Alienation in the West, Yung share introspective ‘Friends On Ice’.

Through a veil of hypnotic instrumentation, Yung are on a search for human emotion.


The introduction to Friends On Ice reverberates like the switching on of machinery, the transfer of emotion through engagement or the wheel of cognitive thought ahead of comprehension. The thought-provoking new single by Danish collective Yung is cut from their upcoming LP which arrives this month on PNKSLM Recordings.

The instrumental repetition and momentum that Yung develop in the track seems to embody grief itself, allowing a contemplative and confessional lyrical delivery to drift ghostlike through the mix. On the subject of lyricism, vocalist and songwriter Mikkel Holm Silkjær explains, “It’s a song about alienation, loneliness and the immediate remedies we, as individuals in western society, turn to when confronted with pain or struggle.”

Previous singles taken from the band’s upcoming record – Such a Man and Above Water – offer a more combative and dynamic post-punk sound, which reveals Friends On Ice as a unique feat and a perfect album closer. Mikkel Holm Silkjær reiterates, “Capitalism promotes individualism, which makes a lot of people think they have to deal with issues and problems in life on an individual level, when often we’d be much better off if we dealt with things on a collective level.”

The sophomore record by the Aarhus quartet is entitled Ongoing Dispute and arrives January 22nd. Fans of earlier material Ought, the sincere lyricism of LUMER or the crashing instrumentation of Preoccupations will find a lot to love here. Find Yung on Spotify here.

Words by Karl Johnson. Photo by Daniel Hjorth.