Yak, a three-piece band from London, are sure to be big this year and are well on their way to achieving their inevitable success; they’re already signed up to support The Strokes in their Hyde Park gig in June, as well as supporting Superfood and Peace later on in the year. Their first song, ‘Plastic People’, which was released late last year, set the tone for their sound: heavy guitars with ambiguous, psychedelic vocals.
Last week, their first full EP was released, featuring ‘Hungry Heart’ and the Karen Dalton cover ‘Something On My Mind’. ‘Hungry Heart’ is a retro, anthemic track. The verses consist of heavy drums with distant-sounding vocals, before the eruption of the chorus and its yeah yeah yeah’s. Not to mention that lead singer Oli Burslem exudes Mick Jagger in both looks and vocals. The typical indie rock standard is broken up throughout with psychedelic vibes, creating a unique sound, which can also be seen in their cover of ‘Something On My Mind’, transforming the track from Dalton’s original.
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Yak are on tour in April and May with support from The Moon, and will be playing at The Great Escape and Secret Garden Party.
Words by Daisy Lester