Years & Years

Years & Years has arrived.  Their debut album, Communion, was released in the US on March 4th along with their hot and sexy video for their single, Desire, which was re-mixed with additional vocal assistance from Swedish pop music darling, Tove Lo, who in the last few years has worked with Adam Lambert, Ellie Goulding and Coldplay to name just a few.

The music video is a celebration of sexuality in all it’s forms culminating with lead singer, Olly Alexander and Ms. Lo getting lost in a frenzy of tongues and limbs intertwined, joined together in a massive sensual embrace, all within the confines of Tove Lo’s loins. It’s a visually enticing video that has already reached almost 1 million views.  On the day of the album and video’s release, Mr. Alexander took to the band’s Facebook page to talk a bit about the video. “We shouldn’t have to feel scared about putting our sexualities and identities on display in all their beautiful, interlocking, multi-layered, multi-coloured glory.

“I want to be proud. Proud to shove it in people’s faces if I want to.” (See the rest of the band’s Facebook post below)

The band was formed back in 2010 with 5 members initially, British actor Olly Alexander, Mikey Goldsworthy, Emre Turkmen, Noel Leeman and Olivier Subria. However, by the time the band signed their first deal with French label, Kitsune Records, they were a trio, having lost Leeman and Subria.  A year later, the trio signed with current label Polydor Records and their first single for the label was Take Shelter, which reached #1 on the UK Singles Electronic Chart.  Their 3rd single for Polydor, King, earned the band their first official UK #1 Single and BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe selected it as his Record of the Day.  That same year the band was nominated and won the BBC Sound of 2015 award.  All of this culminated with the release of the band’s album, Communion, on July 10, 2015.  The album charted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart.  Most recently, the band received 4 nominations at the 2016 Brit Awards, including British Group & British Single for King.

And so now, the album is here in the US and the aforementioned video for Desire, a celebration of sexuality in all it’s forms, has landed as well. The music on Communion is a great blend of 80’s new wave, modern electronica, and house rhythms all with Olly Alexanders rich vocals the centerpiece to it all, a breathe of fresh air in electronic music in general.  Lyrically the album has something for everyone, but of particular interest to me is how sexy and sensual the music is and how the band does not shy away from directly addressing sexuality in the songs.  What a great time for young men and women to explore their sexuality in art and how lucky are we to witness it?

Olly Alexander’s Post to the Band’s Facebook on Release of Desire