Yard Act have shared a new single called ‘Dark Days’ – you can listen to it below.

The rising Leeds four-piece, who feature in The NME 100 2021, have previously released the songs ‘The Trapper’s Pelts’, ‘Peanuts’ and ‘Fixer Upper’.

According to frontman James Smith, ‘Dark Days’ serves as “the last of four singles before we start work on the album, of which none of those songs will be on”.

“It’s a world-building song, this one, everything we’ve put out so far is from the same universe, which is based on an imagined Yorkshire 100 years in the future,” Smith said of Yard Act’s latest offering.

“I liked the juxtaposition of the bleak world with the cartoon bassline. Despite all the advances humanity has made, the threat of devolution feels increasingly possible in the modern world, and on my bad days when I’m spiralling, I can’t help but get trapped in my own head envisioning this post-apocalyptic future we’re seemingly headed toward, so fuck knows why I decided to watch Children Of Men when I was feeling like that.”

“If I’d fully remembered what happened in it, I don’t think I would’ve in the middle of a pandemic, but I did, and I actually came away feeling really uplifted by the ending. I saw hope in it, and it helped me finish the story.”

Smith has also revealed his plans to release a book called Carboot Man, which “weaves the narratives” of the aforementioned first four Yard Act tracks together, “exploring the characters from them in greater detail”.

“Hopefully that’ll be released next year if anyone wants to know more about those people and their lives,” the singer explained.

Yard Act are set to perform two socially distanced hometown shows at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds next month (coronavirus restrictions permitting). The band will also take to the stage this summer at The Lexington in London for a sold out gig – see the dates below.

February 28 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, socially distanced matinee show
February 28 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, socially distanced evening show SOLD OUT
June 2 – The Lexington, London SOLD OUT