YÖU

Location: Skopje, North Macedonia

Year active: 2015 - Current

Members: Bojan Stanić, Erik Omeragić, Marko Krstevski, Martin Mitevski, Teodora 'Tejka' Vasiljević

Related bands: Emma, Mindless Violence, Omowsky, Палиндром

FFO: Touche Amore, My Iron Lung, Keyes, Daitro

I'm finally taking this opportunity to cover this band, just days after they dropped their latest offerings. They're not the first to from North Macedonia to make wave (shout out to Irritatement!) and certainly won't be the last. But, i am really stoked to be talking about YÖU.

Band photo by Aleksandar Ilijevski

YÖU is a screamo/post-hardcore band from Skopje, North Macedonia, formed in 2015. After a handful of previous punk acts such as Палиндром, Mindless Violence, Omowsky and Emma, YÖU was formed to create something new. They dropped their first debut album "We Sing The Blues..." in 2017, with the help of Deny Records. It was also Martin Mitevski's debut album to perform in before the multiple line-up changes

We Sing The Blues... spans 7 tracks, delivering a raw, emotional punch. The sound is heavily reminiscent of Touche Amore, with traces of Daitro peeking through. The production is on the thin side, especially with the lack of distortion on the guitars, which gives it a similar vibe to At The Drive-In’s Acrobatic Tenement. Despite this, the album has a melancholic, stripped-down energy that really resonated with me. It’s raw, unpolished, but there’s something real there—something solid.

Fast forward 7 years, and YÖU’s newest release, the four-track EP River of Sadness, shows just how much they've evolved. Released through I! Brutalist! Records, their production has deepened, and their songwriting feels more refined, more introspective. The B-side of the EP includes two versions of one of their tracks, featuring guest vocals from Fitz (aka Feetz). One version is their usual screamo sound, while the alternate version, with the drummer Tejka on vocals, is an absolute standout for me. It reminds me a lot of Keyes and Now, Now, leaning into a more melancholic, atmospheric vibe that really hits home.

YÖU remains one of the shining examples of North Macedonia's DIY scene. Their persistence, creativity, and ability to keep dropping solid releases after nearly a decade show that this scene, though small, is filled with bands like YÖU who prove that anything is possible.

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