Tune-Yards

Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner’s pop project uses unexpected loops and Garbus’ energetic whoop to create joyous, politically charged songs that take cues from soul and funk. Garbus self-produced and self-released the first Tune-Yards project, BiRd-BrAiNs, in 2009, and the group signed to the famed indie 4AD soon after. In 2011 Tune-Yards released W H O K I L L, which catapulted them to widespread critical acclaim with songs like the churning “Bizness” and the jittery “Killa.” Nikki Nack followed in 2014, taking cues from Latin freestyle and other music of Garbus’ childhood; its exuberance led to songs like the jubilant yet politically incisive “Water Fountain” unexpectedly becoming soundtracks for commercials. Tune-Yards released I can feel you creep into my private life, which was inspired by the music of Haiti and Kenya, in 2018, and the following year the duo scored filmmaker Boots Riley’s tech-industry satire Sorry To Bother You, an ideal match for their sprawling, questioning, yet humour-tinged music. In 2021 they released sketchy., which incorporated more live instrumentation and included the swirling soul-pop ballad “hold yourself.” and the funk-dance cut “sometime.”