An amazing EP by an artist who produces, remixes and masters ALL his songs. Yeek is beginning to make a name for himself.
-
10
Many probably have never heard of Yeek before, but he is a name to watch out for. With recently released EP IDK WHERE, he proves what an underrated artist he is. Yeek produces, remixes, records and masters all his songs and this raw musical ability is prevalent throughout the six-song IDK WHERE. With an average of 735,000 Spotify listeners a month he is making a name in the underground scene, most notably in DIY Soundcloud culture. IDK WHERE is genre-bending and has influences from funk, ‘90s hip-hop and ‘90s punk culture, which Yeek describes as “experimental indie punk with hip-hop undertones”.
IDK WHERE opens with ‘Cleaner Air’. One of his most known songs, this is the perfect opener and exemplifies summer and beach vibes. Its simple gentle guitar strums are used as the main body for the track and sets the mood of the album. The song sounds like he is having a conversation, presumably with someone he is in a relationship with, and how he runs from issues and doesn’t want to lose the girl he is in love with.
The next song – ‘I’m Trying’ – takes us on a journey, the slow but effective percussion emphasis the tone of the song, reflection and self-loathing. Dominic Fike features on this track, shortly after featuring on Kevin Abstract’s recent release ‘Peach’. The track starts with the lines “I’m no good, I’m no saint”, portraying the way he sees himself, but as we discover later in the song he is actually talking to a presumed lover again and describing how she sees him. He is trying to make his lover understand he is trying to be better, however they do not see this. In each verse he explains all the ways he has tried to be better (“Washed, and dried, and ironed for you / Went out for you, and stayed out for you / ‘Cause I tried for you”).
His lyrics are honest and show he isn’t afraid to share the raw truth. This again is apparent in both ‘Hollow Point’ and ‘Too Fast’. ‘Hollow Point’ starts with smooth synths then comes in the soft Hip-Hop percussion, perfect for a cool summer’s evening. His raw lyrics are evident as he sings “You feel like summer in the ’60s,” a romanticised era especially – perfect for trying to get an old lover back, claiming “You’re the reason I am sick”. ‘Too Fast’, on the other hand, starts with electronic sounds and vocoder about a relationship moving fast so it won’t last. ‘Your Loss’ has ’90s R&B influences and features up-and-coming singer UMI. This song addresses the end of a relationship, interlinking with ‘Too Fast’ as Yeek proclaims “Things change, I was moving too fast,” echoing the latter track’s chorus.
Lead singer Jesse Rutherford from The Neighbourhood makes an appearance on IDK WHERE in the closing song ‘Fatigued’. This is a beautiful song that features pretty chords and a soft bass, it is completely different to the other songs on the album and sounds more produced. It is one of the best songs on the EP.
IDK WHERE is Yeek talking to a presumed ex/new lover and all the tracks on the EP are about love and loss. Every song takes you on an emotional journey and you discover new aspects about Yeek. All songs interlink creating a more in-depth story, a facet most evident in ‘Your Loss’ as UMI responds to Yeek and echoes aspects and lyrics from other songs on the EP. If you like experimental music you should definitely give Yeek a listen.
IDK WHERE EP is available now via Yeek, Inc.
