When news first broke that members of Gorillaz and Klaxons were collaborating on a new project, we should have immediately expected big things. But not even we were prepared for the juggernaut that is YOTA.
Otherwise referred to as Youth of The Apocalypse, the six-piece have only one track under their belts thus far… but good god, this thing will kick you in the face.
While the world can often feel like a non-sensical shit-storm of egotistical TV personalities, YOTA’s frustrated message of love is a real breath of fresh air.
The new project first came about when Gorillaz’ member Jeff Wootton and Klaxons’ member Jamie Reynolds found themselves talking at a friend’s birthday party.
Having since been rounded out by Joshua Lazarus, Seye Adelekan (also of Gorillaz), Jay Sharrock and Twiggy Garcia, the group kick out a tasty, genre-defying blend that’s simultaneously groovy and confronting.
“Founded on frustration, punk ethics, a love of hip-hop / rap culture, alternative culture, graffiti and guerrilla tactics, YOTA is a youth movement, a gang, a fresh and immediate art form made of music, words and fashion,” the band say of the new project.
For their debut single Drop The Bomb, YOTA teamed with legendary hip-hop artist MF Doom to deliver a track that marries sunshine-soaked, hook-driven choruses with Doom’s understated vocal grooves.
On the track’s accompanying video clip, director Denholm Hewlett collects violent imagery of the past to craft something that resembles our current global situation.
“It feels like we are currently living in a new era of nuclear uncertainty, a modern day cold war, the anxiety and tensions surrounding global superpowers and their destructive capabilities is on the edge of everyone’s minds,” Hewlett says.
“This video is an anti-war and anti-bomb statement that asks the question – How much death, grief, fear and chaos will it take for us to finally wake up and start focusing on the bigger picture?”
And yes, with possibly the world’s most powerful position currently being occupied by a misogynistic television personality, our globe’s current situation can get real frustrating.
Though Youth of The Apocalypse seem to make sense of it all with their infectious yet challenging music.
Drop The Bomb is the first taste from the band’s debut mixtape, and if this first offering is anything to go by, I think we can safely expect more great things.
“We need real love, support and understanding for one another now more than ever before,” Hewlett continues.
“Time is running out for the human race and maybe we’re already past the point of no return, but we must keep on relentlessly fighting for a positive change and a brighter future as a species until the day that they finally decide to Drop The Bomb….”
Do yourself a favour and watch the video for Drop The Bomb above.
