Yip-Yip

One song, Yip-Yip is bopping along like a chipper little twee pop band.  The next, they're using their Casios and Moogs and drum machines to concoct block-rocking beats in search of an MC that can match their velocity.  And after that, Yip-Yip could be making their synths squeal and shriek like saxophones while an actual sax tries to keep up.  That is, unless they opt to create some MIDI-flavored video game chase-sequence music, or whip up some bargain-basement prog-rock atmospherics, or make like midget robots playing "Yakety Sax."  With Yip-Yip, there's only one thing for certain— whatever they sound like, they won't sound like that for long.

Based in Winter Park, Florida, Jason Temple (AKA Yip 1) and Brian Esser (AKA Yip 2) began playing together in high school, and though they've been Yipping it up for nearly nine years, it doesn't sound like they'll be mellowing out any time soon.  If anything, as Yip-Yip gets older, they're getting better at living up to the "spazztronic" description they've given themselves.  2008's Two Kings of the Same Kingdom (the group's umpteenth release, encompassing self-released CD-Rs and all other possible recording formats, including VHS) finds them covering all of the ground described above, along with some uncharted territories.  Though they rock all sorts of synths and other electronic doodads, and dress up in retro-futuristic costumes, they're definitely as punk rock as any group of power-chording faux Ramones, both in theory and in practice—if you get tired of one Yip-Yip song, just wait another 90 seconds for the next one to come along. —David Raposa