Yves Tumor — Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) — Album Review
Alternative | Rock | Electronic
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music
Yves Tumor was an artist I discovered shortly before the release of their third album, Safe in the Hands of Love, released in 2018. And honestly, thank goodness I did.
The musical alias of Miami-born artist Sean Bowie was someone that instantly stuck out to me as a true rising star; one that brought a phenomenally unique, colorful, and artistic brand of rock music.
And with each subsequent project I’ve heard, the aesthetic and musical style of Yves Tumor has only seemed to be getting better and more wholefully realised. Following the release of Safe in the Hands of Love, we had the release of Heaven to a Tortured Mind in 2020, yet another cracking album where Yves Tumor’s borderline otherworldly sound was put on full display, against a retro-sounding and highly psychedelic rock backdrop.
We did get one more project from Yves Tumor between then and 2023, that being the five-track EP that was The Asymptotical World, which not only served as the very first EP they put out, but also an exploration into the more rock-focused sound that makes up a good chunk of their music.
That being said, I was certainly excited to see what Yves Tumor would bring with their next studio album, as a lot had seemingly been building up for this moment. With a steady release of teaser tracks between late 2022 and early 2023, the time for a brand new album seemed perfectly ripe.
We finally got the answer we were looking for this Friday just gone, with an album that may boast the most outrageous title I have ever come across. the name of Yves Tumor’s fifth and newest studio album; Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds).
This album boasts a total of 12 songs and a runtime of almost 40 minutes, which in my mind is a perfect balance of being a well-rounded musical experience, whilst not being too over the top, and still being a good listen to complete on a narrow time schedule.
And despite that quality indeed being a good one, it is far from the only one. Hot Between Worlds (yes, I am going to take the easy option when referring to this album henceforth) ramps up the atmospheric qualities of previous albums to an extent that feels greater than ever before. On top of that, the album brings an incredibly versatile range of styles, moods, and energies.
But of course, I was almost expecting this element to be as good as it is. What surprised me more, is that we get to see a much more introspective narrative on Hot Between Worlds. The album weave the story of Yves Tumors feelings towards their rising popularity, and how alienating it can often be. Tracks like “God Is a Circle” and “Parody” are some of the best examples of displaying this, I feel.
All in all, this album has an absolutely gorgeous ambience lacing the whole thing, that makes it feel like the kind of album that truly hits me with that atmospheric nostalgia. There’s the feeling that the artist has found a great sense of resolve with the creation of this highly artistic project. And as a result, me and many others have finally gotten another taste of that kind of album we have wanted to listen to for years.
Favourite Tracks: Meteora Blues | Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood | Operator | Ebony Eye
Warp Records
