Y!KES were not happy with just taking their hometown Birmingham by storm, they’ve now infected the whole country with their pop punk racket, relentlessly performing and earning huge respect in their scene. For those not lucky enough to catch one of their frantic shows they’ve also released an endless stream of singles and provocative videos to keep fans happy and now their debut EP has hit the shelves.
On first listen I thought the guys had possibly taken a risk with opener “Chekhov’s Gun Theory” with its eerie, sedative intro. But I was soon put well in my place around the 1:20 mark when the track kicks in full throttle, with crunching guitars and battling drums, the grungy hooks are well and truly under my skin – hello, Y!KES. It’s a huge pop punk anthem, think My Chemical Romance with a guest appearance from Kurt Cobain. Recently ed Oli Long’s vocals lend themselves sublimely to this more grungier tone and flavour of the band, his screams at the end of this tremendous number leave the hairs on the back of my neck up and it takes several replays before moving on. I’m pleasantly reminded what this band are all about and I can’t wait to hear the rest of the EP.
I’m not disappointed. “Hold on to Your Grudge” comes hurtling at you at breakneck speed, dirty bass and sludgy guitars mould wholly with Oli’s feisty squalls with an overall madchester tint to this ferocious track.
Hard and heavy “Repeat The Objective” is swarmed by distorted guitars and has an electro pop feel, which really demonstrates the effortless skill of this band pulling in a variety of alt rock styles but skilfully making it a sound all of their own, the impeccable production being of absolute credit to this.
“Hiding in Plain Sight” feels familiar and cosy, and I revelled in its pop punk melodies and catchy choruses. Closer “Spitfire Salutes” ramps up to be one of the most substantial songs on here. Filthy, bluesy guitar tones are catchy as hell and I implore you to try and sit still through this groovy number.
This EP highlights how far Y!KES have come in a very short space of time. Infectious guitar licks, feisty lyrics and a confident mashup of grunge and pop punk styles put Y!KES up there as one of the most exciting bands to watch out for. Everything Pointless Is Correct (Ep!c) is available on all platforms now and there are a handful of shows left on their current UK tour.
- 6th March – Subside, Birmingham (ing Sister Shotgun)
- 30th March – The Jacaranda, Liverpool (Headline)
Y!KES: facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify
