Yumi Zouma Fully Realize Their Lush Dream-Pop Sound on 'Present Tense'

Fourth time proves to be the charm for the New Zealand band with their new record out now on Polyvinyl.

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Present Tense, the excellent fourth Yumi Zouma record, opens with an encouraging whispered shout from singer Christie Simpson: “give it hell, don’t just sell on signs you know what rightful is, and when you hear hope is gone, from those who you keep so dear, don’t give out, I would shout all night to fight that fire here.”

Just over two years ago, the Christchurch band was kicking off their sold-out North American club tour with a record release party for their last album, Truth or Consequences, when backstage, guitarist Josh Burgess told the other members, “Let’s give it hell tonight.” It would be their only show as the World Health Organization declared Covid a pandemic the following day, the same day that Truth or Consequences found its release (read my review here). It could often spell the end for a band that lives on multiple continents. Instead, the four members worked through lonely lockdowns and gave themselves a deadline to finish a new record by this past fall.

“Give It Hell” is a great way to kick off Present Tense as it presents all of the dream-pop ingredients that have gone into Yumi Zouma’s career, but this time with a pinch of sonic zest that pries open the band’s ethereal sound. The keyboards and synths still drive the songs with Burgess’s accents thrown in for good measure, yet on Present Tense, everything handsomely lifts in the mix, with strings and woodwinds pulling Yumi Zouma beyond their bedroom-written indie comfort zone. Heck, we even have a blasting saxophone outro on single “Mona Lisa,” which adds a soothing layer to Simpson’s reliably catchy chorus.

The richness of this new chapter for the band can’t be overstated. For example, “Where the Light Used to Lay,” which still features the wistfully mellow foundation that Yumi Zouma shares with other indie outfits like TOPS and Men I Trust. We’ve heard this kinda song from them before, but strings and production lushness make the band more radio-ready than at any point in their eight-year career. Even the slower stuff like “Razorblade,” “Haunt,” and the fantastic closer “Astral Projection” work wonderfully as the mix of electronic and organic instruments back up Simpson’s enticing lyrics about relationship woes.

Everything comes together on “In the Eyes of Our Love,” which offers a burst of energy to kick the record into its second half. The song is such a refreshing change in formula, and I’d love to hear more of this from them in the future. “In the Eyes of Our Love” also showcases bassist Charlie Ryder and drummer Olivia Campion who came together for a mighty fine rhythm section on Truth or Consequences. Still, both are more compelling here, especially Campion, whose tom-fills drive this new confident tone for Yumi Zouma.

So far, Yumi Zouma has a record of flying under the radar, and I know Truth or Consequences would have changed that had the world not fallen apart. There’s no excuse this time around, though, as Present Tense offers their best iteration yet. One cannot deny Yumi Zouma’s hooks and singles like “Where the Light Used to Lay” are too good not to move beyond the interests of blog nerds like me.

Present Tense is available now on Polyvinyl Records.