Already making significant headway in the British neo-soul scene — thanks in no small part to last year's Getting Late EP — Brighton-based pop-minded soul collective Yakul are back with their new single "Streetlight".
The funk-tinged pop melodies and upbeat energy that drew so many fans to Getting Late is still right at the forefront and singer James Berkeley's knack for easy-on-the-ear hooks has only sharpened in the intervening year. The four-piece have cited influences like J.Dilla, D'Angelo and Hiatus Kaiyote in the past and thanks to Tom Caldwell Nichols on bass, Sam Hughes on drums and Leo Utton on guitar, all that comes to life in their funk and jazz-tinged sound.
"'Streetlight' was the first track that we finished when we started writing this new release and we kind of knew that it was the first thing we wanted to put out," Yakul explained. "There's a lot going on in it, but unlike some of the other tracks we've done that are quite busy this one came together really quickly. Sam Barsh did an amazing job on the production and kept the live feel of it, which was really dope too, shouts to him! Lyrically, 'Streetlight' is about one of those proper unhealthy infatuations with someone where you know it's not going to end well but you keep going back. As the song progresses this is realised more and more which causes a higher level of inner conflict, but it's still not enough to break away completely."
"Streetlight" officially drops tomorrow, March 6.
