As if we needed another excuse to hurl praise at Ishmael Butler, the Shabazz Palaces / Digable Planets frontman has been quietly working as an A&R for Sub Pop, and now we have him to thank for giving a platform to 27-year-old Yuno Moodie. Moodie’s been doing his thing for a minute now, quietly trickling out his summery indie pop and shoegaze experiments on Bandcamp and Soundcloud, and the semi-self-titled Moodie is his official debut mini-album released by the Seattle indie powerhouse. Yuno manages to accomplish quite a bit in just six songs; he defies both geography and nationality singing in a voice that sounds interchangeably English, American and Australian, with obscure passages recited in patois (his parents are Jamaican-British; wonder if he’s related to Lloyd or Harry Mudie?), and a certain summery vibe that can only have come from someone living in close proximity to a beach (Jacksonville, FL to be precise). It’s impossible not to be moved by his soaring voice: part Miguel, part Kevin Parker, part Panda Bear. Safe to say if you like any of the aforementioned artists, you’ll love this. It’s all tracked and recorded in Yuno’s bedroom, and sports a raw vulnerability despite sounding humongous. Head straight for “Why For” and “So Slow” for a taste, but stick around for the full suite. Sub Pop Loser Edition pink vinyl pressing with download code, recommended.

• Sub Pop Loser edition
• pink colored vinyl
• digital download included
• limited edition
• music label: Sub Pop 2018

reviewed by YUNOREVIEW 07/2018