A lot of people are surprised to find out I’m based in New York because I review so much UK music. But there’s good reason for that: the tunes we get from the blessed Brits are truly the crème de la crème. And today we’re sharing a song that just further drives this claim home, because Brighton electro-pop duo IYES (pronounced “eyes”) has released “’Til Infinity” – a track that had us at the opening lyrics “Once upon a time…”
Within ten seconds the hypnotic rhythm (c/o tribal beats and handclaps) lay a groundwork for the memorable melody. The haunting vocals of female counterpart Melis Soyaslanova are the backbone of the track, a slurred staccato that helps maintain a bopping buoyancy even when the percussion drops out. And it’s fitting that so much of the song hinges on a great beat, because the project formed when Josh Christopher (male half of the duo) broke out into an impromptu drumming sesh on the sofa while the pair ate prawn soup and watched reality TV.
At minute 1:14 we find out that in addition to having a talent for tempo, Josh has some pipes on him too – his voice adding drama and texture to the heavily female-fronted track. Two minutes in, the song goes almost entirely a cappella, slowly building back up to a storybook ending chorus that makes us want to fairy dance with streamers around a campfire.
The track is available now on iTunes (off brand new label Duly Noted Records) and for updates on any new releases from IYES, check out the social links below.