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Yot Club is an indie-rock and surf-rock band, which is led by John Ryan Kaiser. Their biggest song, YKWIM, has amassed a staggering 90 million views on YouTube alone and their other tracks, such as “The Bay” and “Down Bad” are often paired alongside YouTube reels and TikToks. Whether you’re aware or not, you’ve definitely heard Yot Club’s music.
With that being said, their newest album has fallen completely under the radar. “Rufus”, Kaiser’s 2nd album, is objectively good; at its most fundamental, the songs hit the indie and surf-rock feel, which is a trademark for the band. One example is their song “Nostalgia,” which exhibits Kaiser’s signature sound and great mastering. But with that being said, “Nostalgia” lacks the energy Yot Club is known for. Another example is the album’s first song, “Stuntman,” which fails to achieve its notorious energy, as well as fails to expand on said original style. Because of this, the first half of the album functions as a glorified snooze fest.
You could quickly tell that their biggest songs were the basis for the album, but the first half fails to expand on this sound, or even imitate the same energy. Due to this, I’m sure many gave up listening to the album, or maybe they fell asleep.
Nevertheless, they weren’t prepared for the absolute wake-up call that the second half of Rufus is.
As the album ventures, deeper into the creative mind of Kaiser, Rufus turns into a far stronger album. Songs such as “Drowning” and “Poison in Your Mind” really hit hard with strong bass and attention-grabbing drumkit, which was severely lacking in that first half. Kaiser’s sudden shift in sound alludes to a possible rehabilitation of the sound, as he deals with limits and software that force him to think outside the box.
“Rufus” by Yot Club answers a long-asked question in the modern musical landscape: does a lack of mastery of the musical software and techniques force artists to make more creative musical choices? Kaiser answers with a loud megaphone, YES! As Yot Club continues into the album and is forced to experiment with new techniques, an instant improvement can be withdrawn, with more intriguing melodies as well as the familiar energy Yot Club is known for, finally taking the “Yot’s” front Wheel.
Overall, indie music is an acquired taste and Yot Club’s newest album is certainly more acquired, but with that being said, a lot can be learned from Rufus, at least regarding music-making. The album may be worth a listen for the interested and maybe the sleepy few.
