Yves Tumor

Last updated

Yves Tumor
Yves Tumor in 2019 (cropped).jpg
Yves Tumor in 2019
Background information
Birth nameSean Lee Bowie
Also known as
  • Teams
  • Bekelé Berhanu
  • Rajel Ali
  • Shanti
  • Yvesie Ray Vaughan
Born Miami, Florida, U.S.
Genres
Instrument(s)
  • Vocals
  • synthesizer
  • keyboards
  • guitar
  • bass
  • drums
Years active2010–present
Labels
Website https://yves-tumor.com/

Sean Lee Bowie, best known by the recording alias Yves Tumor, is an American musician and producer of experimental music, born in Miami, Florida, and currently based in Turin, Italy. [5] [6]

Contents

To date, they have released five studio albums: When Man Fails You (2015), Serpent Music (2016), Safe in the Hands of Love (2018), Heaven to a Tortured Mind (2020), and Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) (2023).

Life and career

Raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, Tumor started making music at age 16 as an outlet away from "dull, conservative surroundings." Tumor is self-taught, and plays drums, bass, guitar, and keyboards. Describing their experience growing up in Tennessee as unpleasant, Yves moved at age 20 to San Diego, and then after college, to Los Angeles. They met Mykki Blanco in 2012, later touring for two and a half years throughout Europe and Asia. [7]

In the early 2010s, Tumor recorded as Teams, and made music which AllMusic described as "post-chillwave". They debuted the Yves Tumor project in 2015 with an EP for Berlin's experimental club label Janus, and another one for Blanco's label, Dogfood MG. [8] [3] [9] That same year, they released their first album, When Man Fails You (which would later be re-released by Apothecary Compositions on April 29, 2016). [10] [11]

In September 2016, Tumor signed with PAN Records and released their label debut, Serpent Music . Yves had worked on the album for three years after moving to Leipzig, Germany. The album was recorded between Miami, Leipzig, Los Angeles and Berlin. [7] In Pitchfork 's review of the album, critic Andy Beta compared Tumor's musical style to James Ferraro and Dean Blunt, and noted their use of "unsettling percussive loops and field recordings to create a mood as if lost in a strange urban landscape." [12]

In September 2017, Tumor released a compilation album titled Experiencing the Deposit of Faith for free. Later that week, it was revealed through a tour announcement that Tumor had signed to Warp Records. Following the announcement, the artist embarked on a tour with a new audiovisual show. [13] [14]

In September 2018, Tumor released their Warp debut, Safe in the Hands of Love , with no prior announcement. It was preceded by the singles "Noid" on July 24, "Licking an Orchid" featuring James K on August 29, and "Lifetime" on September 3. The album received universal acclaim from music critics. [15] Pitchfork's Jayson Greene stated in the review that the album "dwarfs everything the artist has released by several orders of magnitude. The leap is so audacious it's disorienting." [16]

Tumor's fourth album, Heaven to a Tortured Mind , was released on April 3, 2020, preceded on March 3 by the single "Kerosene" featuring Diana Gordon. [17] Alexis Petridis, reviewing the album for The Guardian , awarded it Album of the Week, describing it as "extraordinary: experimental, capable of any genre, with an internal logic powering its shifts in mood.[…] There's real skill involved in coming up with something that sounds coherent while shifting through so many styles." [18]

In October 2020, Tumor said in an interview with Michèle Lamy " I have another EP and a whole album basically not finished, but ready to start finishing. I've been very busy during the quarantine." [19] In December 2020, Tumor released the single "let all the poisons that lurk in the mud seep out" in collaboration with Kelsey Lu, featuring Kelly Moran and Moses Boyd. In July 2021, they released the EP The Asymptotical World , recorded in collaboration with their bandmates, Chris Greatti and Yves Rothman.

