The minds behind Athens, Ga., duo Yip Deceiver got to know each other intimately while sharing the stage together in famed indie act of Montreal, but the musical kinship they felt prompted them to split off and form their own project.
“It’s rare that you find people you can collaborate with in any art medium. That’s why so many people do it alone,” Nicolas Dobbratz said. “It’s vulnerable to compromise and share your ideas with another person, so when you find some one that you can do it with and it creates something bigger than what you started with, it’s really satisfying. That’s why we really like doing it with each other.”
The music marks a fairly stark departure from the freaky, organic pop tunes of their previous home, favoring a glossier brand of electropop with an angular post-punk zip and disco thump described as “smooth punk” and “indie R&B.”
“Davey [Pierce] and I started off in punk bands, so we shared that ethic and inspiration in the genesis of a lot of our stuff,” Dobbratz said. “Like everybody, your taste evolves and you put everything together. We love pop music. We love dance music. We love R&B, too. That’s all come together into the music we make now.”
The different genres have tied together seamlessly in Yip Deceiver’s sleek debut album Medallius, which just hit shelves in mid-September. The band is touring internationally in support of the record over the next few months, including Monday’s appearance at Opolis with Pink Pony.
“This album is a pretty good example of what we’ve been working on for the past few years, but it also works great together,” Dobbratz said. “It shows where the band came from, where the band is headed and where it’s at now while still being a cohesive album.”
The record — as well as the title and concept behind it — is crafted and meant to be enjoyed as pure escapism, as are the upbeat, crowd-friendly performances that they hope people will come discover and let take them away.
“‘Medallius’ is a word we created, and it’s something we came up [with] on tour,” Dobbratz said. “You get tired and worn out, and it’s sort of a spiritual concept … creating this environment that is comfortable and fits your everyday life no matter how trying the circumstances might be.”
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