Since sharing their earliest work together, the Sydney duo –comprised of singer-songwriter Lucy Washington and producer Jake Smith –have kept this uplifting sense of euphoria at the forefront of the music they make together, regardless of what the music itself is about. “We want to make music people can sing along to and have a good time to,” they say, and in a time where the world feels constantly thrown in disruption and chaos, Yuma X’s music offers an escape –even if it’s just for a few minutes. After meeting at a high school New Year’s Eve party in 2009, their debut EP –2015’s Home Recordings –showcased the bright connection between the pair; Smith’s spare productions built to emphasise Washington’s sweeping vocals and the charm that lay within them. Clearly, the EP –alongside an earlier break-out single, a cult-adored cover of Ghoul’s ‘Swimming Pool’ –proved a success, throwing the group into the upper echelon of Australia’s growing indie-electronica world and capturing the attention of some of the genre’s titans: RÜFÜS DU SOL and ODESZA, for example, both enlisted Yuma X for national tours. Following Home Recordings, Washington and Smith stepped away from the limelight to hone in on their skills and continue writing music, eventually returning in 2019 with a pair of singles that welcome a modern-day Yuma X. In 2020, they aren’t ready to disappear again. Yuma X want to write music that makes you feel good, more than anything else.