In February 2023, Tumor was interviewed by Courtney Love for Interview magazine, in which they briefly hinted at an upcoming album. [20] Shortly after, in March 2023, Tumor released their fifth album, Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) , critically acclaimed as an ambitious, "ecstatic fusion of alt-rock and R&B", [21] "spellbinding art rock", [22] and a "Romantic, corporeal, gothy" offering that disrupts "hierarchies of gender, race, desire...and performance" via its "intense magnification and worship of life, death and spirituality." [23] Tumor was part of the Coachella 2023 lineup. [24]

Musical style

Tumor's earlier work was compared to that of Dean Blunt and James Ferraro, the latter of whom they have collaborated with; however, their more recent music, such as Heaven to a Tortured Mind, has been likened to Prince and David Bowie. [25] [26] [27]

Tumor has cited Throbbing Gristle as an influence, saying: "Sonically, Throbbing Gristle (were very inspirational). There's something about their music, like the hypnotic trance vibes, that really influenced me. When I moved to Los Angeles after college, a good friend of mine would always play Chris & Cosey records when we were hanging out. I slowly became obsessed with them and started reading about Genesis P-Orridge and that whole movement." [28]

Personal life

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Tumor designed furniture and furthered their interest in upholstery: "I just got really into my other hobbies, which include architecture and interior architecture, and urban architecture, but I'm not that good at math, so I wanted to scale everything down. I just decided to just start constructing chairs and couches and stools, but I think I'm going to begin welding as opposed to actual construction." [19]

Backing band

In the studio and during live performances, Tumor is joined by:

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected details and chart positions
TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
BEL
(FL)
[29] 		SCO
[30] 		UK
DL
[31] 		UK
Indie
[32]
When Man Fails You––––
Serpent Music
  • Released: September 22, 2016 [34]
  • Label: PAN
  • Format: LP, digital download
––––
Safe in the Hands of Love
  • Released: September 5, 2018
  • Label: Warp
  • Format: LP, CD, digital download
––––
Heaven to a Tortured Mind
  • Released: April 3, 2020
  • Label: Warp
  • Format: LP, CD, digital download
17038298
Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
  • Released: March 17, 2023
  • Label: Warp
  • Format: LP, CD, digital download
––34–

Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, with selected details
TitleDetails
Experiencing the Deposit of Faith
  • Released: September 13, 2017 [35]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Format: Digital download

Extended plays

List of extended plays, with selected details
TitleDetails
The Asymptotical World
  • Released: July 15, 2021
  • Label: Warp
  • Format: LP, digital download

Singles

List of singles
TitleYearAlbum
"Noid" [36] 2018 Safe in the Hands of Love
"Licking an Orchid" [37]
(featuring James K)
"Lifetime" [38]
"Applaud"
(featuring Hirakish, Napolian, and Anthem) [39] 		2019Non-album single
"Gospel for a New Century" [40] 2020 Heaven to a Tortured Mind
"Kerosene!"
"Romanticist" / "Dream Palette" [41]
"Jackie"2021 The Asymptotical World
"God Is a Circle"2022 Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)
"Echolalia"2023
"Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood"

Guest appearances

List of guest appearances
TitleYearArtistAlbum
"Histrionic I"2015 Mykki Blanco Mykki Blanco Presents C-ORE [42]
"Childish"
"Histrionic II"
"Histrionic III / Skunk of the Earth"
"Limerence"2017None Mono No Aware [43] [44]
"Reanimator"2020 Joji Nectar
"Let All the Poisons That Lurk in the Mud Seep Out" Kelsey Lu, Kelly Moran, Moses BoydLet All the Poisons That Lurk in the Mud Seep Out
"Perfectly Not Close To Me"2022 Willow Coping Mechanism

Remixes

List of remixes
TitleYearArtistAlbum
"Zure"
(Yves Tumor Obsession Edit)		2017 Ryuichi Sakamoto Async – Remodels
"The Altar"
(Ruined By Yves Tumor)		2018 Alice Glass Alice Glass (Remixes) [45]
"Smoke"
(Remix)		 Blood Orange, Yves Tumor, Ian IsiahSmoke (Remix) [46]

Awards and nominations

YearAssociationCategoryNominated WorkResultRef
2019 Libera Awards Record of the Year Safe in the Hands of LoveNominated [47]
Best Dance/Electronic Record Won
Best Outlier RecordNominated
2020 AIM Independent Music Awards Best Independent Track"Gospel for a New Century"Nominated [48]
2021Libera AwardsRecord of the YearHeaven to a Tortured MindNominated [49]
Best Outlier RecordNominated
2022 Video of the Year "Jackie"Nominated [50]
AIM Independent Music Awards Best Independent TrackNominated [51]

