Audio By Carbonatix
Okay, so we’re going to come clean. When we saw that Phoenix-based electro/indie/hip-hop dude YUS had a tune called “Hunger Strike” on his SoundCloud page, we thought we were in for a Temple of the Dog remix. Clearly, we’ve been spending too much time reading grunge 20th-anniversary coverage. YUS’ “Hunger Strike” is a heavy instrumental banger, a clear sign that Youceff Kabal, who records and performs as YUS, isn’t into “stealing bread” but is into funky synth and beats. YUS isn’t afraid of remixes, though, as the page features a murky take on James Blake’s “Wilhelm Screams,” complete with sped-up samples of Blake’s manly croon and stutter-step cadence that makes head-bobbing almost unavoidable. YUS has become the go-to local for shows like this week’s gig with the much-hyped Youth Lagoon. YUS’ jams are much more self-assured and bolder than the hazy tunes of Youth Lagoon, but YUS certainly shares more common ground with the chillwave scene than he does with flannel-clad grunge rockers from the early ’90s.
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