Released: 31st May 2019
Rating: ★★★
Yonaka are full-force dark dance rock swagger on their debut, ‘Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow’. Even the album title itself is indicative of the hope they evoke, with lyrics delving deep into subjects like mental health, offering reassurance, guidance, and empowerment.
Formulations are nailed to a science; Yonaka are executing with might stadium-sized rock despite being just at the start of their careers. The songs here are fuelled by a yearning for truth and delivered with confidence and cleverness. Yonaka search for something different – ‘Punch Bag’ is assured, with hip-hop-esque swagger, and ‘The Cure’ toys with noughties R&B elements. ‘Fired Up’ is the album’s best track by far, a pure banger which tells a story through strong verses and epic choruses, both anthemic and melodic.
Though moods shift on this debut – take the softer and angelic yet soaring ‘Guilty’ contrasting to the starry-eyed ‘Rockstar’, which dreams in late night bright lights – ‘Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow’ keeps the same high octane ambience throughout; the band’s untouchable energy will likely succeed in both the mainstream and outside of it.
Jasleen Dhindsa