Notes

  1. ↑ Re-released by Apothecary Compositions on April 29, 2016, on cassette and digital download. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ssion</span> American singer

Cody Critcheloe, known by the stage name SSION, is a multifaceted audiovisual artist embodying music, video directing, painting, and live performance. SSION has released several records and has collaborated with Róisín Murphy, Sky Ferreira, Ariel Pink, and Hood By Air. He has directed music videos for Robyn, Perfume Genius, Yves Tumor, Santigold, and King Princess, and has exhibited artwork internationally. SSION is used as a moniker for Critcheloe's multimedia practice. He lives and works in Los Angeles, California.

Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with headquarters in Oakland, California. Acquired by Epic Games in March 2022, the company was sold to Songtradr in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Actress (musician)</span> British electronic musician

Darren J. Cunningham is a British electronic musician, who uses the pseudonym Actress. His albums include Hazyville (2008), Splazsh (2010), R.I.P. (2012), Ghettoville (2014), AZD (2017), LAGEOS, 88 (2020), and Karma & Desire (2020); released on Ninja Tune, Honest Jon's Records, and Werkdiscs, a label he co-founded in 2004. Splazsh was named best album of the year by The Wire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mykki Blanco</span> Musical artist

Mykki Blanco is an American rapper, performance artist, poet and activist. She has collaborated musically with artists including Kanye West, Teyana Taylor, and Blood Orange.

<i>Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss</i> 2012 mixtape by Mykki Blanco

Cosmic Angel: The Illuminati Prince/ss is a mixtape by American recording artist Mykki Blanco, released on November 9, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamasi Washington</span> American saxophonist

Kamasi Washington is an American jazz saxophonist. He is a founding member of the jazz collective West Coast Get Down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cakes da Killa</span> American rapper

Rashard Bradshaw, better known as Cakes da Killa, is an American rap artist who fuses genres of hip hop, house, and electronic dance music. He came to prominence in the "queer explosion" of hip hop music stemming from New York in 2012 and is among the credited performers for the current trend of acceptance of LGBT people in the rap community. Bradshaw is currently based in Atlanta and his latest release Svengali, a full length studio album, was released on October 28, 2022, via Young Art Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cities Aviv</span> American rapper

Wilbert Gavin Mays, better known by his stage name Cities Aviv, is an American rapper and record producer from Memphis, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Citizen (band)</span> American rock band

Citizen is an American rock band from Southeast Michigan and Northwest Ohio that formed in 2009. The band currently consists of Mat Kerekes (vocals), brothers Nick and Eric Hamm (bass), Mason Mercer, and Ben Russin (drums). They are currently signed to Run for Cover Records, and have released four studio albums to date: Youth (2013), Everybody Is Going to Heaven (2015), As You Please (2017) and Life in Your Glass World (2021). A fifth, Calling the Dogs, was released in October 2023. Considered a part of emo's fourth wave, Pitchfork have described Citizen as "a band their fans can grow up with rather than out of."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Garden (band)</span> American experimental rock band

The Garden is an American experimental rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 2011 by twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears. The duo released their debut album The Life and Times of a Paperclip in 2013, with several smaller releases following. In 2015, the group released their second studio album Haha along with the lead single "All Smiles Over Here :)" to critical acclaim after being signed to Epitaph Records. The brothers have toured across the US, Europe, United Kingdom, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Mexico, and in 2019 and 2023, they appeared at Coachella.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Japanese Breakfast</span> American alternative pop band

Japanese Breakfast is an American indie pop band headed by musician Michelle Zauner. Zauner started the band as a side project in 2013, when she was leading the Philadelphia-based emo group Little Big League. She has said that she named the band after seeing a GIF of Japanese breakfast and deciding that the term would be considered "exotic" to Americans; she also thought it would make others wonder what a Japanese breakfast consists of.

