Yonaka have quietly gone about their business over the last few years building up a vast and loyal fanbase. They have been on this journey since they burst onto on the scene with the release of their first EP in 2017.
The band’s latest single ‘PANIC’ is a stomper with both an anthemic chorus and middle eight. There is nothing complicated on this track. It’s just performed and produced well, meaty guitar lines with solid piano chords – the song is an eclectic mix of Republica vibes, with hints of early Jamie T, with the male backing vocal lines reminiscent of Linkin Park. It would be no surprise if some listeners draw mild comparisons with GAYLE’s recent ‘ABCDEFU’ hit from last year.
Theresa Jarvis’s lead vocals are unique. She sounds in pain but in a good way. Jarvis sounds like nobody else – a totally unique tone and pitch to her voice.
Yonaka deserve praise for bringing mental health to the fore as the subject matter for ‘PANIC’. It’s a positive song as it addresses the feelings around panic attacks. As Jarvis states, ‘PANIC is a song about having a panic attack and how the body gets taken over by this other entity. I’ve got the angel and the devil on my shoulder constantly arguing about which road I should go down, and how mental health carries a weight so heavy that it is hard to feel affected by outside dangers’.
It’s been over three years since Yonaka released their debut LP ‘Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow’. ‘PANIC’ has indeed set the tone for their second album. Also, by the sounds of it they are not heading down that ‘second album syndrome’ rabbit hole anytime soon. ‘PANIC’ will leave fans of the band desperately waiting for long player number two.
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