To be grabbed from the very first note by a body of work is an utter delight and so it is with Dublin-based electropunk trio YARD‘s self-titled debut EP. 2024 saw the band play all over the UK and EU, wowing with their pulsating euphoric yet edgy beats. 2025 will provide festival goers with a whole raft of opportunities to see Emmet White (vocals and synthesizer), Dan Malone (guitar), and George Ryan (drums and synthesizer) play this music live.
Opening track‘Trevor’ winds up fast. The lyrics are intriguing: “I’m checking outside. I left him in the rain. I’m checking outside for Trevor. I know he can’t feel pain.” There is an eeriness to the reverberating vocals however Emmet reveals on the, perhaps surprising, inspiration behind the track:
“I’ve a habit of naming inanimate objects that have played a significant role in my life. In this case ‘Trevor’ was the name of a bike that I had for years, which was passed down to me by my brother. Sadly, one night, it was stolen outside of work. The loss of Trevor hit me far harder than I had expected as it felt like I had lost a friend or a companion.”
The repetition of the lyrics combined with the heavy techno yet anxiety fuelled whirling synths explores the concept of anthropomorphism, the human tendency to attribute emotions and meaning to inanimate objects. The elongated “Have you seen Trevor?” towards the end alongside an increasingly frantic soundscape further emphasises the disquiet felt.
Variety in this debut EP is evident as it heads into second track ‘Appetite’, a completely different beast altogether. Synonyms for pulsating are required for this review. ‘Appetite’ explores themes of compulsive self-destruction and is inspired by the line in Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu (2024): “I am an appetite.” Emmet explains: “At one stage in the film Count Orlok, speaking to Ellen Hutter (Lily-Rose Depp), proclaims “I am an appetite”. There’s a vampiric force in Ellen’s life which she cannot escape and it’s unending in its consumption of her.” . This music has a power which holds the listener and does not let go. The vocal is lighter and clearer, more in control however the exhilarating synths warp back and forth while the percussive-like beats and static fuelled guitar riffs all jump in to produce a cohesive whole, until a moment of reflection momentarily breaks the hold.
‘Slumber’ reverberates, the throbbing hitting the core of ones being. An instrumental, it is simply electrifying. There is a hint of darkness to this track, and yet the electronica is all-consuming, the pounding twitchy beats both forceful and mesmerising. YARD share that influences include Death Grips, Nine Inch Nails, and The Prodigy. However they create their own sonic world, which when heard live unites the audience, as if weaving a hypnotic spell which is impossible to ignore.
Final track ‘Sunlight’ has a skittish start. Crisp twitchy beats and an eerie whispered vocal, the anticipation is everything here. The build toys with the listener, there is a sense the drop will happen, but when? The frustration boils over in the vocal, but ‘Sunlight’ travels an unexpected path. The chaotic end combines vocal, guitar and synths with an outro which tantalises, living the listener wanting more.
Such is the growing reputation of YARD that they recorded a session for KEXP during Les Trans Musicales in France last year. There is no doubt that this debut EP and a packed touring schedule throughout 2025 will enhance that reputation. Go see live and be enraptured.
For more information on YARD please check their facebook and instagram.
