Brighton four-piece Yonaka won’t be forgotten in a hurry, as a lot of new bands come and go at the drop of a hat after the hype has settled. This bunch of rowdy rock luminaries are coming in heavy and won’t be told ‘no’ by anyone. Upon the release of their debut single ‘Ignorance’, the foursome cement their unwavering values and pure, elementary rabble-rousing chorus.
The band having only formed last year have already accomplished a significant amount in their short lifespan. They signed to Hometown Records (the label founded by BBC Radio 1’s Phil Taggart) and have played over 30 shows, all the while behind the scenes they’ve been pulling together a strong body of work.
Initially, what attracts the ears on the first listen to ‘Ignorance’ is the band’s ‘hit-the-floor-running’ approach, flirting between soft and loud, to calm and thunderous throughout. It’s clear that Yonaka march to their own beat, boldly re-shaping the landscape with their ambitious, almost tribal approach to rock.
Singer Theresa Jarvis commands all, from the turbulent outcry of her whiling coo to the playful sensuality of her full voice. Her capacity to insight with her co-horts, a type of full-bloodied mysticism, is rooted in the dark confines of their thrilling and unconventional arrangements. That unfurl outwards from minimal instrumental backing to the often furious outbursts that rage beneath her call.
The song explores the limits of the human condition, in what the power of actions and words can have on a person’s psyche, culminating in the provocation of “I’m awake.” And if any band can actually instigate change, I think Yonaka will be the one’s to do just that.
‘Ignorance’ is out now on Hometown Records, buy it on iTunes here.
