Yumi Zouma, the gauzy, globe-trotting indie-pop band whose three core members span the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, finally concluded their long-running EP trilogy last year with the release of the properly named EP III. And today they are back with a standalone single inspired by Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, and the departure of former guitarist Sam Perry. As explained by the band:
On EP III, we were literally finishing tracks the day before they had to be turned in and uploaded. This helped us to realise that we could release our next songs in a more direct way, and put “Bruise” out independently. The origins of “Bruise” were steeped in loss, but the track has become a beacon of optimism for us. We started writing the instrumental after our great friend Sam told us he was leaving the band and moving to Serbia. We were all distraught until Josh said, “Cheer me up guys — let’s write a song for Nelly Furtado.” Nelly never replied but we came up with a smash.
Before EP III was finished, “Bruise” was actually written but deliberately set aside. “It was way too club to ever be a Yumi Zouma song when we wrote it,” says I guitar and keyboard player Charlie Ryder Tells i.D. “I couldn’t imagine it’s on a record with other Yumi Zouma songs.” It still sounds like a Yumi Zouma song, but it’s more focused than ever before.
Listen to it below.