In keeping with the multi-genre game she began with her recent five-part single drop, Yashna is breaking brand new sonic boundaries in her latest EP, Bollyyano. And, if the title hasn’t broken it to you already, she brings a brand new sound to the fore as she cross-pollinates Amapiano rhythm, Bollywood embellishments, and sleek pop and R&B textures.
It’s the sort of genre cross you’d never think would work and yet she does it oh-so-well. The similarities between Amapiano and Bollywood music are rife within their rhythm-rooted foundations and snappy melody lines – and while Amapiano tends to err on the basis of repetitive predictability, Yasha keeps things snappy with a counterpart peppered in unexpected influence.
Opener “Hit My Line” sets the tone for pretty much everything to come. At first listen it’s hard to pick out the Bollywood influence – with high-tone percussive rhythm and snappy R&B vocals taking to the fore – but by the tail end of the track flutey melody and crooning Bollywood vocal styles infiltrate the stage.
This sort of melodic tangent persists throughout the EP – stumbling at times on the basis of similarity, as every track kicks off in largely the same vein – from the ode to self-confidence which is “Be Me”, which also drops some snappy hip-hop verses by Neo Ndawo, to “What A Time”: flutey clarion call to enjoy life as it is.
“Tell Me (Fam Edition)” brings her mother Jennifer and sister Yashwariya on board for a fleeting track, before “Say The Word”, featuring the percussive vocalism of Nish Pillay wraps things up on a percussion-heavy note – tying the ribbon on an impressive undertaking of genre experimentalism which Yashna pulls off with punchy verve.
Feature pic supplied by artist
