One record at a time: 487. Yello - Yell40 Years

When I reviewed the second Yello compilation "Essential" a few weeks ago, I finished by saying that there was a better compendium of the band's work to come, and here it is. "Yell40 Years" was released in 2021 and pressed onto two flawless chunks of vinyl by Optimal in Germany. Whilst most of the band's well known works are here, this isn't a simple "Greatest Hits". Some might say the track selection is a little eccentric, but Yello have always taken delight in throwing us a curve ball. 

We start naturally enough with the band's first single "Limbo" and follow up with their first big hit "Bostich (Ne'st-ce Pas?)". I particularly like the deep bass on the latter track, but the cut of the records is so sympathetic it simultaneously manages to preserve the definition in the distinctive percussion breaks. 

Whilst the first disc continues to move in a broadly chronological order, everything abruptly resets in the transition to the second disc. For some reason we we move from a live version of "The Race" recorded in 2017 to "Desire" — a song that was released over thirty years earlier. The second disc then plays a rather eclectic selection of tracks that concentrate far too heavily on the band's post millennium output for my taste. Also thrown into the mix are a bonus track from the box set of their last studio album "Point" and a couple of songs that were previously exclusive to other compilations. 

Whilst I'm not mad about the off kilter approach to the second half of the album, "Yello40 Years" still holds my interest. I just think it is a shame that fantastic tracks such as "Dr Van Steiner", "Call It Love" or even "Planet Dada" are excluded at the expense of limper efforts such as "Starlight Scene" or "Meet My Angel".

The sound of these discs is pretty immense and there's no better way for the uninitiated to experience Yello. Think of "Yell40 Years" as a dégustation menu: small, hand crafted selections from Switzerland's finest sonic chefs. Not every course will be an exact match for your palette, but you will experience wonderful sensations and be pleasingly replete by the end. 4/5

One record at a time: 486. Yello - Point

During the COVID pandemic there were few good things happening in the world, so when I saw Yello were about to release their new album as a boxed set that wasn't already sold out, I decided to treat myself. As well as a standard CD and a live Blu-ray, the box contains a picture disc which I haven't yet played as I've always consumed this album via digital files and left the box unmolested. From what I have read the picture disc isn't exactly a dynamic listening experience anyway so I might have to invest in a standard black vinyl edition at some stage.

There's no standing on ceremony here as the boys get straight down to business with single "Waba Duba" which is classic Yello fare and rather pleasing as a result. "The Vanishing of Peter Strong" is an amusing tale of the titicular character's journey into another universe. To my ears the music sounds like it was partially created using the Yellofier mobile app, but I haven't seen a source to confirm this. Whilst I'm intrigued by an app that transforms sampled sound into 'funky music', it is only available on the Apple AppStore so I probably won't get to investigate it further.

"Way Down" is a funky stomp that you may find yourself humming along to and the riff on "Out of Sight" is irresistible. I love the melody on "Arthur Spark" and the lyrics of "Big Boy Blues" are interesting—even if the faux rock isn't completely to my taste. At this point it occurs to me that the songs on the first side of the record are really distinctive and catchy. The anonymous and sombre jazz of their more recent albums seems to have been jettisoned along with the guest vocalists and Yello have found themselves once again. 

The polyrhythms and heavy bass of "Basic Avenue" sound remarkable and Dieter's heavily modified vocal provides the icing on the cake. "Core Shift" is suitably electronic but there is also some nice guitar work that harks back to their seminal work "Baby". The TR-909 hit hats of "Spinning My Mind" come as a bit of a shock when you have become accustomed to hearing Boris’s acoustic drum samples but they do provide some energy. "Hot Pan" is a driving number with a cool vocal and whilst "Rushing for Joe" threatens to stray into jazz territory, it does redeem itself with some funky guitar. Unfortunately we do encounter one dreary track with a guest vocalist in the form of "Siren Singing", but even this doesn't drag down the wonder of what we have already heard.

When I hear this album I almost want to exclaim, "Yes! Dieter is back" and celebrate the fact that the anonymous female vocals and lounge jazz have been eradicated. If any of their recent output is to be considered a 'return to their roots' then surely it must be "Point". 4/5

One record at a time: 485. Yello - Toy

After a seven-year hiatus, Yello finally re-emerged in 2016 with the album "Toy." Having had my fill of downtempo jazz from its predecessor, I wasn’t expecting much from this record. However, when I heard it, I was pleased to find some of the joy had returned to Yello. While there’s still a fair amount of jazzy influence woven throughout, something feels different this time.

Right from the outset, "Frautonium Intro" reassures us that things will be more electronic. As is customary on Yello albums, we launch straight into the lead single, "Limbo" where Dieter’s voice is backed by the usual brass stabs and syncopated percussion, but there’s also a driving kick drum and an analogue synth burbling away, making the song especially engaging.

The album then moves into several tracks featuring guest vocalists rather than Dieter. In fact, the majority of tracks here include a female vocalist in some capacity—a direction I’m not particularly fond of. We have to wait until the third song on the B-side before something more interesting emerges, though even "Tool of Love" features female backing vocals.

"Give You The World" stands out with its triple time signature, giving it an edge I really enjoy. "Dialectical Kid" offers enough aural candy to keep things interesting, but by this point, the wispy female vocals are starting to grate.

Further in there’s a superb instrumental, "Pacific AM" but the highlight of the second disc is undoubtedly "Blue Biscuit". This track is proof that the fun is back—Boris sounds like he’s enjoying himself again. Alongside his crooning vocal, we’re treated to trademark thunderclaps and a funky rhythm guitar that propel the song to great success. As the record draws to a close, "Magma" delivers perfect sound design that really leaps from the speakers. "Lost In Motion" brings a contemporary pop feel while retaining Yello’s DNA, and we round things out with the analogue synth textures of "Frautonium". 3/5

One record at a time: 484. Yello - Touch Yello

I’ve always been a bit uncertain whether this album is officially titled "Touch" or "Touch Yello", but most sources seem to favour the latter, so I’ll stick with that. Over the years, I’ve collected the original CD, the later "deluxe" edition, and even splurged on the "15th Anniversary" vinyl repress in 2025. In my eagerness, I ordered the double LP directly from Universal in Germany—paying a hefty shipping fee rather than waiting for the free postage option from Amazon. Lesson learned.

Let me start by acknowledging the album’s technical excellence: the mixing and mastering are top-notch, and Boris delivers his signature production polish. However, something is missing. The songs here lack bite, humour, or joy. The overall effect is one of style over substance—everything is finely polished but lacks any character.

Yello’s fondness for swing and lounge influences is evident, especially on tracks like "Till Tomorrow", "Electric Flame" and "Vertical Vision" which feature jazz trumpeter Till Brönner. For me, these instrumentals come across as rather vapid.

Boris lends his vocals to "Tangier Blue", "Trackless Deep" and "Kiss In Blue" but they are all tame efforts. The only song that truly channels classic Yello energy is "Friday Smile" yet even here, Dieter Meier’s vocals sound somewhat disengaged.

Several tracks feature a vocalist named Heidi Happy, but unfortunately these songs don’t leave much of an impression. "Stay" stands out with a memorable melody, but it’s a rare highlight in an otherwise unremarkable collection. Boris resorts to reviving the classic single "Bostich", but this modern rendition feels out of place amid the album’s subdued jazz leanings.

The opener, "The Expert," and "Part Love" are the only tracks I find genuinely worthwhile.  Ultimately, this is a record I own for the sake of completeness, rather than genuine enjoyment. 1/5

One record at a time: 483. Yello - The Eye

In 2003 Yello released "The Eye". I originally bought the album on compact disc, but I acquired this double LP when it was released in 2021. As with all of the Yello re-pressings from the period, the sound quality here is excellent and the packaging is of a high standard.

The album opens with “Planet Dada”, where Boris and Dieter aim for avant-garde experimentation with impenetrable lyrics, yet they inadvertently deliver a masterful piece of electronic music. “Nervous” follows, evoking the classic Yello sound and a faint promise that the duo could be reconnecting with their roots on this album.

Boris’s fascination with Latin rhythms resurfaces on “Don Turbulento”, but the detached vocals of Jade Davies (aka Heidi Pfau) feel mismatched and dampen my hopes for the album. Jade’s pop-oriented vocals also feature on “Junior B” which closes out the first side, but again, they don’t quite fit the band’s signature style.

"Tiger Dust" offers us yet another example of Boris sampling various phonemes and sprinkling them over a clever dance beat— though the concept remains underdeveloped. Unfortunately, Jade Davies returns on “Distant Solution” and “Time Palace” but her vocals increasingly clash with the prevailing bossa nova beats. The side concludes with the uninspired jazz of “Hipster’s Delay”, marking a disappointing end to side B.

