mimaroglu music sales ☞ artists ☞ richard youngs

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to celebrate the release of the new failing lights "s/t" disc on intransitive, we are running a "4 for the price of 3" incentive on all in-stock intransitive cd releases *!!!* simply place an order for any 3 intransitive discs, making sure to mention in the comments field which title you want as your 4th and voila, we'll include it free of charge !!! act fast, as the incentive is limited to the inventory on hand ...

previous artist: youngsbower		there are 26 titles featuring richard youngs in stock. they are listed below.		next artist: la monte young

$14.28

back in stock as of
june 7th, 2010

first in stock on
july 9th, 2009

threads:
beat-research
modern-psych
analogue-synth

best of 2009 !!!

dekorder (germany) #dekorder 34 lp

richard youngs “like a neuron” long playing record

tapes of bothwell
runway
call of the full ultra
descent
heights
tornadoes
alpha blue

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "runway"

june 2009 release ; despite all of the fore-warning (below) i’ll admit to being completely blind-sided by this new richard youngs record - not a collection of somber autumnal dirges, nor a collection of gauzy string drones, but in fact a collection of chicago house anthems, albeit with the regular 4/4 pulse replaced by an entirely free-running rhythm-grid ...

this succeeds wholly in throwing a coup i’d personally tried (in vain) for 10 years to perpetuate ; it treats the rich sound pallette of 80s / 90s dance-music merely as source-material, stripping away the robotic anchor, the melodies, the false sense(s) of euphoria and ennui, leaving only a shambolic array of twisting, dissonant string-synth lines and mis-matched chugging arpeggiations ; the ultimate miasma ...

for me this has been the jam of the summer ; highly recommended !!!

dekorder press release...

[034]
richard youngs
like a neuron
lp

richard youngs is a prolific british musician (located in glasgow) with an extremely diverse output. his new album for dekorder might not be a surprise to anyone following his career. still, a self-proclaimed all-electronic “ecstatic house record” comes somewhat unexpected. with a line of distinctive synthesizers often used for techno/house music youngs recreates the energy, euphoria and frenzy of these styles without ever trying to recreate the music note by note.

the final outcome sounds like recordings made by aliens who have received transmissions about house music but never listened to the music itself. the album reminds of the sound of hallways/corridors inbetween large house parties where you can hear the music from several floors collide. while it’s an emulation, interpretation or replica of house music, it’s still managing to evoke similar feelings even though some might find it difficult to dance to the music.

in the past, youngs has released several albums on a dozen labels such as vhf, jagjaguwar, table of the elements, gipsy sphinx, majora, chocolate monk, celebrate psi phenomena, fusetron and his own no fans outlet. he has collaborated with neil campbell (aka astral social club), matthew bower, simon wickham-smith and many others and was a member of the a-band and has performed live and in the studio with sunroof! and skullflower. additionally, youngs played bass for jandek, appearing on three of his live records/dvd’s.

$10.08

back in stock as of
march 5th, 2010

first in stock on
october 12th, 2009

threads:
electro-acoustic-composition
modern-psych
minimalism-drones
experimental-instruments

digitalis recordings (usa) #digi031 cd

tirath singh nirmala “bluster, cragg, & awe” compact disc

nagg clef seatpoint
moor edge hush
the burning moon
ravine mists rising
sehaj
faleaflowstreem
rytsn 7.14

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "the burning moon"

may 2007 release ; believe this was the first “real” cd release from john clyde-evans under his nom de guerre tirath singh nirmala (after a stream of label-less home burns with titles like “birch clove burst,” “tattv-guna-mala,” “blossom dawn freckles,” etc ...)

digitalis recordings press release...

digi031: tirath singh nirmala "bluster, cragg, & awe" cd

not too long ago, john clyde-evans made a huge splash with his phenomenal solo lp on england's fisheye imprint. he also performed as an collaborator with the seminal uk group, hood. after taking a seven year hiatus and committing to the path of sikhism, he returned as tirath singh nirmala. his continually unfolding backstory is interesting enough, but it's his music where the real magic and mystery stretch their silver wings.

nirmala returned to making music after his close friend and collaborator, vibracathedral orchestra's neil campbell, gave him some free software and set him on his way. nirmala responded with nearly a dozen self-released, highly limited cdrs. the releases were filled to the brim with eastern-influenced, transcendental drones and uplifting spiritual sound explorations. his manipulation of sine waves and use of obscure asian instruments creates a wholly original and unique sound. as on his solo lp as john clyde-evans, nirmala's ability to concoct sprawling, majestic drones using such simple terms is unmatched.

"bluster, cragg, & awe," nirmala's first non-cdr release, is the perfect beginning. it collects the best tracks from those now impossible-to-find releases and adds two new songs and one collaborative piece with scottish guitar guru, richard youngs. it is a journey that lasts less than an hour, but contains a lifetime of aural experience, wrapped into one, shimmering golden package.

oh yes, tirath singh nirmala has returned.

