YONAKA - Until You’re Satisfied

It’s almost unbelievable to think that it’s been seven years since YONAKA released their debut album, considering the Brighton trio have shared two EPs and a mixtape in the time since. But on this second full-length, the band appear to be making a much more definitive statement. A record that - according to vocalist Theresa Jarvis - delves into matters of the heart in all their gory glory (or “the dirty bits and the harsh bits”), ‘Until You’re Satisfied’ picks up where the grand ambitions of their debut left off, but this time, manages to make a return to the attitude and intrigue of their earlier works. Granted, there are still humongous, widescreen rock moments: take the stadium-sized ‘Eat You Alive’, or ‘Miss Millennial’, which bears the bite of Alanis Morissette’s ‘You Oughta Know’, set against a nu-metal-ish backdrop. And yet, it’s an album that twists and turns in unexpected directions, moving from the serene, orchestral feel of ‘Intro’ through to the brooding ‘Problems’, via the swaggering ‘Trouble’ and the gnarly scuzz of ‘Hit Me When I’m Sore’. Theresa’s vocals are equally surprising, with the frontwoman meandering through styles to dizzying effect. What previously might’ve felt confused, instead now feels zealous, proving the trio to be a band who want to continue pushing the boundaries of their genre’s confines.