Recommended Tracks: “Drag,” “Phoebe’s Song,” “Chicago 2am”
Artists You Might Like: Wet Leg, Cafuné, The Last Dinner Party
The word on the street is 2026 is the new 2016. Think of the trends, the fashion, the pop culture moments…and the music. In 2016, Yumi Zouma released their debut album, Yoncalla. Since then, the band has released music in the realm of shoegaze, synth-pop, and dream-pop—a sound that had a strong hold on music and artists in 2016 and beyond. But as the band approaches the ten-year anniversary of their debut album, they also celebrate the beauty of evolution. On their fifth studio album, No Love Lost to Kindness, Yumi Zouma lean into a heavier, more exposed sound. The result is a project full of emotion, storytelling, and feeling—a project that is Yumi Zouma’s most honest yet.
It’s crazy how much emotion we all hold. Have you ever felt two different ways about something? You can be mad at a person but still love them. You can enjoy the work you do but hate your job. Across No Love Lost to Kindness, Yumi Zouma tap into these conflicting emotions. On the opening track “Cross My Heart and Hope to Die,” for instance, they vent. They explode. From politics to existential dread, the song dives into many topics that could incite rage and cynicism while introducing fans to the darker and heavier sound of the album.
Songs like “Drag” and “Blister” feed into this vibe, with layers of grungy guitars and distortion on the former and compressed drum beats and youthful indie-rock melodies on the latter. Lyrically, “Drag” follows frontwoman Christie Simpson on her journey toward self-discovery after being diagnosed with ADHD. She sings, “I was never a good kid / Had to sit on my hands, stay still…” and “And then I was a good girl / I kept to myself, daydream, big smile…” It’s a lot to balance, but when we get to the choruses, the mood opens up and the track takes on a sunny quality, as if a breakthrough has been reached. We also get contrasting lyrics on “Blister,” as lines like, “I love you but I hate you” and “Give me a blister / Damn it, I miss you” bleed out. And of course, there’s “Chicago 2am,” a dreamy yet jazzy song full of wonder. Christie asks, “Is it possible to be in love and be heartbroken at the same time?” and “Is it possible to long for love when your heart’s taken?” These questions don’t really have answers, but whether they come to us as we are awake or asleep, they still need to be entertained.
We are probably faced with the most questions in matters of the heart. Relationships. Love. Loss. Breakups. There’s “Phoebe’s Song,” which band member Josh Burgess wrote for his partner. It’s a love song, which is rare for the band. The soft, lush guitar lines and poppy drum fills add a touch of nostalgia to the song, and they go well with lines like, “I’m better now that you’re in my life.” Elsewhere, tracks like “Judgement Day” and “Did You See Her?” get into loss and unresolved feelings. They’re declarative and dramatic, as if written for those moments in movies when the main character realizes what they’ve done and needs to figure out where to go, how to make things right. A plot twist then occurs on “Every False Embrace,” as Christie sings, “There’s nothing I can say / You know I couldn’t stay” and “So I guess that’s how we’ll play it / I’ll lay back down and take it.” Guided by twangy guitar riffs, she reflects on a falling out, all the while wondering if she’s happier now. It leads up to “Waiting for the Cards to Fall,” which brings out shades of vulnerability and that empty feeling we get when we wait too long. But in the end, Christie is “leaving you, no matter what,” dropping the cards herself.
Meanwhile, Yumi Zouma speak to some of their experiences of being in a long-distance band. On “Bashville on the Sugar,” The New York City subway is the focus. The band usually is on the go, with public transportation coming in handy. While taking the subway is convenient, it can have its moments. Over the fast-paced riffs and cutting through the track’s restless energy, Christie sings, “You make me smile, but you make me weak,” capturing that love-hate relationship. When the band is spread so far to the point where local subways and trains can’t even cover the distance, it seems as if they’re on different planets. This comes across on “Cowboy Without a Clue,” a vibey indie-rock track filled with longing. We hear lines like, “If I was on Pluto / Baby, I’d hope you call” and questions like, “Do you still read my letters / Baby, are they getting through?” capturing the miles in between. And with “95,” we turn more inward, to the feeling of traveling, performing, and living out a dream. The vocals are more exposed here, as Christie sings, “The lights come up and all the people cheer my name / I just feel empty and want to go home.” It’s natural to wonder if your reality needs to change, and this track encapsulates such a sensitive, tender situation.
All in all, No Love Lost to Kindness is a departure from the dream-pop that Yumi Zouma fans know. There’s a mix of grunge, indie-rock, alternative-rock, stadium rock… The band pushes boundaries and leans into that heavier, darker realm, reintroducing fans to a more cathartic and emotional sound. Still, there are moments on the album that recall the soft and shimmery style that shines on Yumi Zouma’s previous albums and songs. With No Love Lost to Kindness, you can be lost on a planet far away, a spiteful citizen, a smitten lover—whatever the mood calls for that day—and know that it’s okay to feel all these ways at once.
You can listen to No Love Lost to Kindness here.
In March, Yumi Zouma head out on their ‘No Love Lost to Kindness’ tour. The EU and U.K. leg starts in Paris on March 4 and ends in Dublin on March 27. After that, the band takes on their North American leg, which begins in Washington, D.C. on April 30 and ends in San Diego on May 20. You can find tickets and more information here.
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