<i>Mykki</i> 2016 studio album by Mykki Blanco

Mykki is the first studio album by American rapper Mykki Blanco. It was released via Dogfood Music Group and Studio !K7 on September 16, 2016. The production is handled by Woodkid and Jeremiah Meece. Music videos were created for "High School Never Ends" and "Loner".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violence (musician)</span>

Olin Caprison, better known as Violence, is an American experimental musician, composer, performance artist, and producer.

<i>Safe in the Hands of Love</i> 2018 studio album by Yves Tumor

Safe in the Hands of Love is the third studio album by American experimental electronic music artist Yves Tumor. It was released on September 5, 2018 by Warp Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dark Ballet</span> 2019 song by Madonna

"Dark Ballet" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourteenth studio album Madame X (2019). It was released on June 7, 2019 as the album's third promotional single. Written and produced by Madonna and longtime collaborator Mirwais, the song contains a sample from The Nutcracker (1892) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and was inspired by the historical figure Joan of Arc. It is an experimental pop and electro-gospel piano ballad, with the use of vocoder on her vocals and lyrics about rebelling against the patriarchy.

<i>Heaven to a Tortured Mind</i> 2020 studio album by Yves Tumor

Heaven to a Tortured Mind is the fourth studio album by American experimental electronic artist Yves Tumor, released April 3, 2020.

<i>Serpent Music</i> 2016 studio album by Yves Tumor

Serpent Music is the second studio album by American experimental musician and record producer Yves Tumor. It was released on September 23, 2016 on PAN record label.

<i>Karma & Desire</i> 2020 studio album by Actress

Karma & Desire is the seventh solo studio album by British electronic music producer Actress, released on Ninja Tune on 23 October 2020. Its announcement was preceded by the surprise release of a single-file album by Actress named 88, which included a PDF hinting towards Karma & Desire's track listing. The album was officially announced on 1 September 2020 and described by Actress as being "a romantic tragedy set between the heavens and the underworld". The announcement of the album was accompanied by the release of the lead single from the album, "Walking Flames", featuring British singer Sampha. The album was included in 'Pitchfork's 41 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2020.

<i>The Asymptotical World</i> 2021 EP by Yves Tumor

The Asymptotical World EP is an EP by experimental musician Yves Tumor, released by Warp on July 15, 2021. It follows on the heels of their acclaimed 2020 album Heaven to a Tortured Mind.

<i>Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)</i> 2023 studio album by Yves Tumor

Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; is the fifth studio album by American experimental electronic artist Yves Tumor. It was released on March 17, 2023, through Warp.

