_________________________AUDiOPHiLE Presents:______________________________
....aRTiST...: Yin Yin
....aLBUM....: Mount Matsu
....gENRE....: Fusion
....lABEL....: Glitterbeat
....cATNR....: GBCD 147
....lANGUAGE.: English
....yEAR.....: 2024
....sOURCE...: CDDA
....riP.dATE.: 14-02-2026
....sTR.dATE.: 19-01-2024
....uRL......: http://www.discogs.com/release/29729221
....eNCODER..: FLAC 1.3.1
....SeTTiNG. : compression-level-8
....qUALiTY..: 781 kbps Avg 44.1kHz / 2 channels
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01 The Year Of The Rabbit 3:59
02 Takahashi Timing 5:27
03 Pia Dance 5:10
04 Tam Tam 2:26
05 The Perseverance Of Sano 3:05
06 Komori Uta 2:32
07 The Year Of The Tiger 3:54
08 Tokyo Disko 4:50
09 Shiatsu for Dinner 5:39
10 White Storm 5:19
11 Ascending To Matsu's Height 2:35
tOTAL siZE.: 11 Files/271.8MB/44:56 min
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YIN YIN, the highly touted Dutch quartet from Maastricht, returns with a
sonically expansive third album Mount Matsu. Recorded collectively in their
own studio in the Belgian countryside, the album is a kaleidoscope of sounds
and influences, occupying a no man's land between Khruangbin and Kraftwerk,
surf music and Southeast Asian psychedelia, Stax soul and mutant 80s disco,
City pop and Japanese instrumental folk (sokyoku).
Mount Matsu sees YIN YIN at their most mature and adventurous stage yet.
Infectious pentatonic melodicism calling for multiple rewinds.
After capturing widespread attention with their beloved debut album The
Rabbit That Hunts Tigers (2019) and its acclaimed follow-up The Age Of
Aquarius (2022), the Dutch quartet YIN YIN returns with their third LP Mount
Matsu, and an expansive new sonic direction. While their earlier releases
were a result of the chemistry between its founding members, drummer Kees
Berkers and multi-instrumentalist Yves Lennertz (who recently left the band),
the group's lineup change has brought forward a more democratic creative
mode. Members Remy Scheren (bass), Robbert Verwijlen (keys) and Erik Bandt
(guitar) from the onset joined Berkers in the songwriting process, making the
music on Mount Matsu much more than a sum of its kaleidoscopic influences.
"Art and ideas are personal and precious and the process of doing this truly
together has been about more than just making an album. It was also a study
of how collectives work," notes Scheren, YIN YIN's bass player since day one.
"It's sometimes hard seeing your own artistic ideas challenged as a member of
a group, but we're very proud of the result. When you truly co-create,
literally every sound on a record has been tested through and through,"
keyboardist Verwijlen adds. The process of creation, which took place in
their studio in Belgium, felt like a long but satisfying ascent, hence the
title Mount Matsu. The mountain itself is fictional but in Japanese matsu
means pine tree and is (among other things) a symbol for rebirth and hope for
the future.
Their mostly instrumental songs, still deeply rooted in the Southeast
psychedelia Asian and funk from the 60?s and 70s, are occasionally
embellished with hushed vocal harmonies, adding even more depth to their
soulful expression. "We've decided to only sparsely use vocals, which leaves
plenty of room for the listener's imagination. You can really let your
fantasy run wild as you listen and dance to it," says drummer Berkers. And
while off-kilter disco tunes with a trans-local character, neo-Thai psych
funk jams and folk-styled soul ballads remain central to their sonic
identity, the influx of fresh ideas results in an even more eclectic and
effervescent sound image.
There are moments where the Dutch quartet flirts heavily with the dancefloor.
Idiosyncratic nu-disco songs like 'Takahashi Timing', 'Pia Dance' and 'Tokyo
Disko' conjure a welcoming hands-in-the-air vibe worthy of any digger's vinyl
crate. In the song 'The Perseverance of Sano', the worlds of Dick Dale and
Wong shadow collide, creating a powerful neo-surf rock anthem worthy of a
Tarantino soundtrack. The band's essence remains unspoilt, though,
particularly in 'The Year of the Rabbit', a signature moody YIN YIN tune that
harkens back to their debut album, and the laid-back jam 'Tam Tam', a perfect
backdrop to your morning coffee rituals. There's also the trademark tune
'White Storm', boasting a spiralling 6/8 Afrobeat groove, floaty synth motifs
and shimmering guitar licks.
Elsewhere, they rely on more dulcet tones. The erotic lullaby 'Komori Uta',
with its shiver-inducing Birkin-esque female whispers, and 'Shiatsu for
Dinner', with its tear-jerking guitar melodies and softly sung verses, tug at
your heartstrings. Their knack for melodious psychedelia comes to the fore in
the chaotic dreamlike bass-guitar dialogue of 'The Year of The Tiger', while
closer 'Ascending to Matsu's Height' comes across as a heartfelt tribute to
the traditional sounds of the guzheng (Chinese harp).
Mount Matsu marks a step back from the occasionally more Moroder-esque,
rhythm-machine and synth-heavy production style of their second album towards
a more organic, 70s live band aesthetic. This is encapsulated in the analogue
warmth of their valve amp guitar sounds, vintage synth lines and acoustic
percussion timbres, evoking the buzz of being in the rehearsal space with the
band. "It was a real adventure trying to capture the new 'YIN YIN' sound,"
notes guitarist Bandt, and that sense of discovery is keenly felt in the
compelling music the band created.
Occupying a no man's land between Khruangbin and Kraftwerk, Stax soul and
mutant 80s disco, City pop and Japanese instrumental folk (sokyoku), Mount
Matsu sees YIN YIN at their most mature and adventurous stage yet. Infectious
pentatonic melodicism calling for multiple rewinds!
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new nfo comimg soon