Vibrant art punx, Y!KES! released hotasfuq new single and video, ‘PIROUETTE‘ – teasing their ‘MASS!VE’ EP (released 28th August). 

Earthlings, get this on your 2020 Bingo Card. . .

Photography; Kris Askey

It’s not every band that will star trek to space for the sake of entertaining you. (Better Y!KES! than that sky-hating twat ElonMuskRat or whatever…). Great MUSIC remains one of the very best ways to be out of this world. Calling all Earthlings, fluorescent spiky, classic ballsy rocking that rolls into your ears with love.

The ‘PIROUETTE’ video was made with Zak Taylor for the single, which is the dirty glammed up sleazepunk that every rebel planet needs. There’s a curled lip to the vocals and filthy guitar heroics driven by urgently thrusting rhythms. Hooky… 

…hooked. Having enjoyed the song and video like a virtual teen, I was drawn into finding out more from  
Y!KES! , The Anti-Pop ring leaders, themselves;

“‘PIROUETTE’ is about those times in life where you feel like you’re constantly going around in circles, be it in relationships, career moves or creatively. 

It’s about spinning so much everything just explodes into an awe inspiring ball of fire that demands the whole galaxy to stop and pay attention to what you’re doing. 

With the video we had spent a long time in lockdown and had the feeling of just wanting to get out, away from everything. So we built a spaceship in my garage (out of tin foil and bits!) and thought, let’s make a music video.

Fortunately our studio is in my house, so we were able to spend part of lockdown recording and producing our new EP ‘Mass!ve’, on which Pirouette is featured.

We are planning a frenzy of live dates when the world returns to normality, our most recent announcement being a slot at Nottingham’s Mind Festival in April 2021.” (Liam, guitar)

If that sounds busy, the band have additionally been creating like crazy in lockdown on their YouTube channel. Alongside their superb tuned videos, how can ya not fall for make up and drumming tips (or dance work-outs with Bear Frills, come to think of it)? I hear that they’ve already made another video…!

The EP itself is a musical siren of rock that made me shut down the emails, social media and other distractions to check it was as capitivating as it sounded. ‘MASS!VE’ sounds like multiverses colliding. Phonic harmonic washes fuse composition, production, vocals and charismatic skills into a car chased exhibition of anthem-dynamited ambition (topped with attention to detail – DIY written, recorded and produced by the band).

I hate this year, it’s callous, cruel and hostile. But… I mainly love this year, as alongside the friendships which are proving true, are quality escapisms: Surely some of the best releases in British and Irish musical history, present and future. 

Having started this doc when ‘Guitars Are Dead’ was the mono-minded mantra of the sofa critic, seeing so many scenes and textures blossom from rock music’s raw compulsion, is viscerally sexual and creatively stimulating.

Y!KES! are TJ Weston (Drums), Oli Long (Vocal), Liam Howard (Guitar), Matt Ford (Bass). There are actual electric sparks crackling off this band. Regular readers of TheZineUK will know how the madlands of The Midlands is one of our favourite music movements. Incidentally, Velvet Goldmine is a beloved movie for quite a few of us. They meet nicely here.

Get it on your playlists! (added to #TheZineUK’s own #Newer Wave Rocksalready!) p.s. Thanks for helping out lads, best wishes from Planet Water where you are deffo already twinkling hard. Xx

Words: Caffy St Luce