YAK TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM ‘PURSUIT OF MOMENTARY HAPPINESS’, LISTEN TO NEW SINGLE ‘FRIED’

Yak had blazed a trail through the indie rock scene with their debut album ‘Alas Salvation’ and ended that era of their career with a landmark show at London’s Scala. Burslem and drummer Elliot Rawsonwere eager to make a second record, but bassist Andy Jones departed for a new life in Australia. A chance meeting with Jay Watson from Tame Impala’s touring band resulted in Burslem hatching a plan to rehearse together in Melbourne before quickly recording the album at Tame mainman Kevin Parker’sstudio in Perth – with Burslem stopping in Tokyo to focus on writing.

It didn’t work out. Burslem returned to the UK with no home, no money and no album. 18 hazy months passed, during which Yak found their new bassist Vinny Davies and then a fresh focus. Yak were introduced to Spiritualized chief Jason Pierce through his bandmate John Coxon, and Pierceencouraged them that they still had something worth pursuing. That resulted in a new deal with Virgin EMI, and Burslem committed to sorting out his personal situation… just as soon as he’d finished the album.

They headed to RAK Studios with producer Marta Salogni (Björk, Django Django) and spent 10 hectic days recording 29 songs, 11 of which feature on the album. Burslem then withdrew to a small home studio with Pierce to apply some finishing touches. Pierce added slide guitar and vocals to the finale‘This House Has No Living Room’, which sails out on Burslem’s field recording of birdsong. Against all advice, his dedication resulted in one final trip, this time to New York to completely remix the album.