Yard Act

Yard Act is a British music group founded in 2019 in Leeds by musicians James Smith and Ryan Needham, who were subsequently joined by Sam Shipstone and Jay Russell. The band was formed after the previous experiences of the members in other projects and from the beginning it has been profiled within the post-punk and indie rock scene.

In the initial phase, it released several separate singles, which were subsequently concentrated on the EP Dark Days (2021). The debut album The Overload was released in 2022 and marked the band's first major breakthrough, including a UK number one and a Mercury Prize nomination.

Yard Act's work is a distinctive combination of spoken vocals, rhythmic structures and elements taken from various musical styles, including post-punk, hip-hop and electronic music. The text component works with a narrative form and thematically reflects social and cultural phenomena.

The second studio album Where’s My Utopia? was released in 2024 and represents the further development of the musical direction of the project, including the involvement of a wider range of production procedures and influences. The recording was heralded by the singles Dream Job, Petroleum and We Make Hits.