The A Pessimist is Never Disappointed blog, listed to the right hand side of this page continues to alert me to good things musically that otherwise I probably wouldn't have become aware of. I'm duly grateful. Truth or Consequences, the third album from Christchurch, New Zealand band Youmi Zouma is merely the latest.
Unlike many of their compatriots, they don't sound remotely as if they hail from the part of the world that they do. They are nothing like The Clean or The Chills or Aldous Harding or Nadia Reid for that matter. Instead they favour a light streamlined synthetic Pop sound that might remind you of Saint Etienne, Prefab Sprout, Alvvays, Dubstar or the gentler moments of New Order.
Fronted by the glacial vocals of Christie Simpson, things are deliberately spare and detached. That doesn't mean things lack humanity as the songs are always driven by a pulse of warmth and melody is an immediate priority throughout.
This may not be an album you obsess over. It lacks the originality for that and becomes samey at points. It's nevertheless a gentley likeable record you might wish to return to in order to unwrap its quiet gifts further.
P.S. I'd say it saves its best moment 'til last. Final track Lie like You Want Me Back is to my ears the most immediate and winning track on the record.
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