References

  1. ↑ Hutchinson, Kate (September 22, 2018). "One to watch: Yves Tumor". The Guardian . Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Frank, Alex (January 11, 2017). "The Disgusting Beauty of Enigmatic Experimentalist Yves Tumor". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Simpson, Paul. "Yves Tumor | Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  4. ↑ Torres, Eric (December 8, 2020). "The 50 Best Albums of 2020". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  5. ↑ McDermott, Patrick D. (October 5, 2016). "FADER Mix: Yves Tumor". The Fader . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Bandcamp: Yves Tumor". Bandcamp . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  7. 1 2 Bulut, Selim (September 20, 2016). "Yves Tumor is making mood music in spiritual solitude". Dazed . Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  8. ↑ Ballard, Thea (September 23, 2017). "Yves Tumor: Experiencing the Deposit of Faith Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  9. ↑ Pearl, Max (September 1, 2016). "RA News: PAN signs Yves Tumor for debut album, Serpent Music". Resident Advisor . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  10. ↑ Clare Welsh, April (September 1, 2016). "Mykki Blanco affiliate Yves Tumor to release Serpent Music on PAN". Fact . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  11. 1 2 "When Man Fails You | Apothecary Compositions". Bandcamp . Archived from the original on November 21, 2016. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  12. ↑ Beta, Andy (October 6, 2016). "Yves Tumor: Serpent Music Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  13. ↑ Ryce, Andrew (September 15, 2017). "RA News: Yves Tumor signs to Warp Records". Resident Advisor . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  14. ↑ Bowe, Miles (September 15, 2017). "Yves Tumor signs to Warp, releases new album Experiencing The Deposit Of Faith". Fact . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Safe in the Hands of Love by Yves Tumor Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  16. ↑ Greene, Jayson (September 7, 2018). "Yves Tumor: Safe in the Hands of Love Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Listen to Yves Tumor's New Song "Kerosene"". Pitchfork. March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  18. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (April 2, 2020). "Yves Tumor: Heaven to a Tortured Mind review – strong, wrong songs of a rare genius". The Guardian. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  19. 1 2 "Yves Tumor — Myhtology and Manipulation (Flaunt)".
  20. ↑ Love, Courtney (February 22, 2023). ""You Put Me on the Spot": Yves Tumor Meets Courtney Love". Interview Magazine. Jason Nikic. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  21. ↑ Greene, Jayson. "Review: Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  22. ↑ Campbell, Erica (March 20, 2023). "Yves Tumor – 'Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds)' review: spellbinding art-rock". NME. NME Networks. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  23. ↑ Mistry, Anupa. "Yves Tumor's disruptive pop-cultural synthesis". NPR Music. NPR. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  24. ↑ "Coachella 2023 Weekend 2 Lineup & Schedule: All the Set Times You Need to Know". Pitchfork. April 21, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Yves Tumor: Serpent Music". Pitchfork .
  26. ↑ "Yves Tumor's attempt at rock on 'Heaven to a Tortured Mind' is their most gratifying release yet". April 13, 2020.
  27. ↑ "Yves Tumor: Heaven to a Tortured Mind". Pitchfork .
  28. ↑ "Yves Tumor is making mood music in spiritual solitude". September 20, 2016.
  29. ↑ "Heaven to a Tortured Mind - Yves Tumor" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  30. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 - Week of April 10, 2020". Official Charts . Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  31. ↑ Peak positions:
  32. ↑ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50 - Week of April 10, 2020". Official Charts . Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  33. ↑ Mashurova, Nina (July 2, 2015). "Yves Tumor, When Man Fails You". Impose . Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  34. ↑ "Serpent Music | Yves Tumor". Bandcamp . Archived from the original on October 10, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  35. ↑ Durston, Tom (September 16, 2017). "Yves Tumor signs to Warp Records and offers free compilation 'Experiencing The Deposit Of Faith'". Inverted Audio. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  36. ↑ "Noid - Single by Yves Tumor". Apple Music . July 25, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  37. ↑ "Licking an Orchid (feat. James K) - Single by Yves Tumor". Apple Music . August 29, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  38. ↑ "Lifetime - Single by Yves Tumor". Apple Music . September 3, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  39. ↑ "WARP - Applaud - Yves Tumor". Warp. September 10, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  40. ↑ "Gospel For A New Century - Single by Yves Tumor". Apple Music . Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  41. ↑ "Romanticist / Dream Palette by Yves Tumor". Spotify . March 30, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  42. ↑ "Mykki Blanco Presents C-ORE | Mykki Blanco". Bandcamp . Archived from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  43. ↑ Richardson, Mark (April 4, 2017). "Various Artists: Mono No Aware Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  44. ↑ Witz, Jake (March 17, 2017). "Songs We Love: Yves Tumor, 'Limerence'". NPR . Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  45. ↑ "Alice Glass - Remixes (2018, Red Translucent With White Smoke, Vinyl)". Discogs. June 29, 2018.
  46. ↑ "Smoke (Remix) by Blood Orange & Yves Tumor & Ian Isiah on Amazon Music". Amazon.com. Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  47. ↑ Courtney, Ian (March 28, 2019). "Nominees Announced For A2IM's 2019 Libera Awards". CelebrityAccess. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  48. ↑ "AIM Awards Winners 2020". AIM Awards. August 27, 2020. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  49. ↑ Brandle, Lars (April 2, 2020). "Chance the Rapper, FKA Twigs, Courtney Barnett & More Shortlisted For 2020 A2IM Libera Awards". Billboard. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  50. ↑ Aswad, Jem (March 23, 2022). "Japanese Breakfast, Jason Isbell, Arlo Parks Lead Indie-Music Collective A2IM's 2022 Libera Awards Nominees". Variety . Retrieved March 25, 2022.
  51. ↑ "AIM Independent Music Awards 2022 Winners & Nominees". AIM Awards. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.