It was way back in June that we last heard from Yung, when they shared the excellent “Progress”, with the promise of a new album to follow soon after. Well, they’ve taken their time, but now the Danish band have finally revealed that they’ll be releasing their new album, titled Ongoing Dispute, on January 22 through PNKSLM. They’ve also shared a new track called “Above Water”, saying:
“For a long time we referred to this song as ‘The Yo La Tengo Song’. Finishing Above Water helped spark a curiosity towards a less obvious approach to songwriting. Originally, the song had a different ending but our friend and producer Neil R. Young swept in with a slick outro, which concluded the song in a big way. Lyrically, the song is an ode to individuals taking a stand against injustice and structures in society which oppose equality. These people often become the voice and the talisman of movements and generations, something that might come at a personal cost, but nonetheless something that makes way for dialog, discussions and hopefully positive change.”
You can understand why they called it ‘The Yo La Tengo song’, purely because of the way they have so lovingly produced the tones and fuzz of the guitars on “Above Water”, but Yung are much more up-front when it comes to lyrics and opinions, and their direct percussion ensures the message is emphatic. While the new single might not have a chant-along chorus to rile up the crowds, there is a nerviness and itchiness to Yung’s playing that chimes with the angst of the modern generation, which they work under the listener’s skin in blustering style. Amalgamating art-rock, punk poise, and their own daily concerns into one fiery burst, Yung have created an unkempt anthem for our days in “Above Water”.
Yung’s new album Ongoing Dispute comes out January 22 on PNKSLM. Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
