Yulan & Blaise, the Australian-American duo of Yulan Jack and Blaise Garza (Violent Femmes), debut with their single God Complex, a dynamic exploration of ambition, nihilism, and loss in the age of Main Character Syndrome. The track is a precursor to their highly anticipated 2025 EP.
Blending the moody textures of the ‘Bristol Sound’ with cinematic trip-hop, God Complex weaves together warm, mysterious synth pads, sensuous vocals, and trip-hop-inspired grooves. Yulan’s haunting vocal shifts between a commanding presence and an ethereal higher register, accompanied by subtle flute tones, creating an evolving structure rich in harmonic layers.
The duo draws on a diverse palette of instruments, including shakuhachi flute, erhu, and the primal jaguar whistle, as well as an innovative EWI (electronic wind instrument) solo. These elements, removed from their traditional contexts, contribute to the track’s experimental and evocative atmosphere.
God Complex was initially recorded at Frying Pan Studios, housed within Tasmania’s iconic Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) and home to the legendary REDD.17 desk once used by The Beatles. Later, parts of the track were re-recorded in the duo’s living room, resulting in a sound that is simultaneously expansive and intimate.
According to Yulan, the song’s narrative speaks to “a lover en route to another galaxy—the ultimate long-distance relationship,” while also addressing broader questions about technology’s dual role in saving and destroying, and who is left behind in the process. This theme aligns with the cultural mood of “Endcore,” a term popularized by Shumon Basar to describe living in a state of perpetual, but unrealized, apocalypse.
The music video, filmed in a disused Tasmanian print factory, further captures this tension. It juxtaposes 16mm footage with dystopian visuals, offering a stark portrayal of a world abandoned yet rich with aesthetic beauty.
Yulan Jack is a Singaporean-Australian interdisciplinary artist and actor, best known for her role in the Emmy-nominated comedy Deadloch. Blaise Garza, a Mexican-American saxophonist, has toured with the Violent Femmes for two decades and is recognized for his experimental approach to performance, including wielding a contrabass saxophone. Together, they channel their multicultural and multidisciplinary perspectives into music that defies easy categorization.
With God Complex, Yulan & Blaise invite listeners to explore a sonic universe as complex as its themes, laying the groundwork for their upcoming EP.
