YAMA UBA

[Yama Uba's album] Silhouettes is a neon shockwave. Channeling the eternal flame into a cacophony of gritty, industrial beats, and resounding bass grooves, this duo of Akiko Sampson and Winter Zora cut fluorescent goth hymnals out of sonic glass. Venom-laced vocal incantations spiral into ageless melodies, melting away the cold embrace of Zora’s skeletal guitar magic and snaking saxophone motifs. All of it is fueled by an infectious rhythmic energy propelling coarse synth arrangements into gauzy, ethereal dust shaded by reverb gloss. And when those horn arrangements slink back into frame, a doomed romance waves the white flag so these songs can finally cut us to pieces. Silhouettes is an enthralling album that won’t let go of our throats until the final note. – Foxy Digitalis