Yumi Zouma – Truth or Consequences (2020) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Yumi Zouma – Truth or Consequences (2020)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 33:30 minutes | 372 MB | Genre: Alternative, Indie
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Polyvinyl Records

Truth or Consequences, Yumi Zouma’s third album and first for Polyvinyl was produced by the band and mixed by engineer Jake Aron (Solange, Grizzly Bear, Snail Mail) Christie Simpson’s voice gives weight to whispers of impressionistic poetry, shielding hard truths with soft tones, while Burgess’ vocals reveal a rarified dimension of raw and lucid romanticism, with lead single “Right Track / Wrong Man,” in particular, exhibiting a Balearic tempo and bass-heavy energy that belies its underlying tension. The first Yumi Zouma album to feature live drums, Truth or Consequences radiates a brazen spirit of perseverance. “I love the duality in a lot of disco songs, where they’re incredibly upbeat, but there’s real frustration in the lyrics – sort of like, ‘Nothing’s going the way I want, but I’ve got to deal with it any way I can,’” Simpson says.

The third album from New Zealand’s chill-pop outfit Yumi Zouma tenderly pokes at the bruises inflicted by 2020’s unsettled times. Singer Christie Simpson —blessed with a down comforter of a voice— has said of the inspiration for single “Right Track/Wrong Man”: “I’ve found myself… unable to work out what makes me happier, left feeling a little lost.” This is low-sweat dance floor stuff, with familiar sonic touchstones. “Mirror to the Fire” comes on like Chvrches, while “Magazine Bay” borrows the yacht rock confidence of Tame Impala. Shimmering with assertive ’80s-style synth and crisp percussion, the music is inevitably breezy, uplifting, optimistic; the lyrics tend to be indecisive (“Please don’t leave me here or let me go,” Simpson sings on “Southwark”) and self-critical (“I was embarrassed when I knew who I was, so wild and zealous and overly down for the cause,” she coos on “Lonely After”). The truth may be fuzzy and unknown, but the consequences remain existentially high. – Shelly Ridenour

Tracklist:
01. Yumi Zouma – Lonely After (03:40)
02. Yumi Zouma – Right Track / Wrong Man (02:56)
03. Yumi Zouma – Southwark (03:22)
04. Yumi Zouma – Sage (03:01)
05. Yumi Zouma – Mirror To The Fire (02:58)
06. Yumi Zouma – Cool For A Second (03:09)
07. Yumi Zouma – Truer Than Ever (03:04)
08. Yumi Zouma – My Palms Are Your Reference To Hold To Your Heart (03:56)
09. Yumi Zouma – Magazine Bay (03:53)
10. Yumi Zouma – Lie Like You Want Me Back (03:27)

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