Warp Records
Yves Tumor is an artist who refuses to be bound by convention, effortlessly weaving between genres. In recent years, they have transitioned from an ambitious and exciting talent into a genuine, multi-faceted superstar. Hot Between Worlds sees Tumor don the cape of a rock star in typically thrilling fashion as they further push the ceilings of their talents.
Tumor has come a long way from the humble lo-fi, psychedelic chillwave they espoused under the moniker Teams in the early 2010s. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Tumor’s early works resembled impressionistic sketches, brooding mood pieces full of intricate layers. Tumor’s sonic experiments culminated in 2018’s fantastic Safe in the Hands of Love, a brooding, darkly atmospheric record, edgy and menacing and fraught with tension. But Tumor was already seeking to move into bolder territory, driven by a desire to make hits.
Heaven To A Tortured Mind quenched such a thirst, transforming Tumor from someone who drew comparisons to Dean Blunt and James Ferraro to being bracketed alongside superstars David Bowie and Prince. HTATM was a welcome early pandemic treat, a futuristic blend of rock and soul emboldened by seductive, glamorous electronic arrangements. It was Tumor’s most commercially appealing work to date, without dumbing down their enormous talent, and Hot Between Worlds swims in similar, but murkier waters.
Tumor neatly surmised the record as “frantic but fun” in an interview, an apt description as they create an ecstatic blend of R&B and rock, making the Prince comparisons hold even more weight. Tumor brought in some big guns to fuse everything together, bringing in producer Noah Goldstein (who has worked with Kanye West, Frank Ocean, and Rosalia) while Alan Moulder, the unheralded god behind the 90s shoegaze scene, mixes the album. Moulder’s ability to harness thick, noisy guitars into something polished and listener-friendly is unparalleled. His touch is reflected in the record’s sound, echoing alt-rock bastions My Bloody Valentine and the Smashing Pumpkins without sounding recycled.
Tumor’s flair elevates Moulder’s signature sounds to new levels. On the haunting, gothic opener, ‘God Is A Circle’, guitars screech and squelch ominously, filling the spaces around Tumor’s voice and the panicked breaths that fill the background. ‘Lonely Sewer’ dives into the future, a propelling piece of robotic funk, ‘Operator’ is a furiously, frantic piece of noise rock, while ‘Parody’ positively hums with an eerie reverb before descending into a psychedelic squall. ‘Meteora Blues’ is built around evolving guitar parts, drifting from its acoustic beginnings into a fantastically fuzz-filled chorus, engaging in some slinky, melodic breakdowns in between.
The crunchy guitars add to the gritty atmosphere Tumor revels in, but they also demonstrate the inner strutting pop star. The captivating, reverbing bassline on warped electronica of ‘Heaven Surrounds Us Like A Hood’ gives way to a glorious, almost angelic chorus, but Tumor’s falsetto is haunting. ‘Echolalia’ is a highlight, the syncopated drumming and pulsing bassline creating a disco stomp, while Tumor creates hooks out of elongating and stretching syllables. Even when treading amongst the darkness, Tumor’s pop sensibilities reign supreme.
Tumor described the album’s title as “playful” and “not meant to be taken seriously”, but lyrically they explore themes of spirituality. On ‘In Spite of War’ they sing about being “Dressed in the devil’s clothes”, while the closer ‘Ebony Eye’ is more ethereal: “On heavens stairs, her eyes wanted a kiss/No cause for shame, beloved saint”. Such spirituality is encapsulated in ‘Fear Evil Like Fire’, where Tumor sings, “heaven is a place that we all have”, suggesting heaven isn’t some transcendent land but rather a sense of peace and well-being that lurks inside us.
‘Purified By the Fire’ shows Tumor isn’t fully ready to abandon their noisy, experimental roots, placing a big horn sample over some stuttering, industrial breakbeats- it feels almost like a Björk track, and a nod to those who’ve been following their work from the start. Tumor’s sound has accelerated and developed, but their music remains rooted in the moods Tumor sketches. Hot Between Worlds may not be as startling as Safe in the Hands of Love or have the glittery glamour of Heaven To A Tortured Mind, but the viscous atmosphere and Tumor’s shapeshifting vocal tones make it as equally engaging.