Get ready for something you’ve (definitely) never heard before in producer/vocalist/drummer Jharis Yokley’s thunderous debut single “Move On.” Building on his considerable online success as “your favorite drummer’s favorite drummer,” Yokley arrives as a leader of new wave & experimental electronic R&B. Think James Blake meets Tame Impala meets Thundercat meets the singular greatest drummer you’ve heard yet. Sinuous synths (BIGYUKI) + monstrous drums + meditative vocals = happy face.
In addition to the new single, Jharis Yokley also announced his debut album Sometimes, Late At Night, which is due out May 3rd. Yokley-who has worked with everyone from Solange and Chance the Rapper to Ani DiFranco and DJ Premier-calls upon his jazz-informed chops and hip-hop sensibilities to craft this colorful and adventurous album. Like many great works of art, Sometimes, Late At Night was initially inspired by a breakup.
“So, the album’s mainly about this relationship,” Yokley explains. “It’s not like that I regret ending it, but I knew it had to happen. But reminiscing back on those times, I was wondering if I made a mistake.”
While Yokley’s collaborators like BIGYUKI, José James and Taali all add crucial elements to the project, the process of crafting Sometimes, Late At Night began in solitude. Inspired by hip-hop legends like J. Dilla, Yokley found himself holed up in his room, pouring himself into a batch of homemade beats that would later form the album’s foundation.
“I don’t really consider genre, because I love so many different genres.” Yokley explains. “And I’ve played with a bunch of different artists from jazz to hip hop, to folk music, and R&B. So, all that stuff is already ingrained in my mind when I’m creating things. The music I make pulls from all the genres that I listen to and love, automatically. It wasn’t a conscious decision.”
Are you vibing with Jharis Yokley’s debut single “Move On”?
