Sheffield musician, Yarni, Releases New Album ‘Pigna’ An Expansive Nuanced Blend Of Jazz And Electronics

Pigna showcases Sheffield artist Yarni delivering his most unbridled and musically diverse project yet, finding a sonic home at the helm of a new ensemble of musicians.

Hailed as “One to watch this year” by Jazz FM, the song ‘In A Dream’ picked up support in their Bandcamp Fridays Picks, while the BBC 6 Music supported ‘Nova’ was picked by Lauren Laverne’ as her ‘Fantastic Beat’.

“With ‘Pigna’ I've come full circle,” says Yarni.

“I’ve found a way to incorporate acoustic instruments as well as electronic music to produce my own, unique sound.”

Named after the Sicilian symbol for welcoming, openness and hospitality, the album’s 10 tracks see Yarni guiding of a nine-person ensemble, improvising their takes remotely, before he pieces them together in his studio, resulting in numbers that traverse everything from jazz-funk to soul, afrobeat and breakbeats.

Hailed as “amazing” by the late, great electronic icon Andrew Weatherall, Yarni is a purely self-taught multi-instrumentalist, who has spent years honing his technical skills and tastes through a journey of ever-changing creation. It is within this freewheeling creative space that Benjamin Harris, AKA Yarni, has produced three albums of beautifully diverse and emotively engaging work – all charting his development from band member to producer, arranger and ensemble leader.

“I learned that the minute you start chasing a trend, you're already behind,” Yarni enthuses.

His musical journey is one based on authentic artistic identity. His explorations into the world of electronic music produced the audiovisual debut ‘Entkommen’, which was inspired by the juxtaposition of brutalist architecture with nature in Derbyshire. Played out by the likes of Andrew Weatherall and DJ Harvey, its combination of soaring melody and grounded rhythm proved to be a sure-fire success on the dance floor.

With ‘Pigna’ Yarni has created the ultimate LP experience, one the artist is already developing into a unique live performance that will allow listeners to experience the adventurous soundscapes they immersed themselves in when listening on their turntables.

Yarni's new album ‘Pigna’ is out now via EMK, the new music platform launched by Kartel Music Group, and it’s also available on all streaming platforms, as well as being able to buy on Bandcamp here: https://yarni.bandcamp.com/album/pigna