Yumi Zouma

Yumi Zouma are an alternative pop band from Christchurch, New Zealand. Their music is also associated with indie pop, bedroom pop, dream pop and synthpop. The group forms around Christie Simpson, Josh Burgess, Olivia Campion, Charlie Ryder and Kim Pflaum, with the lineup changing over time as members join and leave.

Formation and early development

The band begins in Christchurch, where the members play concerts together before they start writing as a group. Their name comes from the names of two friends who encourage them to begin writing together. After the Christchurch earthquake, several members move abroad and continue collaborating by email and file-sharing services. Burgess leaves New Zealand to work at the New York label Captured Tracks, and the remote writing process becomes central to the band’s early material.

Their first songs attract attention online, leading to coverage from music blogs and profile features. Before they have played live or even held a band practice, they sign to the Brooklyn label Cascine.

Early releases and touring

The band’s first release is EP I in 2014, following the appearance of the single “A Long Walk Home For Parted Lovers” on several blogs before it is quickly removed. EP II follows in 2015. During this period the band begins playing live, tours with Lorde, and works with other artists including the Swedish band Air France. They also tour extensively across Europe, Asia and North America with Jamie xx and Lower Dens.

Albums and line-up changes

Yumi Zouma release their debut album, Yoncalla, in 2016. It includes the singles “Keep It Close To Me” and “Barricade (Matter Of Fact)”. The album is put together from material finished during tours for EP II, rather than from the earlier long-distance writing process. Most of it is recorded in Paris at Philippe Zdar’s Motorbass studio, giving it a sound closer to classic synth-pop.

Their second album, Willowbank, follows in 2017, along with the singles “December”, “Depths (Pt. I)” and “Half Hour”. A limited vinyl cover version of Oasis’s (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? appears shortly before this release. The Willowbank sessions are the first time the group works together in a professional studio and lead to more organic instrumentation. Jazz musician Olivia Campion joins as a live drummer during this period. After touring for the album, guitarist Sam Perry leaves to focus on the Serbia-based project DOG Power. Christie Simpson and Sam Perry are both part of the group by 2015, with Simpson contributing vocals and keyboards.

Later EPs and albums

The band release EP III in 2018. Its singles are “In Camera” and “Crush (It’s Late Just Stay)”. Following Perry’s departure, the remaining members return to the long-distance writing method used earlier in their career.

In 2020, Yumi Zouma sign to Polyvinyl Record Co. and Inertia Music and release their third album, Truth or Consequences. The album includes the singles “Right Track / Wrong Man”, “Cool For A Second”, “Southwark”, “Lonely After” and “Sage”. A reworked edition, Truth or Consequences - Alternate Versions, follows later that year. Their fourth full-length release, Present Tense, is recorded remotely with some in-studio sessions in Los Angeles, London, Florence, New York and New Zealand.

Members and roles

At different points the band includes Christie Simpson on vocals and keyboards, Josh Burgess on guitar, bass guitar, vocals and keyboards, Charlie Ryder on guitar, bass guitar and keyboards, Olivia Campion on drums, guitarist Sam Perry, and vocalist Kim Pflaum. Pflaum helps found the group and later leaves to begin the solo project Madeira, later renamed Laumė.