Cork artist Yenkee aka Graham Cooney released his long-awaited debut album Night Golf via Soft Boy Records on October 25. He talks about making the album, being inspired by labelmates Kojaque and Kean Kavanagh, life in London, the dream of owning a house, the housing crisis, songwriting, and lots more on this episode of TPOE.

Yenkee tour dates:
December 1: Upstairs at Whelan's, Dublin
December 10: Old Blue Last, London
December 15: Folklore Rooms, Brighton
December 21: City Hall, Cork

Buy Night Golf: https://yenkee.bandcamp.com/album/night-golf

---
Press release:
Yenkee is now based in London, but it’s where he was raised on the Northside of Cork City in Ireland where he developed his admiration for simplicity and his love for music. “Being Irish, you are always brought up around music and song. It’s so ingrained, you can’t avoid it”. It’s this immersion that bred inspiration from a diverse array of artists. Arthur Russell’s versatility, Dolly Parton’s timeless songwriting, Manu Chao’s eclectic style, Talking Heads’ playful spirit and Fionn Regan’s graceful depictions of Ireland all play a role in who Yenkee is today.


His early projects, marked by an experimental spirit and a penchant for blending genres, laid the groundwork for what would become Yenkee. The transition to a solo career allowed him to fully explore his artistic vision, leading to a widely loved series of singles and EPs that garnered him placements on TV series’ Normal People and Conversations With Friends and finding fans in people like Florence Pugh.


Throughout these early days of Yenkee, ‘Night Golf’ would begin to develop. It all started with a throwaway tweet Yenkee had posted in 2014 that simply said “#NightGolf”. The phrase stuck with him for years, eventually guiding the whole album’s creation. “I had songs written but I just thought right, that’s the name of the album. How do I fit the music around that title?.” The name inspired a strong visual component and evoked an 80s musical awakening within, guiding Yenkee back to his love for that era’s music with Prefab Sprout, in particular, becoming a significant influence.


Yenkee recorded most of the album himself in various makeshift setups, but his best days were spent with others. Whether that was with producer Peter Brien in his Belfast studio, working with Adam Kaye in Hackney or knocking out single-session songs with Karma Kid in South London, it was these moments that solidified what the album would become. ‘Night Golf’ is a labour of love, a project born out of instinct rather than meticulous planning, designed more for dancing than deep contemplation. As Yenkee puts it, “It’s only music at the end of the day.”