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Years & Years' superb sophomore album, 2018's Palo Santo, is a dynamically realized production, rife with religious imagery and themes of sex, love, and devotion, all pulsing with a bright sense of dance club absolution. Jumping off from their BRIT Award-nominated debut, 2015's Communion, the trio of lead singer Olly Alexander and instrumentalists Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen have crafted an even more infectious collection of songs, often inspired by late-'80s and early-'90s R&B. Joining them this time out are a handful of talented producers including Kid Harpoon, Greg Kurstin, GRADES, and others. If Communion drew accolades for its deft balance of arty electronica and pop hooks, Palo Santo finds Years & Years pushing the balance toward the latter without losing any of their creative depth. A big reason for their ability to do so is Alexander, who soars throughout, his emotive, melismatic croon framed by bubbly synths, delicate piano, and insistent beats. It's a sound that brings to mind a superlative combination of Michael Jackson and Erasure's Andy Bell. It also doesn't hurt that Alexander (an openly gay man) also has a lot to say, especially about relationships, sexual desire, and how a dancefloor can be as sacred as a church. On "Hallelujah" he ruminates on a recent breakup and hits the club in search of "Somebody like you that I can move to this to/Until our bodies are singing hallelujah." With all of Alexander's religious/sexual iconography, the album feels like a revelatory bridge between Cherish-era Madonna and the work of similarly inclined contemporaries like Troye Sivan and Justin Timberlake. Without ever being too explicit, Alexander explores the nature of one's sexuality in a world that often shames people for not fitting into a specific paradigm, and how that pressure and guilt can affect relationships. As he sings on "Sanctify," "You don't have to be straight with me/I see what's under your mask/I'm a man like you/I breathe the richness of the dancers' dance." With Palo Santo, Years & Years have crafted an album that pulses with that richness.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
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John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Freeman, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kid Harpoon, Producer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Goldsworthy, Percussion, Synth Bass, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Emre Turkmen, Synthesizer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
Greg Kurstin, Producer, Drums, Percussion, Recording Engineer, Music Production, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Ralph, Producer, Additional Producer - Michael Freeman, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Julia Michaels, ComposerLyricist - Michael Goldsworthy, Percussion, Synth Bass, Electric Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Emre Turkmen, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Justin Tranter, ComposerLyricist - alex pasco, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Julian Burg, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
Greg Kurstin, Producer, Drums, Recording Engineer, Music Production, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Ralph, ComposerLyricist - Michael Freeman, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Emre Turkmen, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - alex pasco, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Julian Burg, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Hanes, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Serban Ghenea, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sarah Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Clarence Coffee Jr., Vocal Producer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Grades, Producer, Engineer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Dan Traynor, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Ralph, Producer, Mixer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Michael Goldsworthy, Synth Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Olly Alexander, Piano, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom AD Fuller, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Ralph, Producer, Mixer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Emre Turkmen, Programming, Rhythm Programming, Synthesizer Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom AD Fuller, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Thomas "Mikey" Goldsworthy, Bass Guitar, Synth Bass, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
Steve Mac, Producer, Keyboards, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Laws, Drums, Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Paricelli, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Ralph, ComposerLyricist - Michael Freeman, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Dann Pursey, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Goldsworthy, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Dan Pursey, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Hanes, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Serban Ghenea, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jesse Shatkin, Producer, Drums, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Percussion, Piano, Recording Engineer, Drum Programming, Programming, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Julia Michaels, ComposerLyricist - Justin Tranter, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Samuel Dent, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Two Inch Punch, Producer, Co-Mixer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - John Foyle, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander, Piano, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Sarah Hudson, ComposerLyricist - Michael Freeman, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Two Inch Punch, Producer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer - John Foyle, Producer, Additional Producer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer - Olly Alexander, Piano, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jonathan Hucks, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander, Producer, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
Raye, Additional Vocals, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Hal Ritson, Samples, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - James Anderson, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Stuart Hawkes, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Sharlene Hector, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Ralph, Producer, Mixer, Co-Producer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Richard Adlam, Samples, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - MNEK, Additional Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Uzoechi Emenike, ComposerLyricist - Jax Jones, Producer, Music Production, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom AD Fuller, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ross Fortune, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Timucin Lam, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
Charlie Hugall, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - MNEK, Producer, Vocals, Programming, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Uzoechi Emenike, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Adam Rust, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2019 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Ralph, Producer, Mixer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Michael Goldsworthy, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Emre Turkmen, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Alex Hope, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Michael Thomas "Mikey" Goldsworthy, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Kid Harpoon, Producer, Music Production, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Emre Turkmen, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Castelli, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander, Vocals, Mridangam, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Sammy Witte, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Thomas "Mikey" Goldsworthy, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
Greg Kurstin, Producer, Drums, Percussion, Piano, Recording Engineer, Music Production, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - John Davis, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael Freeman, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - alex pasco, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Julian Burg, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Olly Alexander, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Olly Alexander (Years & Years), MainArtist
℗ 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited
Album review
Years & Years' superb sophomore album, 2018's Palo Santo, is a dynamically realized production, rife with religious imagery and themes of sex, love, and devotion, all pulsing with a bright sense of dance club absolution. Jumping off from their BRIT Award-nominated debut, 2015's Communion, the trio of lead singer Olly Alexander and instrumentalists Mikey Goldsworthy and Emre Türkmen have crafted an even more infectious collection of songs, often inspired by late-'80s and early-'90s R&B. Joining them this time out are a handful of talented producers including Kid Harpoon, Greg Kurstin, GRADES, and others. If Communion drew accolades for its deft balance of arty electronica and pop hooks, Palo Santo finds Years & Years pushing the balance toward the latter without losing any of their creative depth. A big reason for their ability to do so is Alexander, who soars throughout, his emotive, melismatic croon framed by bubbly synths, delicate piano, and insistent beats. It's a sound that brings to mind a superlative combination of Michael Jackson and Erasure's Andy Bell. It also doesn't hurt that Alexander (an openly gay man) also has a lot to say, especially about relationships, sexual desire, and how a dancefloor can be as sacred as a church. On "Hallelujah" he ruminates on a recent breakup and hits the club in search of "Somebody like you that I can move to this to/Until our bodies are singing hallelujah." With all of Alexander's religious/sexual iconography, the album feels like a revelatory bridge between Cherish-era Madonna and the work of similarly inclined contemporaries like Troye Sivan and Justin Timberlake. Without ever being too explicit, Alexander explores the nature of one's sexuality in a world that often shames people for not fitting into a specific paradigm, and how that pressure and guilt can affect relationships. As he sings on "Sanctify," "You don't have to be straight with me/I see what's under your mask/I'm a man like you/I breathe the richness of the dancers' dance." With Palo Santo, Years & Years have crafted an album that pulses with that richness.
© Matt Collar /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 16 track(s)
- Total length: 00:53:38
- Main artists: Olly Alexander (Years & Years)
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Polydor Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2018 Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2019 Universal Music Operations Limited
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