KIRSTI BUICK
He may use questionable grammar, but aside from that, Yoav seems to have hit the nail on the head with his single “We all are dancing”. This hypnotic track is being played at listeners’ requests worldwide, and the video has had thousands of YouTube views. So what, you ask? Well, surprisingly, this guy is South African.
Well, sort of. Yoav Sadam may be Israeli-born, but the international musician is South African-bred. Which is what counts, right? His first album, Charmed and Strange, made waves overseas in 2008, but his 2010 release, A Foolproof Escape Plan, is the one that has grabbed local attention.
His hybrid heritage is not the only thing that separates Yoav from his peers. His music is also something of a blend, having been likened to the works of artists as diverse as Radiohead and Damien Rice.
Watching the guitarist live would probably be something like watching the little boy from August Rush at 30. This is because Yoav’s entire sound (aside from the vocals) is created by his guitar. His sometimes eerie melodies are created by guitar pedals, and the percussion is created by, well, banging on the instrument itself. This is probably where August got the idea.
The genre that results from this quirky blend would be best described as a mellow indie electronica with Arabic-inspired riffs. Fans of his hit single “We are all dancing”, however, may not enjoy all the tracks on A Foolproof Escape Plan. The electronica-sounding single is the only one of its kind on the album, with most of the other tracks leaning towards the indie side of his genre, relying heavily on his guitar-generated percussion. The tracks “Greed”, “Moonbike” and “Anonymous” are perfect examples of this. “Little Black Box” and “Easy Chair”, on the other hand, were definitely inspired by Yoav’s Arabic heritage, but with a dark, modern edge.
For fans of indie acts such as Imogen Heap, A Foolproof Escape Plan is a must-hear. Coincidently, Yoav is featured as Heap’s opening act on the local leg of her tour, which cam to Emperor’s Palace at the end of January. Yoav could probably have acted as Heap’s tour guide too.
However, music lovers who favour the house/pop/rock/RnB end of the spectrum might want to give this edgy album a miss.
Image: www.tuesdayguide.com
