Press image credit: Cosmo Rush
The DIY star’s new LP lives up to the hype
“Soon to be stupidly massive, brilliant DIY future pop artist!” – Adam Walton, BBC Introducing Wales
Continuing his prolific streak, fast-rising DIY artist Yxngxr1 unveils his dreamy album Front Porch, out now on STORM GVNG / EMPIRE.
Fresh off his well-received EP, where has everyone gone. which came out in May, Yxngxr1 is back with an LP bursting with Americana-tinged indie-pop wrapped in sweet nostalgia.
The album races out of the gates with upbeat pop-punk title track ‘Front Porch’, capped off by a shredding guitar solo, before transitioning into the funk bass and cool groove of ‘Newsy Neighbour’, which is accompanied by a beautifully bittersweet music video to be released on album day. “This music video captures what the album is about completely: ignoring everything bad in life until it all eventually catches up to you,” Yxngxr1 says. “It took us a whole day to shoot but it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had. The directors (Cosmo and Isaac) were so cool too and they really did an amazing job on this project!”
A trip down memory lane follows on ‘Nostalgia Calls’, as Yxngxr1 takes a typically sweet and melancholic drive through his old neighbourhood. Next up, latest single ‘Budapest’ shows off Yxngxr1’s envelope-pushing talents while exploring themes of growing up and exploring the world. “Where i’ll go to next is where I’ll least expect”, he sings over an upbeat blend of chorus-rich guitars. ‘Walter White’ is a playful tribute to the Breaking Bad character, while ‘Melted Coffee’ ups the tempo once more for a cheery jaunt. Bringing the album to a close, ‘Leaving?’ and ‘Back Garden’ make for a gorgeous pair of downtempo tunes, with the latter including an inventive nod to Tribe Called Quest, and bookending the album’s suburban themes with a return home.
A true product of the internet generation, Yxngxr1’s music has gained 410M+ streams across DSPs national radio support from BBC Radio 1, Radio 2, 6 Music and plaudits at press from the likes of Dork, The Line of Best Fit, TMRW and The Guardian who applauded his “lovable lo-fi indie-rap.” Despite his heady rise to success, he has continued to challenge himself in the studio, pushing the envelope and breaking the boundaries between hip-hop and indie.
Born and raised in Cardiff, UK, Yxngxr1 first stirred up buzz with his DIY record ‘Tyler’ in 2019 whilst holding down a post school day job at Foot Locker. Following its viral explosion, he quickly tallied tens of millions of streams across fan-favourite singles such as ‘Rather Do’, ‘RockStore’, ‘721’, ‘Pigeons’, and more. Simultaneously, he released a flurry of full-length projects, most recently last year’s well-received Teenage Motel, and carried his hot streak into 2023 with the singles ‘you remind me of’, ‘Something Else’ and ‘my mum told me about u’. A full EP, where has everyone gone., quickly followed, gaining acclaim for its sweetly nostalgic lofi as well as hard-hitting hip hop beats. The rising talent is also preparing for some exciting live dates, including his support slot for Glaive’s upcoming European tour (flyer below).
Front Porch is a perfect expression of Yxngxr1’s unique pull as an artist, painting a nostalgic picture of sunshine-filled youth that lives long in the memory.
Front Porch album tracklist
1. Front Porch
2. Newsy Neighbour
3. Nostalgia Calls
4. Down The Street
5. Budapest
6. Walter White
7. Melted Coffee
8. Leaving?
9. Back Garden
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