Young Fathers share orchestral bellow with new song ‘Tell Somebody’
Young Fathers have always held a sense of drama to their work. When they first broke out on the live scene, their displays were borderline terrifying. Standing drums were assaulted, microphones were loured at with malintent, and the beats reached a fever pitch akin to a rocket launch countdown. Now that sense of cinema on the new track ‘Tell Somebody’ sounds more like something you would have heard in the wake of Sigur Rós revolutionising the soundtrack game.
Have they lost something in that mellowing, more measured approach to production? Time will tell, but for now, we get to bask in the matured sound on offer. ‘Tell Somebody’ is huge—it seems to stretch the horizons of the band beyond the basement where it was crafted, venturing into an unburdened sense of spiritualism.
It is a fitting promotion for their new record, Heavy Heavy. As the band explain: “Heavy Heavy could be a mood, or it could describe the smoothed granite of bass that supports the sound… or it could be a nod to the natural progression of boys to grown men and the inevitable toll of living, a joyous burden, relationships, family, the natural momentum of a group that has been around long enough to witness massive changes.”
The track clearly implies that they have been liberated by this approach. There is a very natural feel to the exultant heights that it reaches for. As Kayus Bankole adds: “You let the demons out and deal with it. Make sense of it after.” They’ve certainly let it out and then some, the question posed it what exactly they are proclaiming beyond the wails?
There is no doubt that this is a thrilling beast and in time it might prove to be a sumptuous rally cry that takes you out for a jog even in the depths of winter. However, those after the jagged old Young Fathers might say we’ve heard this sort of orchestral orgasm from others in the past. In fact, it is pretty reminiscent of José González’s ‘Step Outside’ without the key changes. Love it or loath, and surely very few will loath this wholesome beast, you have to conclude that it’s certainly a bouyant force to behold.
Heavy Heavy, the band’s fourth album. Is set for release on February 3rd via Ninja Tune. You can check out ‘Tell Somebody’ below.
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