Yuri Haal & Nukii link up on “Pick Me”
Berlin-based artist Yuri Haal & Nukii release their new single “Pick Me”, a track that arrives with a rare sense of assurance for an emerging electronic project. First taking shape in Sri Lanka, the song carries a warmth and distance that remains embedded in its final form, even as it settles into Berlin’s nocturnal stillness.
Built on submerged, rolling drums, “Pick Me” moves with the emotional restraint associated with Burial’s most intimate work. Instead of urgency, atmosphere leads. Rather than spectacle, space is allowed to settle. As a result, the production feels tactile and deliberate, shaped by a clear understanding of when to hold back. Nukii’s vocals sit low and close, dissolving into the mix with a fragile intimacy. In doing so, the track recalls the emotional immediacy of formative electronic releases from the 2010s.
As the track unfolds, a reese-toned low end slowly surfaces. At that point, it carries a controlled current of electricity without breaking the calm. Even so, the sense of release remains subtle rather than overwhelming. In this way, it echoes the first time many listeners encountered emotionally driven electronic music online, when sound, image, and feeling aligned completely. Alongside this, elements of Flume’s textural openness, BICEP’s emotional momentum, and Burial’s quiet intensity surface naturally, without becoming fixed reference points.
The visuals, in turn, sharpen that impression. Haal moves through Berlin in a silver, reflective hazmat-style suit, calm and partially obscured. As a result, the anonymity recalls the icon-led mystique of early internet-era electronic releases. Back then, tracks like Alone felt world-opening on first watch, and that same feeling lingers here without relying on spectacle. Instead, the city becomes texture rather than setting, heightening isolation and focus.
Ultimately, what “Pick Me” suggests is an artist driven by creative curiosity. At the same time, there’s an openness to collaboration and evolution. Over time, this hints at the kind of exploratory path once taken by artists like Mura Masa, where growth emerged through exchange rather than repetition.
“Pick Me” is out now and stands as a discovery moment that doesn’t announce itself. Rather, it simply holds its ground. In the end, it feels like an introduction shaped by atmosphere, intention, and an intuitive understanding of electronic music’s cultural impact.
