As a rising force in the UK’s electronic house scene, Vale-Smith’s eclectic new album “Um Yo” showcases the genre’s vibrant history while also pushing its boundaries with unapologetic creativity.
Looking for electronic house that’s fresh, unapologetic, and genuinely creative? Vale-Smith has you covered with his eclectic new album Um Yo. Being the artist’s second release with Maulcat Records, Um Yo is a sprawling, ambitious album that showcases Vale-Smith’s production trickery and unfiltered creativity.
With a generous 73 minutes of pumping sonic energy, “Um Yo” is a work of art that solidifies Vale-Smith’s compositional expertise. “I’ve always wanted to make a sprawling opus album that felt ambitious and grand but I never believed that I had the experience or skill to properly execute that well until now.” Vale-Smith has crafted an album that is both indulgent and deeply personal, an unfiltered representation of the artist’s musical vision.
The album is a departure from Vale-Smith’s first release, Rekindle, which focused on building loops and grooves that stuck. This time around, Um Yo showcases Vale-Smith’s willingness to experiment and explore new sounds and ideas.
Vale-Smith’s approach to the album was to be as selfish as possible, creating music that was rich with diverse textures, rather than employing the ’less-is-more’ approach showcased in previous releases. The result is an album that feels like the artist’s most earnest work yet, playfully dancing between moments of shimmering colour atop a bed of industrial brokenness. This intense juxtaposition is only achieved through an intuitive understanding of balance and space, something Vale-Smith has been able to display with style throughout the album.
An appreciation of structure and pace shines through on Um Yo. The artist was meticulous in their approach to crafting an album that keeps listeners engaged for its entire 73-minute runtime. Vale-Smith’s patience and attention to dynamics are apparent as the album ebbs and flows, creating a journey that feels both epic and intimate. The pacing of the album is deliberate, there is clear restraint at all the right moments to maintain listeners’ interest, as well as generous sonic explosions to ensure a satisfying listening journey. Overall, Vale-Smith’s attention to detail makes Um Yo a masterful work of art that showcases the artist’s growth and skill in creating an immersive musical experience.
Um Yo goes beyond what a listener should expect from an electronic dance album. The ambition and creativity alone are enough to define Vale-Smith as a force to be reckoned with. This, paired with the fact that Um Yo is genuinely fun to listen to is enough to have us excited to see what’s next from the artist.
Get your earholes around Um Yo.
Out now via Maulcat Records.
