coming soon: yonlu

In a few weeks, eMusic will herald the arrival of a very special record — A Society in Which No Tear is Shed is Inconceivably Medicore by Yonlu. A collection of spare, brittle, lo-fi folk songs, Society is what Caetano Veloso might sound like if he collaborated with Lou Barlow. Most of the songs sound like they were recorded on a crumbling 4-track, and some of them are interrupted by strange bursts of static and sound. Yonlu’s voice is tiny and trembling, possessing all the fragility of prime Elliott Smith. Yonlu would post these songs to various internet forums, gradually gaining a small but appreciative following.

All of this came to an abrupt halt in July of 2006, when Yonlu chose to end his life. In his suicide note, he encouraged his parents to listen to his music whenever they missed him, his songs a testament to his painfully short life. His father took the recordings to the Luaka Bop label, who compiled the best of Yonlu’s songs to create the collection that will be released in a few weeks.

Pop music has a way of allowing backstories like this to eclipse the music in question, but in Yonlu’s case, that would be cruel and unjust. The music on Society is arresting and beautiful, a testament to a young, creative mind. You can listen to a bulk of the record here, and get a glimpse into Yonlu’s sweet, humble genius.