Nubiyan Twist bring new their album ‘Find Your Flame’ to Project House

Written by Jess O’Brien, edited by Millie Cain.


Nine-piece band from Leeds, Nubiyan Twist, launched their fourth album, Find Your
Flame
, at Project House on Friday 24th May, as part of the Leeds Jazz Festival 2024.
After having seen their outstanding performance in Sheffield with their previous
album, Freedom Fables (2021), I couldn’t wait to see what they had in store for their
next show.


Nubiyan Twist throw afro-funk, jazz, hip-hop, dancehall and reggae sounds into their
eclectic mix in the new album, featuring the likes of Nile Rodgers and Corto Alto. The
album is introduced with an important message about wasting time with constant
worry, stress, and work. It then moves into a disco sounding tune featuring Nile
Rodgers. The album consists of impressive alto sax solos, uplifting afro-beats and
beautiful harmonies backing all the songs. The album also spans many languages,
including Patois from Aziza Jaye in ‘So Mi Stay’ and Bambara from Mamani Keita in
Slow Breath’. K.O.G also brings his Ghanaian sound to the album with another
collaboration on my personal favourite, ‘Pray For Me Part 2’.


The show opened with an up and coming band, Heritage, from Leeds, who
stormed the stage with so much energy, I can’t wait to hear more of them in the
future. By the time Nubiyan Twist came onto the stage, the venue was completely filled and wrestling with anticipation. They can certainly pull a crowd of all ages, with gigs in Leeds often attracting either a younger or older crowd, but on Friday they proved that their genre-bending music is
for everyone.

The lead vocalist, Aziza Jaye, brought so much fun and intimacy to the
performance, engaging with and enlivening the crowd. There was a clear theme of
gratitude for women throughout the concert, especially during ‘Woman’, as
well as the experience of bringing new life into the world with ‘Carry Me’. The lead
guitarist, Tom Excell, took a moment midway through the gig to outline the message
of his lyrics and the inspiration he took from having his first son two years ago. Not
only did they perform their newest songs, but they also performed some of their most
loved songs from previous years, they have especially rekindled my love for their last
album with their unforgettable performance of ‘If I Know’ (feat. K.O.G).
It’s no surprise that Nubiyan Twist filled the venue in their hometown, and with such
fun, upbeat music, I think their music would be a lot of fun at a festival rather than in an
overcrowded gig space. However, I still left the gig not only with a fresh perspective
of their new album, but also with a newfound enjoyment for their uplifting sound.

It was great to hear the main message that they wanted the audience to take away
was that despite some real challenges for some of the band members over the last
few years, Find Your Flame is about taking that negativity and using music to turn
the bad into good. They have found their flame, and now they are passing the torch
for us all to do the same.


Nubiyan Twist will be touring the UK until the end of August. Don’t miss your
chance to see them this summer!

Leeds Locals Smash New Album: Yard Act’s ‘Where’s My Utopia?’ Review

Written by Jessica O’Brien, Edited by Erin Clark and Millie Cain

After making waves in the UK music scene and impressing their way through the summer
festival season with their phenomenal debut album, The Overload (2022)- Leeds-based post-
punk band, Yard Act’s second wind comes in the form of the highly anticipated Where’s My
Utopia?
(2024). I, like many other assured fans, was suitably eager to hear more after having
loved their previous album. 


The album begins with an ease into the mellow ‘An Illusion’, with the lyrics introducing the
main message of the album, soundtracking reflections on success and being away from
family with dreamy melodies. It soon returns to their upbeat style with ‘We Make Hits’, as
well as ‘Dream Job’, echoing the same high energy as their last album, and reinforcing the
band’s capacity as facilitators of a high-octane gig environment. ‘Down by the Stream’ then
takes the listener in a different direction, incorporating a hip-hop drum beat into the
album’s melting pot. This song captures the experimental nature of the album which largely
differs from their debut – and of which I am definitely a fan. Combining their usual post-
punk genre with hip-hop makes this an album acquired to a variety of tastes, with the
distinct sound of this particular tune merging a certain ‘StereoMCs’ vibe with their classic
spoken-word sound. 


As soon as you think you have their sound fusions nailed down, the next song ‘The
Undertow
’ rolls around, heralding with it an undeniable 90s brit-pop style. The album
evokes the sound of Pulp or Blur, with its familiar British sound and witty references
in the lyrics. However, as a nod to lovers of the band’s debut, ‘Fizzy Fish’ and ‘Petroleum
really returns to their original post-punk sound, with Smith’s spoken-word performance of
the lyrics. The heavy bass line of ‘Petroleum’ and ‘Grifters Grief’ bring a certain funk edge,
while incorporating obvious Ska influences. These two tracks echo the distinct Gorillaz-esque
sound, which can be attributed to Gorillaz very own percussionist and producer Remi Kabaka Jr. who co-produced the album – Gorillaz fans everywhere should be sure to add this to their ‘to-listen’ list.


Blackpool Illuminations’, to me, is the real highlight of this album – if you were to listen to a
singular song from this album, I would urge you to make it this one. Everything about it
makes it stand out from their usual upbeat, humorous songs. Since their debut, Yard Act’s
style has been defined by Smith’s rhymes over the catchy bassline and drumbeats; but
where ‘Blackpool Illuminations’ leads the listener is in an introspective and moving
direction, reflecting on Smith’s childhood memories and watching his young son visit the
same places, and experience similar things that he did as a child. The introspective nature of
the song forced me to think of the cycle of life, and how adults watch their children make
the same mistakes as them until it is their turn to do the same. Capturing the repetitive
nature of human life, Smith’s soft spoken word over the track beautifully resembles a poetry
reading:

“Because I know now I’m never gonna get my utopia
But if I can show you how to cope
And give you scope to grow beyond the moment of each new low
Then I know I don’t need utopia.”

Overall, Where’s my Utopia? marks a huge musical development for Yard Act. The album
explores the success of the band but still leaves frontman, James Smith, searching for his
own ‘utopia’, which underlines that success has not brought him the same happiness that his
family has. The album spans multiple genres, with clear disco and hip-hop influences,
making their album stand out from other post-punk artists and resonate with a wider
audience. 


Yard Act are soon to perform at Millennium Square, Leeds on the 3rd of August 2024.