Yakul, whom we have featured on the blog (here) previously, have just dropped a new song they call ‘Company’. The Brighton based neo-soul collective made the announcement per this new offering at the beginning of the month. Renowned for their impressive live performances, Yakul have long been a staple of London’s neo-soul scene. LA-based songwriter/musician/producer Sam Barsh, helped co-produced the song. The group had the following to say about the song:

“Company is about having an infatuation with someone who’s super unhealthy for you but every time you see them you get caught up in the game. The power dynamic keeps shifting back and forth until you finally manage to drag yourself out and back to reality. We’ve had this song for about 18 months now, which is generally longer than we usually sit on a tune for, but we wanted to wait until the right moment to put it out.”

With influences like J-Dilla, D’Angelo and Hiatus Kaiyote, Brighton based four-piece Yakul cut an idiosyncratic figure in British music. Marrying introspective emotive lyrics with deep grooves and jazz-infused progressions, they’ve created a sound that is matchless in its depth and its voracious fusion of styles and vibes across the musical spectrum. Yakul have picked up a growing reputation on the live circuit, further cementing their status at the forefront of the international resurgent neo-soul movement. Their debut EP Getting Late was released in August 2019 with support from tastemakers. The lead track ‘Blossoming’ off the EP was voted #6 Track of the Year on the prestigious Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards 2020. In addition, the band was also nominated for the Best Jazz Act of the Year at the Urban Music Awards.

The band consists of James Berkeley (vocals and keys), Tom Caldwell Nichols (bass), Sam Hughes (drums) and Leo Utton (guitar), all session level players who have created an excellent live show. Yakul performed multiple times at legendary jazz club Ronnie Scotts in London in 2019, alongside some key UK festival performances including Love Supreme and On Blackheath, and supports including Joel Culpepper and RC and the Gritz (Erykah Badu’s band).

You cab stream Company on Soundcloud, Apple Music and Deezer whilst the band can be contacted on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.