We all have those days in which we have absolutely zero clue what to listen to. With the mass plethora of music out there, all within reach of our fingertips, it can get pretty overwhelming to decide what to jam on a day to day basis. Sometimes you just need someone to make that decision for you. Well, If this describes you at the moment, fret not, as I am going to redirect some exclusive sound waves straight to your ears. If not, well you’re already reading this so why not continue on, eh? Behold, an Everything Is Noise exclusive premiere of the new Yagow record, The Mess.
Yagow is a group from Saarbrücken, Germany, and will be releasing their sophomore album, The Mess, on June 18 via Crazysane Records. This is your chance to listen to the album a full week in advance at the time of this being posted of course, so what are you waiting for? If you want some really trippy, psychedelic space rock jams, The Mess will satiate your hunger and then some. Before you say it, yes, I know that bands left and right are being labeled ‘psychedelic’ in some way, shape, or form, even if they aren’t or don’t have any psychedelic aspects in the slightest; Yagow‘s fuzzy, desert/space rock sound really delivers on that front.
Think Kairon; IRSE!-structured songs with a grungier and bluesier, somewhat lo-fi sound a la Red Fang and Black Sabbath; that is Yagow. They are one of those special artists that create something entirely their own, but you can clearly hear the different influences in the music that make up this magical amalgam. Not that it reminds me musically, but the fact that you can easily pick out influences from various other artists so clearly in The Mess is similar to how Psychonaut‘s TOOL/Neurosis/The Ocean/Night Verses influences hit you all at once on Unfold the God Man. It is always a joy listening to new artists and you hear the sounds that you yourself grew to love back in the day are ‘repurposed’ into something entirely new and refreshing and ultimately, a product greater than the sum of its parts.
One thing I find incredibly mystifying on The Mess is the Carnatic-tinge that you hear across several of the tracks, such as the title track, “Rise & Shine”, and “Bloom”. Just when I thought this record couldn’t get any more ethereal with its shoegaze passages, or grittier with its doomy tendencies, you’re hit with the curveball that is the sitar playing. The inclusion of the sitar isn’t done in a tacky way either, it’s masterfully blended into the music to add even more depth than is already there. You may not even notice it at times, but it’s most certainly there. It really adds to the fuzzy, trippy musical environment that Yagow effortlessly creates.
Stylistically, The Mess may sound like a vintage, dated record, but it is filled to the brim with fresh and innovative musical ideas and execution. I’ll tell you one thing, it definitely doesn’t sound like a mess. Stream Yagow‘s newest effort to your heart’s content before its release on June 18. Check out their Facebook and Bandcamp pages; heck, preorder while you’re at it.
