Yumi Zouma (l.-r. Olivia Campion, Josh Burgess, Charlie Ryder, Christie Simpson)
Photo Credit: Aaron Lee
Our music references the places we’ve been to a lot as a group (recording on Southwark St, staying in Yoncalla, etc), but the sound is definitely inspired by New Zealand. Coming from such an isolated country at the bottom of the world, your music tastes are infinitely more shaped by local bands, as they are usually the only bands you can go see live, except on rare occasions. — Charlie Ryder
per wikipedia: Yumi Zouma are a New Zealand alternative pop band from Christchurch, Canterbury. The band consists of Christie Simpson (vocals, keyboards), Josh Burgess (guitar, bass guitar, vocals, keyboards), Charlie Ryder (guitar, bass guitar, keyboards), and Olivia Campion (drums). The band’s name is an amalgamation of the two friends that encouraged the group to start writing together.
The group’s origins trace back to their history of playing concerts together in Christchurch. However, the band did not begin writing music together until multiple members moved abroad and began collaborating over email following the events of the Christchurch earthquake. This early material gained attention within the musical blogosphere and encouraged American label Cascine to sign the band before they had played live or held a band practice.
Between 2014 and 2015, the group released two extended plays (EP I, EP II). The band’s debut album Yoncalla was released in 2016, including the singles “Keep It Close To Me” and “Barricade (Matter Of Fact)”. In 2017, the band released their second album, Willowbank, and the singles “December“, “Depths (Pt. I)”, and “Half Hour”. EP III was released in 2018, including the singles “In Camera” and “Crush (It’s Late Just Stay)”. In 2020, the band signed to labels Polyvinyl Record Co. and Inertia Music, and released their third album Truth or Consequences, which featured the singles “Right Track / Wrong Man”, “Cool For A Second”, “Southwark”, “Lonely After”, and “Sage“.
Discography:
Studio albums: 4
EPs: 3
Singles: 27
Collaborations: 3
Remixes: 3
DJ Mixes: 2
One thing to share:
from Stuff:
Between tours, [the band members] barely see each other, even during recording sessions. Until very recently, Aotearoa’s foremost dream-pop quartet made most of their recordings while some members were, quite literally, dreaming.
“That’s true. Most of our early songs were made by sending audio files over Facebook Messenger or Dropbox, then editing each other’s work while they were miles away, in a different country and time zone, sound asleep.”
Official website: here
Tao Talk 
You’d think I’d know them, but I’ve just heard their name a few times.
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Do you think that quote is accurate? Do you think there is a huge difference between hearing in-person live music and listening virtually? Nowadays I don’t think as much, especially when we have music videos and can see the performers.
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We certainly had a few years of only local bands for a while in the Covid pandemic. Our bland mainstream band six60 made a lot of money with no other stadium bands for competition.
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When you say our do you mean your community’s band or you are in that band?
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Our country of New Zealand.
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Another band I reviewed last year (although I had to look it up to make sure).
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Then I’m sure I got their name from your post 🙂
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Entirely possible. I do hope to spread good music around.
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Thanks for introducing me to yet another band I had not known!
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Yay! You’re welcome!
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I like how you’re taking us lover 5he world. (K)
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🙂
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I see you got my meaning even if my typing was wacky (as it so often is…)
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I did. I’ve seen charts where half of the letters are missing but still legible. Our brains are pretty amazing gadgets aren’t they.
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Indeed they are.
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I learn about New Zealand bands from Graham usually but I don’t think he went over this band. I’m into The Beths…this band sounds really good…I’ll have to check them out more Lisa.
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Liam covered them last year and I wrote them down to cover. Not bad. I know I’ve heard The Beths but can’t remember what they sound like right now.
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You do like them…I had them on here for a power pop Friday. I like this band and most of the bands I’ve heard from there.
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🙂 ❤
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