Prom Nite

Description

Dressed in a powder blue suit with the frilly shirt to match, DJ Yoda invites you to be his +1 for Prom Nite, his new album promising retro Americana full of daydreaming reverie, international megastar guests, trip hop acknowledging the likes of Morcheeba and Nightmares on Wax, and the turntable extraordinaires bread and butter of cuts, beats and rhymes.

Certainly no stranger to retro sounds having famously peppered his DJ and AV sets with the unexpected the world over, and his How to Cut n Paste mix series going all the way back to the 30s, Yodas harp-laden puppy love vibe spreads from the sweet and mellow sound of 2019s Home Cooking, an album described as boundary-breaking by Mojo upon slotting nicely into the UKs blooming jazz canon. Think deliciously harmonised doo-wop murmuring Goodnight Sweetheart with an eye for dreamboats en route to Makeout Point on My Energy, Eva Lazarus takes the form of an earth angel, with Yoda on jukebox cut-ups, taking it back to starry-eyed, clean cut days of wonder (or more recently, Little Mixs Love Me Like You).

Beginning enigmatically with the assistance of Hollywood A-lister (and former next-door neighbour) Lily James, Breathe demonstrate Yodas continued evolution as a musician (not to mention shrewd decision maker), with James vocal confidence a little Lana del Rey to her breathiness returning on the velvet-smooth Airplane Mode. Its a smartly executed soundclash accentuated by LA rapper Choosey, the star of the albums straightest hip-hop shooter Harder I Rock. Homeboy Sandman adds some kick to the prom punch with typical wordplay sent down Coconut Grove, and Liam Bailey is perfectly cast for the darkly cinematic sway of Dont Even Try It.

On an album of many talking points, the LPs crowning glory is opening single Feel Like Home: featuring the vocal comforts of the House Gospel Choir, its your goto pick-me-up when the chips are down, targeting the hairs on the backs of necks like a softer focus version of Jamie xxs Loud Places. Extended into an alternative, equally uplifting form by Beardymans Dont Mean Thing, summer festival season already has its homecoming anthem.

With tongues wagging, the twists and turns step away from Heartbreak Ridge when O Love tucks into the mouthwatering shopping list funk of Way Home; and Lesson 1956, featuring Jamie Cullum and DJ Woody, jauntily pays homage to classic Cut Chemist alchemy, Yodas celebrated turntable tomfoolery back in full effect and extending the flavours found in Home Cooking.

Again maximising the experience and enjoyment gained from recording live instruments and prioritising songs over beats, Yoda continues to progress with a mixture of risk-taking, elite musicianship, nostalgia brought bang up to date, and ultimately, good clean fun capable of stirring your soul, making Prom Nite a date to remember.

Magpie artwork supplied by Londons ENDLESS, whose signature style has tagged Liberty and Lagerfeld as but two high profile clients, Yoda again maximises the experience and enjoyment gained from recording live instruments and prioritising songs over beats. His continued progress mixes risk-taking, elite musicianship, nostalgia brought bang up to date, and ultimately, good clean fun capable of stirring your soul, making Prom Nite a date to remember.