WU LYF (aka World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation) initially appeared to be an enigma of uncertain origin. Only one band photo was released, where they looked like a hipster, anarchist cult, gathered by a fire in a car park, ready for some rolling skirmishes with some riot police.
The band have retained their independence, self-recorded their first album, Go Tell Fire to the Mountain, and did not sign with any of the labels who have been falling over themselves to recruit them. Instead, they have a distribution deal with Universal Music Publishing. Music reviewers, however, have been getting exercised about whether WU LYF really is a DIY, garage phenomenon, or if they’re actually backed by a cleverly presented marketing campaign. After all, their manager has been revealed as Warren Bramley, founder of advertising firm four23.
Go Tell Fire To The Mountain eases listeners in with the calm organ build up of "L Y F". As with most of the album, there is an underlying tension to the song, with the lyrics being delivered in yelped bursts like early Modest Mouse. It seems likely the L Y F of this song stands for "Love You Forever" as that becomes the main refrain of the song, and the video they released ends with the same phrase delivered by Tupac Shakur. They come back to the same words later in the album on the track "Dirt" which closes with a rowdy looping chorus of "World Unite / Love You Forever".
The second track released by WU LYF, complete with a video, was called "Spitting It Concrete Like The Golden Sun God" (called simply "Spitting Blood" on the album). According to the NME, the combination of music and video with this release prompted Michel Gondry to start cold-calling the band to find out more.
The LP was recorded in a church and the album is inspired by weightier issues than most indie pop. Subverted religious iconography and political protests feature prominently in WU LYF videos and their website. And, across all the media they produce, they present a youthful dissatisfaction with the status quo.
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Article comments
1 - namepiece
dude, that's ODB, not 2pac... and you're a music reviewer?
2 - Geecologist
d'oh! I grew up listening to both endlessly and was so sure I recognised his voice (was watching on a tiny screen) didn't check. Thanks for pointing it out. I guess there was a clue in this band's name as well!