Contrary to what the title might suggest, UK singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya is operating at a revealing level few artists reach or dare to venture into with the release of her third album, My Method Actor, out via Ninja Tune. Since her debut album, Miss Universe, from 2019, Yanya stood out immediately from peers in and around London and other vocalists in the States, blossoming over time as she honed in on a singular sound. On My Method Actor, she has done just that. At times, Yanya navigates her thoughts, reconciles with the past, grapples with the future, and questions where she stands with people and the world. However, no matter what angle she tackles romance or her own inner feelings, every bit of her songwriting comes off as brutally honest, not sugarcoating, and certainly not exaggerating in the slightest.

“For me, writing is definitely problem-solving—in the way they say that dreaming is like problem-solving,” said Yanya. “You’re like, oh, that sounds good. That looks good. That makes sense. But you don’t really know why. You’re kind of using that part of your creative brain that doesn’t have to make sense.”

Yanya will also perform the album to a multitude of crowds across North America and Europe, with the US leg of her headlining tour having already begun. Before heading to the UK and Europe in November, she will play an LA show at the Fonda Theatre on Oct. 24.

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Intimate Atmosphere

Right from the opener, “Keep On Dancing,” the strumming of the guitar and Yanya’s voice are mixed to a degree where it’s as if you’re in the same room as the musicians. That is until the strings and other instruments come into the picture, which backs the underlying themes of perseverance found in the lyrics. “Ready for Sun (touch)” also boasts excellent mixing, with the rapid drum beat using the listener’s ears like punching bags while punctuating each and every word sung by Yanya.

“Binding” makes full use of the guitar, taking on an underwater quality where the gradually crushing vocals are so raw it feels like you’re intruding on someone’s private time simply by listening. It helps that the mellow, slow-paced speed lets each word hit that much harder than if Yanya were breezing through the lyrics, coming off more like a careful dissection of one’s mind rather than a brief glimpse into her thoughts.

Lush Production

If someone were to disassemble the tracklist and spread all the tracks across other albums in Yanya’s discography, it would be an easy task to piece it all together because of how the production unmistakably belongs to My Method Actor. The aforementioned string sections uplift several of the songs on My Method Actor and give them layers that build upon simple foundations. “Just A Western” uses them as a blanket over the synth beds, allowing the track almost to breathe—as if matching the breathing patterns in Yanya’s singing. “Ready for Sun (touch)” also strategically uses string sections to highlight the chorus, distinguishing it from the verses that do not bring the song’s speed to a halt or noticeable change.

Elsewhere, the album’s consistent sound subtly experiments with varying elements that give each track a standout identity without stepping out from the overarching sonic textures. An early bright spot and successful experiment is the abrasive grunge-inflicted guitar on “Like I Say (I runaway),” which stays true to Yanya’s alt-rock beginnings while embodying how she bottles up a desire for self-destruction. Similarly, “Mutations” and its jittery drum patterns stun for how quietly audacious they are in relation to the rest of the tracklist, giving the song a unique juxtaposition against the bubbly electronic production.

Self-Assured Exterior, Revealing Interior

Despite singing in a consistent tone, Yanya manages to exhibit a wide range of emotions through a harmonious team-up between the songs’ subject matters and her ability to reach varying intensity levels. “Like I Say (I runaway)” plays to Yanya’s confidence that, although revealing moments of vulnerability, never takes away from the self-assuredness she exudes throughout the album.

“Made Out Of Memory” might be one of the year’s most introspective songs, with Yanya singing in a stream-of-conscious style like the rest of the record, which makes it all the more personal. Lyrics like “I think a lot about what I’m destined for, I’m dreaming of the end” and “I’ll dig my own grave, I don’t give a fuck” let the listener, with a safe distance, look into Yanya’s thought process, allowing you to relate without intrude or assume. As always, the guitar gives “Made Out Of Memory” a glimmer of optimism, preventing Yanya from going too deep into an abyss and keeping the emotions away from boiling temperature. That level of discipline that applies to everything, from the singing to the instrumentation, speaks volumes about how Yanya has evolved across three albums.

Whenever an artist’s latest album is their most mature, it’s not to discredit their previous efforts. However, for Yanya, that happens to be the case with My Method Actor, where the album’s consistent sound signals how she managed to carve out a space only she could occupy within the indie stratosphere.

Words: David Sosa

Visit Nilüfer Yanya on her website and Instagram to stay updated on new releases and her upcoming tour, which includes a show in LA at the Fonda Theatre on Oct. 24.

Nilüfer Yanya 2024 US Tour Dates:

9/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
9/30 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat
10/1 – New York, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
10/2 – Boston, MA @ Royale
10/4 – Montreal, QC @ La Tulipe
10/5 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
10/6 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
10/7 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
10/9 – Nashville, TN @ Basement East
10/10 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
10/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
10/13 – Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck
10/15 – Denver, CO @ Meow Wolf
10/18 – Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre
10/19 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
10/20 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
10/22 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
10/24 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre