yakuza: 2
Francisco Espregueira
The Lisbon-based Yakuza collective is back with with their sophomore album, 2. Building on the success of their acclaimed debut, AILERON (2020), the band continues to drive us hard into the boundaries of jazz fusion and electronic to explore new sonic territories in another magnificently produced work. As expected, there’s a nice mix of improvisation and clear aesthetic ideas - we’re talking about accomplished musicians in their own right here and that is expressed by a remarkable interpretation of urban characteristics in sound. Yakuza’s music is deeply rooted in the night landscape of Lisbon, drawing inspiration from the neon lights of ‘tascas ‘and ‘cafés’ in Olaias and Picheleira, some of the city's working-class neighborhoods, the unpretentiousness that lives inside these places and the very-specific pace that prevails. Sometimes fast, other times slow. Noisy and silent at the same time.
2 is a dynamic and improvisational opus that showcases the band's breathing with ease the musicality of its elements. The album features a variety of moods and styles, from the energetic and danceable to the introspective and contemplative, much like the inspirations surrounding the album. 2 is now available on all digital platforms and will receive a vinyl edition to be announced soon on the collective’s social networks.