DJ YODA
Prom Nite (Lewis)
One of the UK’s foremost turntablists, DJ Yoda has been spinning since the late 90s, building an illustrious career since. As the name suggests, his influences skew on the nerdier side of culture, solidified by his sci-fi-inspired set for the BFI’s Sonic Cinema festival, Stranger Things mixtape and subsequent tour, and his 90-minute mix celebrating video games. Prom Nite is a bit of a departure from these themes, but nonetheless an unmistakable DJ Yoda record in execution.
If the yearbook photo album art and name weren’t a dead giveaway, the doo-wop backbone of many of Prom Nite’s slower numbers roots it firmly in the 1950s, a decade caricatured by stiff social norms and thus ripe for modern-day remixing and riffing on, which Yoda and his collaborators clearly have fun doing here. Opener Breathe is a more sedate, even soulful, affair than you might expect, showcasing actress Lily James (a former neighbour, apparently) on tip-top vocal duties, returning near the end for Airport Mode. Lesson 1956 is perhaps the most typical of Yoda’s usual output, playful and kinetic in its sampling and, at just over four minutes, an engaging and ever-shifting listening experience.Â
Much of the rest of Prom Nite, however, fails to truly connect with me – though, admittedly, with the era it’s inspired by not generally being a musical favourite of mine, I might chalk it up to personal taste.
words HANNAH COLLINS
Want more music?
The latest reviews, interviews, features and more, from Wales and beyond.