by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Just when you were wondering if there would be any hot jams for the summer to get down to, Philadelphia's Yeah, Baby are ready to release Killer Instinct, the duo's infectious minimalist post-punk meets new-wave pop bliss. Similar to the futuristic sounds of Water From Your Eyes and the experimental synth pop of Nicey Music's catalog, Rachie (also of recent favorite Sieve) and Luke make simple and catchy songs that feel otherworldly, an image of life on our planet from the outer depths of the galaxy. The duo are having a great time in the process, blending together electronic beats and warm synths with radiant vocals and relatable lyrics that drift toward whimsical. Inspired by The Bee Gees and SZA, Yeah, Baby are exploring dance music like the great frontier it could be.
Tracks like "Mj Horns" sound like devolved elevator jazz, slowly dismantled and brought into its own with a slow jam sensibility and enough creeping atmosphere to create tension in pop shimmer. "I See You," an album highlight, and "Find Me Out" both ooze to life, focused on their craft, reveling in their simplicity with inescapable vocal melodies and trickling synths that burst and secede in quick bursts of unfiltered joy. Rachie and Luke's voices and twee melodic senses adding the human element to their programmed grooves and mechanical compositions. The band's warped sensibilities are highlighted on "Flowers" and "Church Girl," two songs that pull in different directions, both into Yeah, Baby's unmistakable lo-fi dance vortex.