Blogger's favourite Yumi Zouma have at long last announced the release of their debut album, Yoncalla, and ahead of its 27 May release the band have put out the first single to come from the album, Keep It Close To Me.
Having originally grown up together in Christhurch, New Zealand, the band created their twice sold-out debut EP and EP II spread across three continents, with members in Auckland, Paris and New York. The success of those EPs led to the band touring extensively, and the time on tour enabled them to write together in one place for the first time, and during a three-week period in Paris they recorded their debut album. Mixed in Philippe Zdar's Motorbass studio during a week last October the album is now ready for the world, and Keep It Close To Me sounds like the band at their best.
In the words of guitarist Charlie Ryder, “Yumi Zouma has always been an exercise in refining ideas and collaborating, but this was the first time we weren’t limited or protected by distance. With Yoncalla, the process was different, and it can be scary to present raw ideas to your friends ‐ but it’s also incredible to see songs evolve through the sparks of inspiration that bounce between people in the same room.”