Young Punk’s self-titled LP is a coming out party for the genre-meshing group which up until now, has been synonymous with Thursday nights in Ferndale.
The 12-track album from Nick Van Huis (guitar), Taijah Johnson (vocals), and Stephen Stewart (bass, percussion) marks the trio’s first full-length release and most exploratory work to date. Expanding beyond the group’s ambient past, Young Punk allows the influence of R&B, post-rock, hip hop, and shoegaze – all united by electronic elements and resonating guitar.
Sprinkled throughout Young Punk, instrumentals “Interlude 1,” “Interlude 2,” and “Interlude 3” bring a palate cleanser for nearly two minutes between the metronomic rhythm of tracks like “Love Abuse” and the drum machine heartbeat of the bass laced anthem “Seasick.” Young Punk demonstrates the ability to dabble in both dreamy and clockwork sounds and avoid the pitfalls of those who have been constrained by predetermined music classifications.
Listen to the DMM premiere of Young Punk’s debut album Young Punk below: