Fat Bass Lines and Wild Drums are Back Baby!

By Tobias Lodish

After three years of waiting, musical chameleon Yves Tumor released their long awaited album Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds).

On Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds), Tumor's songwriting continues to be pungent and to the point. Their angelic and impassioned voice packs all the punch, delivering often simple lyrics yet in the most emotionally impactful way imaginable.

Throughout the album, Tumor draws energy from 70s funk and teeters on the edge of experimental noise rock, but directs it into the future, beautifully crafting another exceptional album that will certainly stand the test of time.

Tumor in a photoshoot for AnOther Magazine earlier this year

Tumor, whose real name is Sean Bowie, was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, and began playing music at the age of sixteen to escape their "dull, conservative environment," as stated in an interview with Dazed magazine. They learned how to play the keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums on their own. Tumor, who has described their upbringing in Tennessee as “terrible”, left the state at the age of 20, first going to San Diego and then, after graduation, Los Angeles, and then fianlly to Turin, Italy, where they currently live.

The album begins with “God Is a Circle” a track that starts with a literal scream and a bass line that is so strong it feels like a guitar riff. Tumor's stinging voice cuts through it all, delivering vivid lyrics that range from heartbroken to heartless; setting the stage for an album that, as local Portland musician Basil DiBenedetto describes, “consistent but at the same time unique. It works really well from start to finish.”

Every sound on Hot Between Worlds enters and exits its song so palpably you can see it with your own eyes. The wall of guitar distortion that kicks in on the chorus of “Meteora Blues”, one of the many standout tracks, only lasts a few moments each time, but it is such an intoxicating sound that once you hear it, you spend the rest of the song yearning for it to return.

Tumor continues to draw musical inspiration from far and wide. The influence of Drum and Bass on their sound in songs like “Operator” is clear. The drum machine and almost whiny tone that Tumor’s voice takes on here invokes the dingy and dank club at the beginning of the Matrix.

On the penultimate track of the album, “Purified By The Fire” the sound of the album shifts completely to a chopped and screwed influenced hip hop song that slowly builds into a deep electronic dance song, then into an intimidating mountain of music so high that it feels impossible to see over. The production is so intricate throughout this whole process that you can hardly remember that “Purified By The Fire” has no lyrics.

Tumor's previous album, Heaven To A Tortured Mind, has been on repeat endlessly in my headphones and car since its release in 2020. And for good reason. Tumor’s songs feel like pop music for the future - each song a puzzle that slowly opens itself up after each listen. I know that after only a handful of listens of Hot Between Worlds, it will continue to grow on me in just that same way.

Tumor uses both they/them and he/him pronouns. For consistency, this article only uses they/them.