Spiritual child of Prince, Yves Tumor had scored a big blow with his second album, launched in 2020. Drawing from the source of psychedelic soul by coating it with tense, crushed and sometimes even dissonant textures, the American artist offered an avenue almost unprecedented funk. Of course, we have not denied the work done on Heaven for a Tortured Mind – the excellent instrumental Purified by the Fire is a fine art-soul exercise as the lascivious and sexy Echolalia proves to be one of the highlights of the new collection of songs; but Tumor deliberately chose a more accessible vehicle, swapping the funky bass for the shoegaze drones.
The result is an album that leans more towards Manchester Britpop than Motown R&B, while retaining Tumor’s melodic qualities. God Is a Circle sets the table with its almost gothic atmospheres, the nonchalant voice of Yves placed in the foreground providing the atmosphere, while Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood turns out to be an excellent alt-rock song steered by the nervous drums of Rhys Hastings and the anxious guitar of Chris Greatti.
Meteora Blues, Operator And In Spite of War are not unworthy either, ensuring an overall cohesion to the most digestible album to date from the Floridian artist. Although we would have liked Tumor to continue to build on the foundations of his previous work, we will not sulk his pleasure.
indie-rock
Praise a Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
Yves Tumor
Warp Records