The second disc offers “Indigo Bay”, a percussion-driven instrumental that’s pleasant but unremarkable. After one final vocal appearance from Jade on “Unreal”, the album regains momentum with the slick instrumental “Bougainville”. At this point, Dieter’s absence becomes noticeable, raising questions about his role in the latter half of the album. The penultimate track, “Star Breath” is forgettable, but the closing remix of “Planet Dada” brings Dieter back into the spotlight, ending the album on a high note. 2/5

One record at a time: 482. Yello - Motion Picture

I was aware that Yello had released a new album in 1999, but acquiring a copy proved surprisingly difficult. Eventually, I managed to find a compact disc with an import sticker, which left me wondering: had Yello become so obscure that their albums were no longer released in the UK, or were they so popular that domestic copies had sold out? To this day, I’m still unsure—though I suspect the former is true.

Like much of Yello’s back catalogue, "Motion Picture" finally saw a vinyl release in 2021. This double album marks its debut on the format, and the discs themselves look and sound as if they were pressed at Optimal—few other plants could achieve this level of quality.

Dropping the needle on the opening track, "Get On" I immediately notice the use of acoustic drum samples, a departure from the dance-oriented sounds of the previous two albums. After listening to "Pocket Universe", which almost excluded Dieter’s vocals entirely, it’s refreshing to hear his distinctive drawl urging us to "Get down, right now." One slightly distracting element is a preset sound from the Roland JV-1080 or one of its expansion boards, but it doesn’t detract too much from the experience.

Initially, I wasn’t fond of the vocal effects on "Houdini" but they’ve grown on me over time. "Distant Mirror" a dreamy instrumental, stands out as my favourite piece on the album. Dieter returns for "Time Freeze" and "Croissant Blue" which are enjoyable, though not exceptional.

The second disc continues in a similar vein, with jazz and lounge influences replacing the dance genre that dominated their output in the first part of the decade. "Squeeze Please" is a highlight here, featuring Boris’s saxophone samples and the kind of sonic mayhem reminiscent of the band’s heyday. I also appreciate "Shake and Shiver" where a TB-303 style riff underpins jazzy drums and Dieter’s unique vocal delivery.

Upon its release, "Motion Picture" felt like a renaissance to me—whilst the jazz influences were strong, the compositions were much better than those featured on albums like "Zebra" or "Pocket Universe". 3/5

One record at a time: 481. Yello - Pocket Universe

After the disappointment of "Zebra" and the uninspired remixes on "Hands On Yello", I was nearly ready to part ways with Yello in 1997. However, the album "Pocket Universe" restored some of my faith in the band and ensured a continuation of our relationship.

At first glance, the album’s cover seemed rather amateurish, making me wonder if the band’s growing obscurity had affected their ability to invest in professional design. Yet, as soon as the music began, I realised that the production quality remained as polished as ever and unlike their previous album, which was heavily influenced by contemporary dance, "Pocket Universe" explores a slightly broader range of styles.

The album opens with the brief but atmospheric sounds of the prologue, "Solar Driftwood" in which Dieter Meier provides a cheery narration highlighting the inevitable death of the solar system. The second track, "Celsius" is an instrumental that features lots of clever ideas that are all wrapped around a driving percussion loop. Hot on its heels is the acid-tinged "More", which successfully blends a modern dance sound with Yello's signature style —something they failed to achieve satisfactorily on "Zebra". 

"On Track" continues this energetic approach, featuring pounding beats and only occasional vocals from Dieter. It feels as if Boris had discovered club culture and decided to channel that energy into the music, though this shift left little room for vocals. Dieter’s reduced presence is especially noticeable on "To The Sea," the final track on side B. While this song stands out as a highlight and was rightly chosen as a single, the vocals are performed by Stina Nordenstam. Her voice and melody are captivating, but Dieter is almost entirely absent.

I never paid much attention to the CD booklet credits, so I was surprised to learn that one of my favourite tracks, "Magnetic" was co-produced and written by Carl Cox. The track features lush chords reminiscent of Moby, but once again, Dieter’s contribution is limited to simply repeating the phrase, "Magnetic, energetic and beautiful."

"Pan Blue" races along at 150 beats per minute, only to be surpassed by the frenetic pace of "Resistor". Unfortunately, neither track holds my interest for long, as they lack development and fresh ideas. Inevitably the album concludes with an ambient soundscape that gives Dieter another chance to deliver a monologue about the magic of the universe.

Despite a somewhat disappointing ending and Dieter’s limited involvement, I still enjoy this album and am glad to own it on vinyl. "Pocket Universe" stands as a testament to Yello’s willingness to experiment, even if it meant marginalising elements of their signature sound. 3/5