Just at that point in the year where we’re all slowing down; burdened by the snail-like economy and piling overcommitments, Asian-Australian artist and producer Yeo echoes the complex frustrations of the mundane on his long-awaited LP TIRED. Intimately intertwined with Yeo’s own personal experiences, TIRED waxes lyrical on recurring topics that live rent-free in the cerebral producer’s headspace, ranging from human ethics to industry politics and of course the odd stab at intimacy and relationships.
Possibly the most vulnerable storytelling we’ve seen from Yeo, the genre-bending artist shares his existential take on his latest body of work which depicts an effortless mix of grungy alt-R&B and wonky pop:
“TIRED is an honest declaration, direct and all-encompassing in describing my state of existence underneath the weight of an industry that neither cares for nor holds any patience for the source of its product…Speaking of which, I write about the usual things I’ve written about in all my albums–betrayal, self-sabotage, loneliness, abandonment, my disdain for how everyone’s opinion on an artist is based on everything except the art–and I blame all the usual suspects, only this time I’ve made it spicier. Dating is a trap and making music will kill you. Maybe that’s why I’m tired.”
While indeed, the topics Yeo touches on in TIRED are not new to his repertoire, it all seems to come to a head in this sonically diverse reimagining of his various existential crises. From taking on R&B-meets-punk rock on ‘OBSESSION’; to revisiting his love of lo-fi and pop on ‘NEVER MISS’; to exposing his raw and intimate side on ballad ‘TIRED’; to grifting inspiration from the chilling soundtrack of horror video game ‘Silent Hill’ on new track additions like ‘OLD M8’ and leading single ‘CALL IT’, Yeo shows that being Tired is, more often than not, inevitably also a sign of personal growth.
“TIRED as a concept might sound negative but there are plenty of triumphs under the surface of this record, scattered like quail eggs in a deep bowl of simmering tomato stock and beef tallow. I’m proud of the in-language collaboration with Melodia Kong 孔艺弦. I’m proud of reconnecting creatively with Chris, Ollie and Tessa (Hoodlem), my lifelong friends. I’m proud of mixing every song except the titular track–Gormie smashed that one out of the park. I’m proud of releasing the whole thing in Dolby Atmos which takes the experience to another level. I’m proud of a new level of honesty, which brings equal parts cringe and excitement. I think there’s a lot of pride collected over the few long years it took to make this thing.”
In true foodie fashion, the TIRED album art features a cake made with the Hokkien dialect word sian which directly translates to ‘tired’, as a nod to Yeo’s Malaysian roots. A common phrase often used in Singapore/Malaysia/Taiwan and continues to be used in Hokkien-speaking communities around the world; for those in the know, sian somehow has the capacity to capture a complex, unspoken mix of emotions English cannot. iykyk.
“The way sian is said is onomatopoeic. It sounds like a sigh and when I say it, I feel it reverberate through my soul far more profoundly than I feel the English equivalent.”
Tiredness is a sigh; the constant repetition of problems you don’t want to face. But at the same time, it’s the feeling that reminds you what you’re fighting for and looking forward to. If you’re feeling tired right now, listen to this album and know that Yeo is right there with you in celebrating all the confusing, exhilarating, sentimental, uncomfortable ups and downs that come with being human.
YEO – TIRED LP (OUT SEPTEMBER 15, 2023)
Album artwork by Chris Yip, Yeo Choong and HS Cakes Footscray
Press photography by Leah Jing McIntosh
Dolby Atmos mixes by Yeo Choong
Stereo masters by Adam Dempsey
TRACKLIST:
1. OLD MATE
2. NEVER MISS
3. SHAKE
4. CALL IT
5. 试探 TENTATIVE FEAT. MELODIA KONG
6. JUST
7. NO MOTIVE
8. OBSESSION
9. U IN?
10. BETTER THAN YOU FEAT. HOODLEM
11. BELONG
12. TIRED
13. 试探 TENTATIVE FEAT. MELODIA KONG (KERONG EDIT)
Bunka Wave 