Yoke Lore is about to hit our shores with his distinctive indie folk stylings, promising an unforgettable musical experience.
Yoke Lore, LA’s indie folk sweetheart, recently dropped his latest single “Hallucinate,” offering a glimpse of his forthcoming debut album, “Toward A Never Ending New Beginning,” slated for release on September 22.
We caught up with a very chill Yoke Lore aka Adrian Galvin in the midst of his North American tour, to talk about his roots in NYC’s DIY scene to the lush musical landscape of LA.
His upcoming album, influenced by the Taoist oracle, I Ching, promises to be a steady guide through life’s unpredictable twists and turns.
Yoke Lore gave us a peek into his tour routine. It’s a mix of grounding activities. Mornings start with yoga and a hearty meal, setting the tone for the day. VIP meet and greets add a personal touch to fan interactions. Then maybe some ‘Magic The Gathering’ for a couple hours until he plays the show. Later? A relaxed evening unfolds with a casual joint and a round of Wii golf before winding down for the night.
Join Yoke Lore on his inaugural Australian tour this October, as he brings his Holy Havoc Tour to the East Coast. Get ready for an intimate, transformative experience with this indie folk luminary.
Happy: What are you up to today?
Yoke Lore: On tour! Driving to Colorado for a show in Denver. We’re a little over halfway through 6 week run of North America
Happy: Tell us about where you are from? What’s the scene like in your neck of the woods?
Yoke Lore: I grew up on the upper west side of NYC. Loved hardcore growing up. The DIY scene in NY/Brooklyn was where I first got into music.
Now I live in LA and the music scene there is lush and verdant despite it being a desert.
Happy: Describe an average day?
Yoke Lore: On tour I wake up in a city, I find somewhere to get some food and tea. I do yoga or take a run. We load into a venue, sound check, then I usually have an interview or a VIP meet and greet, then I try to eat some food and relax, maybe some ‘Magic The Gathering’ for a couple hours until we play the show.
Then I smoke a joint. Then we usually play Wii golf before going to bed on the bus.
Happy: What did you listen to growing up that fuelled your passion for music?
Yoke Lore: Everything! My parents loved musical theater. So I grew up on the theatricality of music. Its sensuality and its drama. Even though I had phases of listening to rap, hardcore, bluegrass, classic rock, anti-bellum folk, gamelan, country, I think it was musical theater that played a big part in what I saw as the available power of music.
Happy: Your debut album, Toward A Never Ending New Beginning, is set for release soon. Is there a certain level of trepidation that comes with making your ‘debut’?
Yoke Lore: Hell yeah I’m fucking terrified! But excited too.
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Happy: Toward A Never Ending New Beginning sees you detail your experience with personal growth and discovery. Can you elaborate on the themes and topics you cover in the album?
Yoke Lore: Sure! I often throw a Taoist oracle called the I Ching which means book of change. The Taoists believe that all life is flux and at any given moment you are constantly going through some transition. I want this album to be my little book of change. I want it to be an orientation tool for people to use to locate themselves in periods of flux. I want it to be a solid point of purchase amidst the slippery rock wall of life ha.
Happy: You often receive well-deserved praise for your songwriting and ability to describe unspoken complexities. Can you explain your writing process and how ideas are formed?
Yoke Lore: I wish I could! I read a lot. I’ve read about every sacred text I could get my hands on. I read poetry and science fiction and history books. I think most of my ideas come from the education I’ve given myself through fiction and poetry. I also had therapist parents. The way they taught me to talk about the self and the unconscious and meaning and connection has always informed how I think about myself and the world.
Happy: The album is also sonically diverse, tracing elements of pop, folk and indie. Do you see genre as a restrictive or inspiring force? Perhaps a bit of both?
Yoke Lore: Eh. I don’t know. I kinda just write and it comes out how it comes out. I’ve never really considered what genre of music I wanted to make.
Happy: What do you hope audiences walk away with after listening to Toward A Never Ending New Beginning?
Yoke Lore: I want it to be a challenge. I want listeners to be goaded toward a more introspective life. I want them to start having ideas about themselves that they wouldn’t have had before. I want them to be able to articulate their own feelings with more accuracy and honesty.
Happy: You’ve described your single Hallucinate as a portrait of love as a “way of seeing the world.” Can you elaborate a little on what this means, and how it inspired the single?
Yoke Lore: Yeah, love is a way of being. It’s a state. But like a hallucination you can get lost in it and lose your sense of self. I’m not so sure the Buddhists would agree but I think it’s worth retaining a bit of our egos. Ego death is great and all but sometimes I worry about the collateral damage.
Happy: You have a background in dancing. Are there any surprising ways that this experience bleeds into your music?
Yoke Lore: Yeah, it’s all one thing! Dance is pure sensation. Music is pure expression. They are primal reflections of one another. You can’t have one without the other. Music is movement and movement is life. The rush of it all!
Happy: Your visit to Australia marks your first time touring the country. What are your expectations of Australian crowds? Any shoeys on your agenda?
Yoke Lore: What is a shoey??? And I really have no idea what it’s going to be like! I’ve never been to Australia, I’m just excited to be in a new place. I’ve had some really loyal Australian fans for a long time so I’m really happy to be able to give them the real thing
Happy: What makes you happy?
Yoke Lore: Making.
YOKE LORE’S DEBUT ALBUM Toward A Never Ending New Beginning IS OUT SEPTEMBER 22 through Thirty Tigers/Cooking Vinyl Australia.
TOUR DATES:
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 4
The Brightside, QLD | TICKETS
THURSDAY OCTOBER 5
The Great Club, Marrickville NSW | TICKETS
FRIDAY OCTOBER 6
The Lansdowne, Sydney NSW | TICKETS
SATURDAY OCTOBER 7
Gasometer Hotel, VIC | TICKETS
SUNDAY OCTOBER 8
Shotkickers, VIC | TICKETS
