Premiere: Yeo returns with the effortlessly groovy “U IN?”
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It’s been a hot minute since we last covered Melbourne-based keytar prince Yeo. Way back in 2019, Yeo released his slinking third album RECOVERY CHANNEL, a project filled with pristine R&B bops, dog-sampling songs, and shiny heartbreak ballads. But in the time since we last spoke, Yeo has still been busy putting out great music. Last year he released his first Mandarin-language song “好好的過 (Have a Nice Life)” with Taiwanese Australian singer-songwriter Chendy, which quite honestly slips into the category of nostalgic 2000s Mandopop. While Yeo could easily make the transition into Mandopop stardom, for now he’s back with a track that’s a return to form.
On “U IN?,” Yeo brings back 90s R&B production and chic charm, creating a throwback groove that feels at once nostalgic and novel. Telling the story about an “unexpected conversation leading to a potential relationship with someone that’s been in and out of your life for years,” “U IN?” is a song that drips with enough funky swag that can win anyone over. There’s an equal amount of trepidation (“Tryna fake smile when it hurts / Cause you like no songs on my mixtape / I just wanna know if I’m worth it”) and flirty energy abound (“I’m not hungry for someone new / Just wanna find out / How to get a piece of you”), carefully capturing the situation with added nuance. Amongst a flurry of reminiscent beats, Yeo’s cascading, rapid-fire verses tumble out and lull you into its polished rhythm. It’s not long before you fall under the song’s groovy spell. To top it all off, “U IN?” even ends with an immaculate keytar solo that, put simply, rules. If that’s not enough to convince you, I’m not sure what will.
So what do you think? How about it? Are “U IN?”
“U IN?” will be out on all streaming platforms this Friday, February 12th. For now, you can stream “U IN?” below.
Artist pages: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Soundcloud | Spotify
Header image taken by Vivan Vo.
Li-Wei Chu is the chief editor of From the Intercom. When he’s not editing drafts and searching for new artists to cover for the website, he loves watching cult films, cooking, and listening to his ever-growing collection of vinyl records. You can follow him on LetterBoxd and make fun of his taste in movies here!