Fans of Wolf Alice, Smashing Pumpkins and Tame Impala should get onto this one now. GIG SOUP
It's dark, but still somewhat upbeat. INDIE SHUFFLE…

Koyo Return With sophomore album ‘You Said It’ released on 26th June 2020. “We were attracted to the ambiguity of the phrase,” explains frontman Huw Edwards. “Originally it was inspired by the notion that once something has been said between two people, once certain boundaries have been crossed, it can sometimes be impossible to move on. You can try to backtrack, but trust is already undermined and relationships damaged. Or maybe a truth was spoken and ‘You Said It’ represents a kind of catchphrase - a final coming-to-terms with the fact that a relationship has become un-saveable.” Relationship breakdown and loss are themes that thread their way through this album, as is an overall sense of coming-of-age. From the straight-up no nonsense statement of intent of album opener ‘Same Mistake Twice’, to the triumphant driving rock of ‘Surrounded’ - which deals with the theme of needing to get away after a breakup - to the claustrophobic ‘Out of Control’.

According to the band, the various faces in the album artwork, “represent the many facets of someone’s personality; the underlying layers beneath the visible surface that can become disorientating and untrustworthy,” as explored on ‘Circles’ and ‘Ostracised’. “Like walking through a hall of mirrors and being unable to distinguish between truth and illusion.” Following the instrumental “palette cleanser” ‘Murmur’, ‘Confused’ returns to the band’s more traditional prog sound, with an epic chorus. By far the darkest track on the album both sonically and lyrically is ‘Obelisk’, which deals with a different sort of break up, this time observing that of cult etiquette. ‘Rolling in my Head’ was written, “right in the middle of the grieving stage of a break up,” Huw says. “Hopefully there’s a rawness there that people can relate to.” Album closer ‘Against All Odds’ is an epic, energetic 8-minute wig-out. Formed in Leeds in 2015, KOYO have fast become a major force in the city’s thriving alternative scene. A powerful live act, the band create sonic spectacles through soaring layers of sound. This electric show has blown away audiences at Reading & Leeds, Download, Ramblin’ Man, Live At Leeds and Camden Rocks Festivals. 

TRACK LISTING

1. Same Mistake Twice
2. Circles
3. Ostracised
4. You Said It
5. Surrounded
6. Out Of Control
7. Murmur
8. Confused
9. Obelisk
10. Rolling In My Head
11. Against All Odds

Nature’s vivid changing colours are the inspiration behind the Japanese name of Mik and Rich Hanscomb’s fourth album. 'My penfriend’s niece was born shortly after we’d recorded. They called her Koyo which also means 'gentle sunlight'. We felt the word perfectly sums up our new music' explains Rich.

Made entirely in the brothers’ adopted home of Brighton and Hove, Mik and Rich utilized a pool of locally sourced talent to help shape "Koyo". Various members of the Willkommen Collective as well as other musicians suffused proceedings with their individuality. Listen out for Japanese artist, Cima Cima, on Present as well as one Elizabeth Walling a.k.a. Gazelle Twin, who coos over the third-eye dilating psychedelia of Dr Rendezvous in a most striking way. Lo-fidelity, pastoral whimsy and warmth are typical traits of Junkboy’s sound as exemplified by "Stendhal Syndrome" and opener, "Firth", the latter written one snow bound day whilst the brothers soaked up John Cameron’s Kes OST. The surreptitious but inevitable changes in nature’s palette are also reflected in the evolution of Junkboy’s sound. "Koyo" represents a shift to a more song based approach in their music.

'We love instrumental, kosmische music - "Tones X" was a blast to record! - but we also wanted to compose in a traditional sense that reflects our passion for British folk and Laurel Canyon coke blizzard acoustica' says Mik. "On the Shore", "Function Of The Sun" and "Pieces In The Sky" et al communicate this desire with lush instrumentation and choral vocalistions. "Friends (Part 2)" is a homage to disciples of Brian Wilson who were creatively hustling on the Strip in mid 60s L.A. and were neatly collected on the last Nuggets compilation.

'Working with our right hand man, Ryan Oliver, we wrote some downbeat lyrics to add a sunlight dampening English quality' continues Mik, melancholy to the end. Mik and Rich were also inspired by the contemporary psychedelic budget pop of Gary War and Sore Eros, most noticeable on the tape saturated rush of "Home", an ode to leaving one life behind to start afresh. "Koyo" is the boys’ most beautiful record yet. It’s a heady, home-recorded trip that meshes fully formed songs and wordless, bucolic post-rocking soulfulness - lovingly spun aural candy floss to be devoured by the i-Pod generation and long playing vinyl fetishists alike. Mik, Rich and Ryan will be DJing and taking a band out to play selected dates throughout the rest of the year so that you can bathe in the luxuriating love of Junkboy live.

TRACK LISTING

1. Firth
2. Home
3. Friends (Part 2)
4. Function Of The Sun
5. Pieces In The Sky
6. Dr. Rendezvous
7. Present
8. Stendhal Syndrome
9. Ghosts
10. On The Shore
11. Let The Light In
12. Tones X