Yard has today released their new single titled ‘Call’. ‘Call’ pulls at the seeds inside of us that want to grow. In Zen, we always say that there are dark things inside every single person. It just depends on if you water them or not. “Call” is a sonic representation of a tangled devil’s snare that has been fed one too many times, a sinister root we can’t quite pull out…
Yard is a three-piece band with a sound that is often described as mesmerizing and energetic electronic-techno-rock. Hailing from Dublin, the trio has quickly become known for their alluringly raw fusion vibes. They borrow the darkness of post-punk and twist it with electronica, rock, and noise: The resulting culmination is an intense and expressive sound.
Yard’s latest single, “Call” has a strong force to it. It’s magnetic, a bit aggressive…and entirely unfeigned.
A bright drumset begins.
Next, undulating low synths send us to a deep cavern beneath the earth
The vocal delivery is measured, beating, and poetic…As the three sonic elements collide, “Call” cultivates the visceral feelings of envy, regret…A person haunted by their own mind. The thoughts they had that they shouldn’t have, and the actions they took because of this torment and longing.
We feel a brief reprieve at the 3/4 point of the song. The steady, pained vocal motif pauses, and in its place is a ghastly, catchy melodic line of “Ahs”.
The rippling effect of the drums is hypnotic now, as mesmerizing as the rings in a pool of water after one has dropped a pebble…But then the agony returns, stronger this time. This is when we settle on the excruciating decision.
(This song) pulls at the seeds inside of us that want to grow. In Zen, they always say that there are dark things inside every single person. It just depends on if you water them or not.
“Call” is a sonic representation of a tangled devil’s snare that has been fed one too many times, a sinister root we can’t quite pull out…
Q&A
What is the “Call”?
What the “Call” represents is very much open to interpretation by the listener. It could be seen to represent an emotionally challenging situation which is a “Call” to battle for your mind. In other words, the “Call” presents the circumstances of the situation, but it’s up to you as to how you’ll respond.
What do the cracks being taped together signify on your cover art?
The artwork was created by the wonderful Claire Schorman (@byclaireschorman) who came up with the idea after we discussed some of the themes that were central to the track. While there is no literal meaning to the taping of the cracks, one interpretation might be that they’re representative of the mind trying to keep it together. After all, one of its greatest fears is falling apart.
What is your favorite post-punk song and why?
Our friends over in Really Good Time released a song called ‘The Holy Grail’ in 2023 as part of their EP. It’s an absolute belter of a tune with great vocal hooks and powerful riffs that will blow your jocks off. Check it out.
You said that “Call” is about replaying what you could have done differently. Was this inspired by one particular experience or a collection of them?
It was inspired by the collective experiences of both ourselves and others. Yes, it touches on the act of replaying events, particularly those charged by negative emotions, where we imagine what could have gone differently. This, in many ways, is an act of idealism. We trick ourselves into thinking that this “perfect version” of ourselves exists, one which can always make the right choices in emotionally challenging situations. But that’s simply unrealistic. We, and everyone else around us, are human. We’re all susceptible to errors in judgment and neuroticism. But still, these idealistic thoughts can persist, no matter how irrational they may be and they can cause a lot of pain for as long as they stick around.
How did you first come up with your niche/genre? Was it the first sound you cultivated together?
A lot of trial and error. We spent the guts of four years figuring out what YARD was and how to “do YARD” to the standard that we envisaged. That process required a lot of writing, rewriting and scrapping music. We were constantly iterating in order to try and get closer to something that resembles our vision more aptly. But the vision was always a fusion of electronic music and post-punk in some form. It was just necessary to refine that vision into a series of obtainable goals that would get us there and that could have been anything from improving the sound of the percussive elements in our tracks to finding “the YARD sound” for guitars and vocals for example.
What’s it like being a fusion band in Dublin? What is the Dublin music scene like in 2024, and what is your favorite venue to perform at?
There has never been a better time to start a band in Dublin than right now. The post-punk scene in particular is thriving and there’s a big audience base who are more than willing to stream or attend the live show of a new band. Even from an industry perspective, all you have to do is look at the calibre of global delegates that attend Ireland Music Week every year, which is our annual showcase festival. Globally renowned booking agents, managers, A&Rs and more flock to Dublin in their droves to try and find the next big thing. This presents a fantastic opportunity for bands to get on the path to success.
Being a fusion band in Dublin presents its own set of challenges and opportunities. Naturally, wherever you go against the status quo you’re going to get some initial resistance and you need to work that little bit harder to get people invested. There’s not many, if any, other bands in Dublin right now that are doing something similar to us which is cool from a uniqueness perspective but it also forces us to think more critically about where our initial audience is. This year for example, we’ve found more success in mainland Europe than in Ireland, but that can change as we continue to grow.
Favourite Dublin venue to perform at: The Grand Social
How do each of the band members view and relate to the human condition?
We all have our own vices which remind us of our humanity. What’s most important is to accept that none of us are perfect. We’re all out here giving our best and trying to be kind to both ourselves and others in the process.