This latest offering from the good folks at Sad Yeti Society gives a whole new to meaning to Drum and Bass. The Auckland duo have a monstrous sound that hits harder than a wrecking ball made entirely of Muhammad Ali’s un-gloved fists!
The four-track EP titled Your Music Sucks starts with the inspired Song 2. A lo-fi bass line leads the charge into the main event of riff based mayhem. This opening track showcases much of Sad Yeti Society’s blend of grit, melody and seriously impressive riff writing abilities.
While their sound is beautifully heavy, they still manage to keep a real sense of groove that allows the music to breathe and flow. The riffs feed off one another and roll from complex rhythms to hard hitting breakdowns.
The second track Song 5 is half riffage and half jam groove. A highlight is the funky breakdown where things get a little more stripped back before turning up the dial with a nicely placed tempo change. It can sometimes be a tough job to make instrumental music that is engaging all the way through, but Sad Yeti Society are masters at keeping the listener on their toes and maintaining real interest, never overdoing one particular riff or section. Both the drums and bass expertly translate the exciting changes in tempo and rhythm, keeping steadfast flow all the while.
Next up, Song 1 further showcases the groove laden mayhem of this raucous rhythm section. Will Kearney’s lead bass playing stands testament to the awesome range that is so commonly overlooked on the instrument. He exploits every sound available to him to fantastic effect, the grunt of the low end simply can’t be beaten as a vehicle for his powerful gut-punch grooves.
Aycan Firatli’s drums bounce with tight beats, commanding dense patterns with complete control. He walks the tightrope between all out heaviness and head-nodding rhythm, all the while keeping a very human feel that really connects the listener to the pulse of the music.
Finally, Song 4 wraps up the EP with a slightly softer, more reflective sound. The solo, reverb drenched bass opens up proceedings before being joined by the beat and the main riff. It’s a perfect rounder upper and displays something genuinely different from the rest of the tracks on the EP.
The main thing that comes across in Your Music Sucks, aside from the tightness of connection between the two musicians, is the sense of energy and fun that the band have. In the title of the EP and the song titles (that mess with your iTunes track ordering) there is a kind of irreverence that is backed up by serious musicianship.
Sad Yeti Society are their own band with their own sound, but they conjure up a similar feel to the likes of Black Sabbath, Rage Against The Machine, Hawkwind or Tool. Your Music Sucks is a well-made and intensely musical EP from a band that is inventive and genuine.
Hailing from the sunny foothills of Sandringham comes Auckland's newest contribution to hard hitting rock'n'roll. Consisting of monstrous beats reminiscent of the mighty Yeti beating his chest in the wilderness driven by the Turkish rhythm master himself Aycan Firatli. Played in unison with thundering bass tones, slapped, hammered and strummed by bassoligist Will Kearney. Sad Yeti Society could be described as a sirens song in a thunderstorm.