Dutch quartet YĪN YĪN will make their Australian debut this November, bringing new album Yatta! to Sydney, Mullumbimby and Brisbane
by Paul Cashmere
Dutch instrumental outfit YĪN YĪN have locked in their first ever Australian tour, confirming three east coast shows for November 2026 in support of their fourth studio album Yatta!.
The Maastricht-formed four-piece will play Sydney, Mullumbimby and Brisbane as part of a global touring cycle that has already taken them through major international festivals including Fuji Rock Festival and North Sea Jazz Festival. The Australian dates mark a milestone for the band, who have steadily built a following through touring circuits across Europe, Asia and the United States.
The significance of this debut run sits in the timing. Yatta! arrives as the band’s most consolidated statement to date, refining a sound that merges psychedelia, disco, funk and Southeast Asian influences into a tightly structured groove format. For Australian audiences, the shows represent a first opportunity to experience a live act that has largely grown its reputation offshore.
Formed in 2017 in Maastricht by Kees Berkers and Yves Lennertz during informal jam sessions, YĪN YĪN developed their early material in unconventional spaces, including a ballet school studio. Their debut album The Rabbit That Hunts Tigers in 2019 introduced a cinematic instrumental style built on repetition and tonal layering. Follow-up The Age Of Aquarius in 2022 was shaped during pandemic lockdowns, while Mount Matsu in 2024 expanded their palette with Japanese musical references.
Yatta! sits as the fourth chapter in that progression. The record leans into Italo disco textures, elastic basslines and processed guitar tones, while maintaining the band’s core rhythmic discipline. According to release notes, the album is “crafted equally for dancing and for getting lost in the music”, signalling a dual intent that aligns with contemporary crossover trends between club culture and psych-oriented live performance.
Line-up changes have also played a role in shaping the current phase. Founding member Lennertz exited in 2023, with Erik Bandt joining the group, while subsequent adjustments have stabilised the touring unit alongside Remy Scheren and Jerôme Scheren. These shifts coincide with a period of increased international exposure and a move towards more structured compositions.
From an industry perspective, YĪN YĪN’s rise reflects a broader appetite for instrumental acts that operate outside traditional genre boundaries. Their synthesis of global influences, particularly Southeast Asian tonalities within Western groove frameworks, positions them within a lineage that includes crate-digging revivalism and contemporary psych-funk hybrids. The success of such acts on festival circuits suggests a sustained audience for non-vocal driven performances in live settings.
There is also a practical dimension to their touring strategy. By entering the Australian market following appearances at globally recognised festivals, the band arrives with established credibility rather than emerging status. That approach has become increasingly common among European acts targeting long-haul territories.
For Australian promoters, the inclusion of regional centres like Mullumbimby alongside capital cities indicates confidence in niche audiences beyond metropolitan hubs. It also aligns with the growing circuit of boutique venues catering to genre-specific touring acts.
Presale tickets for the tour begin on Thursday April 23 at 9am local time, with general sale opening Friday April 24 at 9am. Tickets are available via Handsome Tours.
With Yatta! now released and a global touring cycle underway, the Australian shows form part of a broader expansion phase for YĪN YĪN. The band’s ability to translate layered studio compositions into live performance will be central to how this next stage is received locally.
Tour Dates
Wednesday November 18, Sydney, Factory Theatre
Wednesday November 25, Mullumbimby, Mullumbimby Civic Hall
Thursday November 26, Brisbane, Felons Barrel Hall
Tickets on sale Friday April 24, 9am local time
Presale Thursday April 23, 9am local time
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