Five-piece post-punk outfit Yassassin are a bundle of riffs, attitude and riot grrrl posturing. They are amped in a circling kinetic mass of colour and chaos and have arrived with a shouty message of self-empowerment and joie de vivre. They have unleashed “Social Politics”.
Consisting of Anna Haara Kristoferson on Vocals and melodica; Joanna Curwood and Moa Papillon on guitar and vocals; Raissa Pardini on bass and vocals; Ruth Nitkiewicz on drums, they produce a racket. A riotous racket that grabs you by the lapels and pretty much shakes you into listening. Having enjoyed successful stints in other bands including The History of Apple Pie and LUST, Yassassin belt out melodic, jangly indie rock that is packed full of British sensibilities; humour, irreverence and charm.
They may be on message but that message is certainly one of not taking themselves too seriously which makes this track all the more engaging. Yassassin isn’t just a band but an ideology:
“Social Politics is about standing up to the bullies, both in personal life and in today’s society. It’s about not always fitting the norm but daring to go your own way. It’s about rebelling against the ‘zombie scene,’ which could be either a social clique where only certain people are accepted, or a society where racism is becoming more glaringly visible.”
Okay, I can get on board with that. Have fun, be yourself and don’t let negativity derail you. The video reflects this ethos and is a quick-cut, technicolour odyssey of a night out on the town and includes lots of hair flicking and bouncing (to signify freedom and yoofulness no doubt). It’s all very infectious and it’s near-impossible not to be swept up in the sheer exuberance of it all.
So as the UK enters another period of austerity and recession, Yassassin provide a lightning bolt of colour and hope into the greying countryside of 2016.
After just stepping out of the studio with producer Dave Allen (The Cure, Neneh Cherry, Depeche Mode), the band are set to release their debut EP later in the year.
Yassassin on the web:
