It was in 2017 when the paths of Paul and Lee criss-crossed once again after a decade of creative hiatus. Having become despondent with their previous musical incarnate, the pair set out on separate journeys before reconnecting over a shared affection for minimal and micro house.
Acutely inspired by Perlon and the label’s many contemporaries, Paul and Lee launched YAMA Music. By utilising the knowledge gained via previous label explorations, YAMA quickly made inroads into Europe from their Essex based HQ. With a concept which placed as much emphasis on the quality as it did the quantity, YAMA delivered 12 EPs over a period of 12 months via Bandcamp.
Whilst content with the initial impact their first wave of digital releases had made, the duo behind the ambiguous musical project were eager to enter the vinyl market. As ardent collectors of vinyl themselves they understood the mindset of their demographic and its penchant for plastic. Upon discovering that Varhat, founder of esteemed record store/label
Yoyaku, had purchased their entire back catalogue, Paul and Lee approached him in search of a record deal – which the Parisian label head duly offered.
The stars had now aligned. In just over a year the long-time collaborators had earned the recognition of peers and industry figures alike. Their delicate branding, comprised by a trio of far-eastern inspired mountain tops, was now a stamp of authenticity for fans of UK-centric minimal. As the latest members of the YYDistribution family, the pair now observed their music alongside labels and artists they had long admired while simultaneously gaining support from scene tastemakers such as Raresh, Enzo Siraguso, Roger Gerressen, Vinyl Speed Adjust and Lauren Lo Sung.
However, a looming pandemic unprecedented in scale was about to change the course of history. Nobody was prepared for the suffering COVID-19 was about to cause, not least those in the music industry. As clubs shut, labels closed and the careers of DJs halted, YAMA Music found themselves in a similar situation to millions of others; locked down, anxious, and uncertain of the future. But, having launched YAMA amongst the chaos of a post-Brexit Britain, the enduring personalities of Paul and Lee defined their next move.
Rather than succumbing to the international gloom COVID had caused, the pair harnessed the time to expand their label via a series of VA releases. With their stock already high, YAMA had no issue securing music from innovative talents such as Birdsmakingmachine, Red Pig Flower, Dan Formless, Vlad Arapasu, Oddmann and Tijn. The result of which meant wider recognition for the label and its roster with fanbases developing in France, Germany, Canada and Japan.
As the old adage goes, if something is easy then it’s not worth doing. Having already
steered the good ship YAMA through the choppiest of waters the label is now really
beginning to flourish. It’s testament to the work ethic of the label’s founders that despite many obstacles the YAMA Music brand is now prominent as ever.