I Ya Toyah - Out of Order

There are few projects in the industrial field that have as much pull as the self-described DIY one-woman army I Ya Toyah. Independent through and through, I Ya Toyah started from relative obscurity but has slowly gained prominence in the industrial and electronic fields thanks to a steady outpour of direct-to-fan communication, aesthetically pleasing artistry and imagery, and (more obvious than anything else) a stream of phenomenal releases. Since we last reviewed I Ya Toyah's album "Code Blue", she has blasted out remixes from The Joy Thieves, Adoration Destroyed, and Rhys Fulber; she made a goofy song surrounding her dog Benek; released a bonus single that was played on tour in 2019;  released a remix album, and covered one of her favorite Depeche Mode songs 'It's No Good'. To say that I Ya Toyah's been busy is an understatement; this is practically a full-time job for the musician and her effort has been noted by many. 



2021 sees I Ya Toyah continue her electronic domination with the "Out Of Order" EP, a five track blast of past electro influences, industrial rock beats, and hypnotic vocals. The EP starts off with the title track, 'Out of Order'. Like the lyrics that describe the mentality of someone who is confused, hurt, and paranoid, the song begins with ambient backing synths while a slight techno-esque beat dribbles. Acoustic guitar and glitchy subsets kick in as I Ya Toyah's distraught vocals come into queue. This all builds for two-minutes and fifteen-seconds until the song breaks out into an industrial dance jam combining all the prior elements. I Ya Toyah breaks out into siren-like lyrically delivery, matching perfectly with her aforementioned distraught vocals. I enjoyed the song on the first run through, however, on further plays I wished that the build-up wasn't as long and the track got to the meat faster. 

The following track, 'Concrete', is a wonderful electro-built song with some percussive elements attributed to drum'n'bass. However, those elements do not overpower the rest of the track; instead, I Ya Toyah's voice is the main instrument on this track. Clean, smooth, and hypnotizing, they outdo every single other sound found on the track. After that came a somewhat back-to-roots track that is pure industrial rock titled 'Pray'. It is a slow, ballad-like track that features ambient whispers and playful electronic notes. The highlight of 'Pray', however, is easily the chorus. This is where I Ya Toyah brings her voice to full power while a steady array of electronic drum pads and live-sounding clashes create an emotional display of electronic wonderment. 

'Death's Kiss' begins off with ambiance once more, sounding as if I had just walked into Heaven itself. That feeling dissipated within seconds as I was brought into a techno-electro track. This is one of the more silent tracks on "Out of Order" without a whole lot of oomph attached. Nonetheless, each time I reached this track I always imagined myself standing on top of a skyscraper looking over a lit-up city filled with crime and debauchery. I Ya Toyah finishes off "Out of Order" with what I think is the roughest song in her discography. 'Vast Spaces' has crunchy guitars and lyrics delivered as if they were war cries. This is balanced by sections with whispered vocals, but a fast-paced silent beat that builds straight back into the more metal-inspired segments. A crafty and well-done song that once again shows how versatile I Ya Toyah can be, this is a great way to end off the EP.

I Ya Toyah's "Out of Order" is one of those rare releases where a collection of genres is brought under one belt without ever sounding like the songs were made by different bands. Every song has a distinct I Ya Toyah feel to them and surpasses anything that she's done in the past. I also noted that the mixing and mastering is much better than what I remember hearing on "Code Blue". If this is the direction that I Ya Toyah is heading in for her next release (and hopefully next full-length album), then I am all the more excited to hear what she's going to do next. Eight out of ten. One of the most solid releases I've heard in 2021. 
Mar 20 2021