Frenchman Pierre-Alexandre Busson, Yuksek’s sole member, admitted that the majority of songs on his romantic Living on the Edge of Time, released on Valentine’s Day, were written all alone in between the wings of a plane or above winding train tracks. As such, the album often comes off a little solemn. The opening lines of “On a Train,” sung out in a Wombats-style Britpop accent, are sad a self-deprecating: “Thanks, I’m fine, but I’ve nothing to give.” With a tone like this, Yuksek’s sophomore official release brings the new era of dance-pop music a darker, TV on the Radio-esqe twist.
“The Edge” starts off with Art Tatum-style jazz that quickly fades, only to be replaced by a jeering but silvery repeat of lyrics that inspire the LP’s title. The line “I’m in living on the edge of time” is enjoyably repetitive and intercut with other lyrics seemingly inspired by the moments of life that seem to pass by too quickly. Yuksek croons, “How was the night? / Where did you go? / How was the fight? / Was it someone I know?”
Other tracks, like “Miracle,” are reminiscent of the partially-spoken lines of LCD Soundystem frontman James Murphy, full of repetition and build. This technique shifts focus to Yuksek’s lyrics, highlighting the album’s strongest and most haunting feature. Though the lyrics shine, Yuksek deftly combines instrumentals and even camera work in his music videos. The video release of the track “On a Train,” stays true to the song’s name: it pans the camera into a train compartment, where Yuksek sits with a woman. The video reveals their journey through a landscape sometimes pastoral, sometimes vividly tinted in fluorescent hues. As for the song’s lyrics, the narrator plainly lays out his discontent over not living on a train—he might as well sing “wanderlust / wanderlust / wanderlust” over and over.
Until recently, Yuksek has been primarily known for remixes, in particular a heavily screwy, electronic remix of Lady GaGa’s “Paparazzi,” as well as “Tonight,” another electro-inspired track of his own creation. With the release of Living on the Edge of Time, it seems as though Yuksek decided to turn to pop and try his hand at penning lyrics. Unsure where to start, Yuksek draws inspiration from the clever but disbanded LCD Soundsystem, makes a handful of nods to New Wave artists like The Cure, and only succeeds in creating an album to be enjoyed while driving through the lava flow of headlights or promenading on the weekends.
Voice’s Choices: “Always on the Run,” “Miracle”
