Yumi Zouma Announces New Album Willowbank for October 2017 Release and Share New Song “December”

New Zealand indie pop quartet Yumi Zouma have announced their new album Willowbank and shared the saxophone driven lead single, “December.” The album, which is the band’s sophomore LP, will be released on October 6, 2017 through Cascine. The record was recorded in their home country, specifically one of the few remaining “semi-damaged” buildings in the central district of Christchurch.

The first single from the album is in part influenced by the feeling the band had in returning to their home to create a new record – “December” refers at least in part to the feeling in New Zealand around the holidays and New Year, something guitarist Josh Burgess says “is a distinct feel from Christmas to the end of January. Things shut down. It has a calming presence, it’s very peaceful.” With sugary-sweet vocal melodies and a charming saxophone lead, the song reflects that sentiment perfectly.

Willowbank follows on the heels of the band’s debut LP Yoncalla, which was released after a four-song EP in 2014. The band is unique in that upon releasing their debut EP, they didn’t really see themselves as a proper band. Despite this loose affiliation, the EP drew interest from booking agents and publicists who eventually convinced the members to turn Yumi Zouma into a full-fledged band. Willowbank certainly appears to be the chance for the band to take a leap from moderate underground success to becoming a household indie name.

Willowbank Tracklist:

1. Depths (Pt. I)
2. Persephone
3. December
4. Half Hour
5. Us, Together
6. Gabriel

The band will also be embarking on a United States tour in the fall. The tour will come just after the release of the new album, and finds the band traversing the West Coast and East Coast. The tour kicks off at Los Angeles’ intimate Bootleg Theater in Historic Filipinotown, and concludes up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with a show at Smiling Buddha.

Yumi Zouma Tour Dates:

10/18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater
10/19 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
10/21 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza
10/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
10/24 – Washington, DC @ U Street Music Hall
10/25 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
10/26 – Boston, MA @ Lilypad
10/27 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz
10/28 – Toronto, ON @ Smiling Buddha