Meltdown 2025: Yukimi

There are few better places to drift into a steamy summer evening in London than the Southbank. Here the humid hubbub on the banks of the Thames continued into the belly of The Queen Elizabeth Hall. A quirk of Meltdown Festival presents all seated gigs, not something usually the setting for many of the artists on show here, but on evenings such as these it provided a welcome respite. 

Hailing from Swedish musical hotbed Gothenburg, it’s hard to imagine there were many members of the crowd who needed introducing to Yukumi. Her career now spans 20 years but this is the first time she has stood front and centre. As such, there’s a strangely familiar feel to the early throes of the performance. Both crowd and artist attempting to decipher if they are attending a Little Dragon concert or indeed something entirely new. But it doesn’t take long for those parameters to be established. 

Stepping into her own space as a premier lead vocalist, it was soon evident the evening’s show would be both personal and heartfelt. It’s through this emotion where Yukimi’s vocal prowess is  genuinely championed compared to her previous back catalogue with her long standing electronic band. Even the solitary Little Dragon song choice exemplified this new direction. Dubbing it as her favourite song, the preamble perhaps allowing the audience to wonder if it would be a previous hit such as ‘Ritual’ or ‘Twice’,  instead they were served the lesser-known ‘Pink Cloud’; it’s no coincidence this a song where the leading power is Yukimi herself. 

Once warmed up, her backing band purrs like a finely-tuned jazz quintet. Eclectic instrumental solos from each member are given their appropriate time in the light, and daring jam outs joyfully break up the performance. There is a real star in keys player Andrew Roots, who takes every opportunity he’s got to show his flare both on and off the ivories. Erik Rodin is the only remaining Little Dragon member on drums and is clearly revelling in every moment of his counterparts’ new-found front line artistic independence. Her sound is very much one we feel we know but unquestionably her own. 

Amongst it all is a Kate Bush cover, which has been pumped full of swing, snares and soul, then a delightful guest appearance from London local Lianne La Havas, who has helped Yukimi put this album together. Their voices are a perfect symphony on ‘Stream of Consciousness’ and a shame this tantalising duet only lasts one song. 

A rapturous ovation leads way to an encore where the band rightfully allow themselves to get completely lost in the musical landscape they have so beautifully crafted on the stage that evening. Those initially welcomed seats were seldom occupied anymore; a raised tempo had patrons grooving along as if in any late night jazz bar in soho. A real triumph. 

Earlier in the evening, South London-based singer Bina had paved the way with her highly rhythmic and authentically energetic performance. An incredibly powerful vocalist blending a mirage of Neo Soul, Jazz and Rap. Much like Yukimi thereafter, and the entire Meltdown line up as a whole, these two artists are carving out a space between genres and letting nothing define them. This should be no surprise when viewed through the lens of festival curator Little Simz, who could be considered on the greener side of her career when compared to previous custodians of the role. However she has done an exemplary job, as is consistent with anything she gets her hands on, in championing the avant garde of up-and-coming performers and will hopefully see Meltdown continue to push these shows towards younger audiences.