Introducing: Yunioshi

I first heard Yunioshi last year over a stretch of time when Tom Robinson was giving their song ‘Believe It’ frequent airplay on his 6Music Introducing show only to add a second track, ‘Ctrl’ to the mix a few weeks later. The Notts quartet play a particular hybrid of electrofunk and robot rock that is at once highly original and impossible to forget. And, more recently, I’ve spent the last few weeks lurking around SoundCloud listening to all their posted tracks whenever possible.

In recent months, the band have continued to gig around the UK while also playing the Iceland Airwaves festival and making their mark in North America including a booking for next month’s Canadian Music Week in Toronto (and yes, I do plan to make the trip across the border to be there for it). You can get a taste for their live shows through their handful of YouTube videos and with this free download of the live version of ‘Ctrl’. But even those won’t provide a complete picture of the Yunioshi live experience. Did I mention the band also have a reputation for providing fresh baked goods for those who attend their gigs? No, seriously. There’s cake.

The band have released an EP—How To Survive a Robot Uprising—and a couple of free tracks (including the live version of ‘Ctrl’ as well as a cover of Shakira’s ‘She Wolf‘). Rumor has it, there may be some more old tracks made available for free in the near future. But—and this is of the utmost importance—the band have just jumped on the Bandcamp bandwagon, which means I can embed the Robot Uprising EP right here and you can have a go at it right now. And, if you’re anything like me, you’ll spin this at least a dozen times before you go to bed tonight and then buy it so you can take it with you everywhere you go tomorrow. While you’re at it, why don’t you go ahead and check out their appearance on air with Tom Robinson and this video from the How To Survive a Robot Uprising EP launch. Trust me, you’ll want to.

Yunioshi will be in and around Notts a few times in February (ok, twice in Nottingham, once in London), but if you’re in the Toronto area (or anywhere in North America, really) why don’t you come hang out with us at CMW.

P.S. If you know a place in Toronto where the band can rent or borrow a guitar and possibly a keyboard stand for CMW, get in touch with the band on Facebook or Twitter (or just email/tweet me and I’ll do it). Thanks. You’re cool.