The new album from Yumi Zouma, Truth or Consequences, on Polyvinyl, is the band's first since 2017's Willowbank, and it's a generous expansion of the sound of that one. Spry and affecting, the indie-pop here from this New Zealand band continues to charm.
"Lonely After" is catchy synth-pop, as is the far better "Southwark", a glistening bit of business that sounds like it's an old O.M.D. song. Elsewhere, "Cool for a Second" is radio-friendly, and faintly reminiscent of stuff from Aldous Harding, while "Sage" is one of the better down-tempo numbers here.
The vocals of Christie Simpson are the glue that holds this all together. And if the textures on this latest album feel more shiny, there's a distinctiveness here to the approach to this material that elevates it a bit. Sure, there are lots of pieces here that will feel familiar to anyone who listened to Saint Etienne, Nineties-era Everything But The Girl, or Frente!, to cite some easy examples, but there's lots more that feels more modern and current. The mix by Jake Aron gives this whole enterprise a nice sheen, and one that's not entirely dissimilar to stuff from Panda Bear, whom Aron's worked with, or even Wild Nothing.
Truth or Consequences is out today via Polyvinyl Records.
More details on Yumi Zouma via the band's official Facebook page.
[Photo: Polyvinyl]