There’s something immediately intriguing about No Love Lost to Kindness, sounding rooted in the tonal palette and atmosphere of goth rock, but without feeling cold in any way. For all its moody colouring, the album radiates warmth, as Yumi Zouma sound comfortable, close and deeply attuned to one another, subverting the gothic atmosphere.

The album’s fascinating polarity is a tension between dark tones and friendly, glowing warmth. Bashville on the Sugar rollicks at a brisk pace with drums in constant motion and a breeziness that keeps everything buoyant as the vocals yearn without collapsing into despair. The enormous chorus on Drag exemplifies their dynamic perfectly with verses that are intimate and restrained before bursting into a hopeful and vast grunge chorus with the scale of 90s alt-rock but none of the bitterness. Blister is pure sunlit indie and Phoebe’s Song bounces along with warmth and another effortless catchy chorus. Cowboy Without a Clue feels deeply comforting, its rhythmic bounce contrasting the intimate vocal delivery. The slower cuts Chicago 2am, Every False Embrace and hushed closer Waiting for the Cards to Fall all shimmer with melodic sensitivity rather than brooding, and the explosions feel earned when they come. This is a band that care deeply about songcraft, pacing, and emotional contrast, and the album flirts with darkness without every fully committing to it, painting in gothic shades with warm hands. The heartbreak is real and the regret is there, but the cohesive and tender sound of the band suggests resilience rather than collapse. No Love Lost to Kindness sounds like a band guiding you through the darker corners but refusing to leave you there, holding the bruises of the human experience with warmth, and refusing morbidity all whilst borrowing sad tones. Superb indie songs with an introspective heart.