Yuuf are a London-based instrumental quartet whose members hail from four different countries: Switzerland, Denmark, France, and England. With releases on Ninja Tune and Technicolour, they naturally blend their diverse tastes from around the world (see below) to shape the sound of their dreamlike, sun-streaked rich and organic music.
Talk about dreamlike, Yuuf's viral live performance of their EP, In The Sun — which was filmed and recorded in the forest in Surrey Hills — is real chill and groovy. It's also a "shining" (get it?) example of how bands can make incredible, creative multipurpose content, both on a budget, and literally, anywhere.
In fact, in our chat, the band talks about how their "dream" is to bring portable recording gear on the road with them and produce sessions everywhere they go, people's homes, nature, parking lots; anywhere but a traditional studio it seems. Part of the idea is to capture the unique sounds of different spaces, and to try a more relaxed approach to recording.
I think it's a fab idea!
Here's our conversation. Follow Yuuf on Bandsintown and catch them live on tour in 2026.
H: Hey Yuuf boys, congrats on the TWO EPs you launched last year! Why did you decide to stretch the songs out across two EPs as opposed to combining them into a long playing record?
Yuuf: "Alma’s Cove and Mt. Sava to us are like sisters. They are entirely connected yet represent two completely different worlds. We were writing them simultaneously, but the music that was coming out felt like it represented two different landscapes and we wanted to let the listener fully immerse themselves in one world at a time."
Alma’s Cove to us has this tropical relaxed easy feeling and Mt. Sava is more of a cruise through the desert."
H: Your music feels like it’s on the verge of “jamming” — or vamping, grooving, vibing, whatever you might call it — and yet it’s tight and so well put-together. How do your songs come together generally?
Yuuf: "The songs come together in many different ways, all of them are written collaboratively with all members. Usually there will be an idea for a groove, a melody, or a harmony and then the band will jam that idea and develop it into a piece. The songs can have that quality of jamming you are describing since it is a big part of the creation process but once we discover the parts we like to really hone in on them."
"The song makes me dance when we play it. I'm always tripping on my guitar cable two-stepping around the stage, so I can miss a few notes here and there! But it’s worth it for the dance!"
H: How did the In The Sun live session in Surrey Hills all happen? How did the recordings end up sounding so crisp in that setting? (I’m thinking about the sound the generator must’ve been cranking up!)
Hugo Cottu: "First of all thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed how it sounds! That video truly starts with our Director, Tom Ewbank. We’ve been fans of his work for a while. We contacted him about playing our full EP in the woods. Lucky for us he agreed and took care of the location, video, and planning for us. A real MVP."
For sound, I took all the microphones, cables, stands, and interfaces I have in the studio and brought it there. I was lucky to have Valentina Ahlmark assist me that day to engineer. The rest came down to luck! It wasn’t a windy day, the sun was out, I think we played pretty well so it translated nicely in the recording!"
As we didn’t have the biggest expectations for how it would be received, I mixed it very quickly on my airpods (which I usually never do), but somehow I feel like it’s some of my best mixing, because I didn’t feel any pressure! Now mixing when we see there’s an audience is more daunting, but still fun!"
For the generator, Oli managed to find an electric one that we rented, it didn’t make any noise. About 500W, so we had to turn off everything in between takes to make sure we still had enough power for the full day of recording!! I used a battery Roland Guitar Amp to have less stuff draining the battery."
It was a great day!"
H: What would you call your genre?
Yuuf: "Global Psychedelia."
H: In terms of crafting your sound, where have you taken inspiration from?
Andrin Haag: "Kabeção for my handpan playing. Manu Delago for approaches to percussion composition and live performance ideas."
Anthony Boatright: "A lot of Soul, Motown, Afrobeat, Dub, Rock and Ambient music. Soul, Motown wise bass players like Joseph Lucky Scott & Willie Weeks. Afrobeat would be anything Fela Kuti related & Ebo Taylor related. Rock would be Yo La Tengo, bass players like Jack Lawrence (Dead Weather) and Mishka Stein (Patrick Watson). Ambient music would be composers like Hiroshi Yoshimura."
Hugo Cottu: "For the last 2 records we put out I was very inspired by Spanish classical & flamenco music. Trying to incorporate Francisco Tarrega, Isaac Albeniz, Paco de Lucia in songs like 'Calima,' 'Mesa Mesa.' I also listened to a lot of African music, like congolese artist Franco (TP OK Jazz), Ebo Taylor (Ghana), Ali Farka Toure (Mali), Hailu Mergia (Ethiopia) heard in Alma’s Cove and 'Into The Blue.' They are also influenced by Japan, Studio Ghibli soundtracks, Haruomi Hosono and some love for Turkey, Sezen Aksu and Gaye Su Akyol! The list goes on…"
For live performances I always love watching Mac deMarco perform. The music is amazing and his stage presence is great!"
Oli Overgaard: "I am always watching live performances on the big open internet and there are so many amazing and incredibly inspiring performers out there. Seeing acts like La Lom, Ay Say, or Cochemea fills me with fun ideas for stage and ways to develop my sound."
"Maybe we can rethink how music is recorded. Instead of going into a studio where you feel pressed for time, we could take the studio around to places where we feel relaxed and record there. Each room sounds different. There’s something nice about that idea."
H: Are there songs from either this or past records that trip you up playing live?
Andrin Haag: "This question made me laugh! For me it‘s not the songs themselves but rather the transitions between. If I don’t place one of my instruments in the exact spot I need them in the next song, I‘ll be in reeeal trouble."
Anthony Boatright: "'Moon Dive' did a few times as the delay pedal I recorded with, stopped working, and I started using a new delay pedal, which has a whole different set up and feel to it. So there’s a few rehearsals and shows where it took me some a bit of time to nail it."
