"Sometimes I'm surprised by your level of self-absorption" – the opening line of Yung's second album could be aimed at at least half of the edgy post-punk indie scene still going strong in 2021, and while there is a degree of 'people in glass houses' and 'throwing stones' at work here, Ongoing Dispute is a solid affirmation of the Danish band's credentials.
Ironically that first song, 'Autobiography', is the best example of Yung dicing with hypocrisy and a large part of that is the self-congratulatory wordplay that aims at smart but comes off ham-fisted ("oh yeah that's a beautiful note keep playing that and I'll just go ahead and write an autobiography" could be a decent line but speaking it as a clearly contrived attempt at a droll off-the-cuff remark is just grating, I'm sorry). There's nothing to dislike about the music, however, and there is no doubt that Yung have a better handle on spidery post-punk riffs than most of their contemporaries. 'Progress' and 'Hose it Off' are exercises in exactly that, nimble guitar lines spinning introspective webs which are far too mesmeric to be accused of self-absorption, and which are deliciously topped off by vocalist Mikkel Holm Silkjær on much less jarring form.
While on the whole he does plaintive and contemplative pretty well (making the opener all the more frustrating), it's on the more straightforward rockers where things gel best – 'Above Water' is warm and fuzzy and 'Lust and Learning' is just pure good-time rock & roll. The spotlight belongs, however, to the blistering single 'Such a Man' where things slot into perfect harmony as the Shame-esque music is finally perfectly matched by a pithy Silkjær narrative.
To find Yung on Spotify takes dedication, wading through countless US rappers who couldn't be more different to the Danish group, but on the whole it's worth the scroll to reach the band's genuinely adept second album which impresses on a technical level despite the odd lyrical misstep.
Words - Joe Ponting
Yung official