Zinee&issei - M.U.Y.M.

Back in March, just as large parts of the world were going into lockdown, vocal duo Zinee&issei emerged with the mellow oddity ¥200. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances for any artist to be growing a fanbase, the duo have nurtured a growing following with covers and other antics on their YouTube channel. Their sophomore single M.U.Y.M. dropped digitally on August 29th.

Produced by Shaobun, who previously fulfilled the same role on ¥200 and Zinee’s solo single Mr.Lady, the release marks a change in tune from their debut. Gone are the wacky voice effects, replaced by a gospel choir reciting the irresistible hook “make up your mind”, quickly answering the question of what the titular acronym stands for. Meanwhile, Zinee&issei both perform in immaculate English.

With the aforementioned choir, the duo’s soulful delivery and Shaobun’s electric piano, you could very easily feel transported back to the ‘90s heyday of R&B. Given the contrasts in sound between M.U.Y.M. and ¥200, it will be interesting to see what other styles Zinee&issei plan to tackle on their forthcoming as-yet-untitled debut EP, due out in November.