Nilüfer Yanya – Kneel

Nilüfer Yanya returns with this four-track EP ‘Dancing Shoes’ and it is the perfect follow-up to last year’s acclaimed ‘My Method Actor’ album, with ‘Kneel’ placed right at its soul. The United Kingdom-based singer presents a strong face of vulnerability, which only serves to provide music that can be considered a personal release, accompanied by a heavenly set of arrangements.

‘Kneel’ is proof of why Yanya remains among the most exciting songwriters in the UK. The guitar work is beautiful too, cutting between delicate fingerpicking to quick, propulsive streaks that reflect the song’s emotional arc. The release retains that Ninja Tune shine, but keeps a raw closeness that suits her style.

What’s most remarkable about this EP is that it acts as a complete thought by itself, while naturally extending the themes of her last album. Yanya delves deeper into the complexities of self-reflection and human relations, yet does so with a newfound directness that strikes at the heart. Those four tracks here seem like essential pieces, not leftovers, telling another side of the story.

It comes at a perfect time for Yanya, who is about to embark on a long touring schedule that will feature many major festival appearances and high-profile support slots.