Yard Act: Where’s My Utopia? a new indie milestone

Leeds quartet Yard Act, after golden acclaim, returned with “Where’s My Utopia?”, mixing indie fire, hip-hop grit & disco horizons in a bold second act.

Emerging from Leeds with more than just swagger, Yard Act have swiftly evolved from post-punk provocateurs to genre-bending storytellers. Their second album Where’s My Utopia? (released 1 March 2024) marks a bold shift from the sharp minimalism of their debut to a richer, groove-driven soundscape.

Frontman James Smith trades the biting sketches of The Overload for a more introspective tone: the record explores fatherhood, exhaustion, ambition, and the question of fulfillment for a band that has already tasted success. Funk, hip-hop beats, synth pulses, and spoken-word monologues collide—on “Dream Job,” with its 80s dance vibe, or “Down By The Stream,” which turns childhood guilt into rhythm.

Produced by Remi Kabaka Jr. (of Gorillaz fame), the album expands Yard Act’s palette with disco strings and bass-heavy grooves, softening post-punk’s edges while keeping the band’s essence intact: sardonic wit, northern roots, and self-aware humor. Where’s My Utopia? suggests that maybe there is no perfect moment—only the ongoing search, and the sound of a band owning it.

At La Route du Rock 2025, on August 15 at the Fort de Saint-Père in Saint-Malo, Yard Act delivered a vibrant performance. Their fusion of dance-punk energy and introspective lyricism captivated the crowd, making it one of the festival’s defining highlights.

Genre Live Show
Production year 2025
Recording location Saint Malo (France)