Hugo Cottu: "'Open At Noon!' The song makes me dance when we play it. I'm always tripping on my guitar cable two-stepping around the stage, so I can miss a few notes here and there! But it’s worth it for the dance! I need to get myself some of them bluetooth cables."
Oli Overgaard: "It is changing every now and again. Sometimes you get to a point of comfortability with a song and it feels so natural and relaxed that on stage you start questioning it and how to play it and then it trips you up haha."
H: How do you approach loud stage environments and festivals differently from intimate concert environments where folks are fully tuned in to your sound?
Yuuf: "We cover a big dynamic spectrum and make sure to give space to gentle songs, but also play our loud and epic tunes when the space allows. We‘re very big on energy management when we‘re crafting our live set, both our own and importantly the crowd‘s energy."
We also try to make the crowd feel like they are part of the act by engaging with them. Come experience it!"
H: What do you like to do on your days off on tour?
Andrin Haag: "Speak to my family on the phone, walk barefoot in the grass, explore the place I‘m in, eat too much ice cream."
Anthony Boatright: "Catch up with people close to me, play some bass, walk, see some cool places and eat some good food! Try to keep a normal routine similar to home as travelling a lot which is amazing, can sometimes be hard."
Hugo Cottu: "I walk a lot around the city. I always want to first visit the center of the cities. For the most part you can get a sense of the culture, the food, the history. Though staying aware that it can also be a tourist trap! But like this, I’ve done it, so the next time we are in that city we get to go to other neighbourhoods!"
Oli Overgaard: "Explore the city and try to see some nature and some ice cream. Currently looking for a frozen yogurt spot, but they all seem to have vanished somehow."
H: I read somewhere that you would like to bring along studio gear on the road with you and record in people’s homes in different countries. I’ve honestly never heard an idea like that and it’s AWESOME. Fully on board with that. But why is this the vision?
Yuuf: "We haven’t yet been able to do that! Hopefully in the near future that could be a fun way to make a record. Definitely a dream of mine (Hugo). We are quite independent when it comes to recording our music. We don’t need too much gear, I think our live sessions in nature locations showed us that. We can take the studio gear with us in random locations and still have some cool sounding records!"
So with that in mind, maybe we can rethink how music is recorded. Instead of going into a studio where you feel pressed for time, we could take the studio around to places where we feel relaxed and record there. Each room sounds different. There’s something nice about that idea. Though it still needs to be realized. Let’s see if we can make it happen!"
"It’s always an incredible moment to meet the people that listen to our music. After every show we come and meet any audience member that wants to have a chat."
H: Is touring important for your band right now?
Yuuf: "It‘s absolutely essential! This way we connect with audience members in person and share a unique moment together. It’s always an incredible moment to meet the people that listen to our music. After every show we come and meet any audience member that wants to have a chat. It’s a great time! We also need to be doing this to get our music heard out there, in as many different places as possible."
Bring a friend if you‘re coming down! xx"
H: As a fan, who are some artists you’ve seen play live recently that have blown you away?
Andrin Haag: "Danish duo Svaneborg Kardyb! They‘re such tasteful players and skilled performers."
Hugo Cottu: "I went with Andrin to see Svaneborg Kardyb and that show was quite magical!"
Anthony Boatright: "In Warsaw, we saw this jazz band rehearsing in the venue we were playing at, didn’t get their name but was blown away and excited about what I heard and saw!"
Oli Overgaard: "We are currently on tour supporting Skinshape and their sound and tastefulness love is amazing! Very inspiring."
H: What’s your favorite post-concert food to eat?
Andrin Haag: "Hmmm, probably a falafel wrap?"
Anthony Boatright: "Beef quesadilla in North America yaaaah!!! Chicken and chips, fruit, dark chocolate, nuts in Europe."
Hugo Cottu: "Falafel wrap when in Europe. Mexican food when in North America!"
Oli Overgaard: "The ever-elusive frozen yogurt."
H: What’s the most beautiful thing in the world?
Andrin Haag: "The sky! (And ice cream, of course!)"
Anthony Boatright: "The sky and seeing people laugh."
Hugo Cottu: "Sunny sky, beach by the sea, good music, friends and family, good food!"
Oli Overgaard: "To have an afternoon nap in the sun on a beach surrounded by cocktails."
H: So that's three for "sky" and one for "drunken napping," got it!
Yuuf 2026 Tour Dates
MAY 12 — Norwich, United Kingdom @ Skinshape at Norwich Art Centre (+Yuuf Support)
MAY 13 — Bristol, United Kingdom @ Skinshape at The Lantern (+Yuuf Support)
MAY 14 — London, United Kingdom @ Skinshape at Shepherd's Bush Empire (+Yuuf Support)
MAY 16 — Poole, United Kingdom @ Skinshape at The Lighthouse (+Yuuf Support)
MAY 20 — Xi Cheng Qu, China @ Omni Space
MAY 21 — Shanghai, China @ 万代南梦宫上海文化中心
MAY 22 — Guangzhou, China @ Mao Livehouse
MAY 23 — Shenzhen, China @ HOU
JUN 27 — Bogliasco, Italy @ Boem Festival 2026
JUL 01 — Montréal, QC @ Montréal Jazz Festival 2026
JUL 07 — Washington, DC @ Pearl Street Warehouse
JUL 08 — South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
JUL 09 — Portland, ME @ Portland House of Music
JUL 12 — Sainte-Julie, QC @ Hydro-Québec Stage 2026
JUL 25 — Niigata, Japan @ Fuji Rock Festival 2026
OCT 18 — Bristol, United Kingdom @ Trinity Centre
