This enigmatic, typically contradictory, writing fashion is why they’ve remained such an alluring prospect in each sense.
‘Reward…’ is proof of how sensible rock could be when ambition and expertise are met with a artistic who isn’t afraid to be unusual. It’s an album that might have simply ventured too out-there for the plenty to seek out it palpable, however thanks Tumour’s outsized expertise and character, ‘Reward…’ avoids decadence and proves richly satisfying.
Particulars
- Launch date: March 17, 2023
- File label: Warp Information
