By Sal Wilcox
2017 was a massive year for Brighton based four-piece YONAKA. They’ve transitioned from a promising young group to being one of the most noteworthy bands in the UK alternative rock scene.
YONAKA have established themselves as prolific, dedicated musicians, playing twenty-four live shows and releasing their Herculean five track EP ‘Heavy’ over the last two months of 2017.
The NME cover stars kicked off this year by supporting The Cribs in Cambridge, Southampton and Reading and earlier this month they played a sold-out headline show in their hometown.
Fronted by the enigmatic Theresa Jarvis, their sound is fuelled by snarling vocals, menacing guitar riffs and brooding bass lines. A real cocktail of all things deliciously dark.
Their music is akin to the likes of PINS, Estrons and Black Honey. There’s a gorgeously ferocious edge to them, but this aggression isn’t abrasive and still allows room for some catchy, feel-good anthems, like their track ‘Bubble Gum’.
The narratives and creativity behind the lyrics are heightened when Jarvis adopts a softer, more vulnerable tone – as seen in their track ‘Ignorance’. The track received rapturous praise from BBC 1’s Phil Taggart and DIY magazine, cementing them as real contenders for the upcoming year.
They’ve already got two gigs in the diary for February 2018, playing The Hexagon in Reading on Saturday 10th and London’s The Garage on Wednesday 28th.
Festival-wise, they’ve earned slots at ‘Are You Listening’, ‘Bilbao BBK Live’, and the group will also be supporting The Amazons on the second half of their February tour.
So, in short: screw the sugary sweet stuff, YONAKA are most definitely the best type of Brighton Rock.
