Rating: 7.5/10
By Kieran Webber
Mr. Yolk is the project of 22-year-old designer and songwriter Samuel Jones accompanied by band mates Enzo Lauvergne, Charlie Carmichael, Antoine Jauneau and Rich Chapman. At an incredibly young age the artist has managed to create something incredibly mature within his debut release.
Mr. Yolk‘s sound is of a similar ilk to the likes of Jagwar Ma, Mac Demarco and even older artists such as Jesus & The Mary Chain. The dreamy pop drenched in tranquil harmonies backed by an ethereal soundscape is mesmerizing and alluring. It pulls the listener in with ease, gently caressing them into a state of tranquility. Simply put Mr Yolk are a band that know how to create beautiful music and their debut release ‘Self Portrait’ is a but proof of that.
Across the album you are treated to a delicate platter of psychedelia that almost personifies an Andy Warhol art piece. It’s a slow journey across the 11 tracks but it’s supposed to be, this album isn’t designed for instant satisfaction.
Songs such as ‘Baker Street’, ‘Green Valentine Blues’ and ‘Everything is Blue and Orange’ personify the 60’s psychedelia vibe, it’s a far out adventure and you’re in for a trip but it’s not one you want to stop. The album keeps you intrigued with the slight shift in sound and amped up pace, especially in tracks such as ‘Don’t Play With My Emotions’ and ‘Self Portrait’. Both tracks pick up the pace snapping you out of the daydream mellowness of previous songs, reigniting the interest.
‘Self Portrait’ is continuously hypnotizing yet is nothing short of peaceful and extremely enjoyable. There are few artists that can create a body of music with such ethereal beauty yet evade monotony, however Mr Yolk can do this with masterful ease.
Listen to ‘Baker Street’ here:
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