$19.85

back in stock as of
october 6th, 2009

first in stock on
february 12th, 2007

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones

best of 2007 !!!

hp cycle (canada) #hp 284 lp

richard youngs / tirath singh nirmala “untitled” long playing record

untitled (1)
untitled (2)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "(fifth piece)"

2007 release ; a superb set of eastern-tinged improvisations by richard youngs & tirath singh nirmala (aka john clyde-evans) ...

parts bring to mind sri brij bhusan kabra’s hindustani slide, other’s richard’s advent-era work...

hp cycle press release...

debut album from the duo of richard youngs and tirath singh nirmala (nee john clyde-evans) that has the pair creating a bucolic minimalist meditation.

side one interchangeably features hammered strings, gong / cymbal washes, droning vocals, and breathed shackuhachi / flutes. the second side leads with a melodious encounter before delving further into a glimmering psychedelia with sawed strings, fluttering reed organ and electronic drift.

the results resemble a non-western approach to traditional musics filtered through the personalized aesthetic that runs through each of the artist's prior works. the lp is enclosed in a full colour cover with suitable "of the earth" imagery.

$14.04

new to stock as of
july 28th, 2010

threads:
modern-psych
beat-research

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 177 lp

richard youngs “beyond the valley of ultrahits” long playing record

the valley in flight
like a sailor
collapsing stars
ove in the great outdoors
still life in room
oh reality
radio innocents
summer void
a storm of light ignites my heart
sun points at the world

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "oh reality"

july 2010 release ; much noise recently over this one, initially issued by pal andrew paine’s sonic oyster in a planned-obsolescence micro-edition, recorded by richard youngs on a dare by said in attempts to channel the “beats and hooks” of contemporary pop ...

... while i’ll maintain that last year’s “like a neuron” was more of a 180º shift for richard (or at least it took it’s modus to a deeper conclusion) there are some genuine head-scratch moments herein ; the “madchester” ref. (below) is spot-on, as much of this could easily be the cd-single “b-sides” of many a four-letter monikered group ... the use of cheesy, “in-the-box” effects & plug-in synths is hilarious ; he’s done a bang-up job of taking the disposable, pop-by-numbers approach and dabbing his often droll vocals o’er the top ...

great stuff, but certainly one for the latter-day youngs enthusiast ...

jagjaguwar press release...

richard youngs
beyond the valley of ultrahits

“make a proper pop album.” thus was the simple dare handed to richard youngs from his friend andrew “paz” paine during their weekly sunday meet-up. ever the modest master, youngs said in accepting this friendly challenge that he merely endeavored to capture the “beats and hooks” of contemporary pop. he’s never attempted to disguise his gift for catchy musical phrases, though they may have come by way of careening, pleading, soothing or challenging multi-tracked voices. we present the results here as beyond the valley of ultrahits.

among bright, hypnotic loops, youngs’ voice finds its inner bowie. but let it be known: this collection of house-inspired gems displays much more than a capacity for pop emulation. it’s a confirmation of youngs’ craft and prowess, no matter the terrain. with enviable grace, experimental minimalist youngs sets his sights on the pop world and claims it as his own. youngs’ heretofore unknown love of pet shop boys and the madchester sound is reimagined via his unique avant sensibility and atmospheric wand strokes.

originally released in 2009 as a very-limited cd-r on paine’s sonic oyster label, jagjaguwar is honored to present beyond the valley of ultrahits, remastered and on vinyl for the first time. catalog #: jag177 release date: july 20, 2010 format: lp lp box lot: 25 genre: avant/experimental/indie key markets: boston, new york, chicago, boston, san francisco, los angeles, washington dc, atlanta, philadelphia, portland vinyl not returnable 1499 west second street bloomington, in 47403 www.jagjaguwar.com

$14.04

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
march 12th, 2010

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 157 lp

richard youngs “under stellar stream” long playing record

broke up by night
all day monday and tuesday
cluster to a star
arise arise
my mind is in garlands
the bells of spring

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "cluster to a star"

october 2009 release ; over a series of 6 beds of non-standard instrumentation (barrel organs, muted / detuned synths, processed bells) richard youngs herein doesn’t as much repeatedly intone a series of couplets inasmuchas exorcise all within earshot with them ...

haven’t been this freaked-out/affected by a “pop” record since lennon’s whole primal-therapy phase ... fans of mark hollis’ solo lp will find a similar levels of introversion herein ; albeit way more stark ...

jagjaguwar press release...

richard youngs
under stellar stream
jag157

release date: october 20, 2009

richard youngs’ latest solo work for jagjaguwar is a collection of neodruid hymns and chants for the minutiae of homelife and fatherhood—poetic transcendance through repetition and a focus on the (seemingly) micro. once again proving himself a master of minimalist composition, youngs also takes leaps forward as a lyricist on under stellar stream, reminiscent of the list incantations of allen ginsberg.

with this comes a change in youngs’ voice, now less pleading, deeper and more assured. in these atonal, spatial arrangements, each phrase is granted the room to work into the cerebral cortex—and perhaps a deeper consciousness. “i am remembering now the waiting on time itself. i am remembering now the value of sleep,” recites youngs’ domesticated avatar on opening track “broke up by night,” a celtic prayer for the modern man. on “all day monday and tuesday,” over droning bass and slow, meandering organ, the grind of the day becomes empyreal: “all day monday and tuesday, the room of work, the room of work... all day monday and tuesday, the clarity, the clarity.”

for more than 20 years, the uk’s richard youngs has been at the forefront of progressive minimalism, through solo home recording projects; through collaborations with the likes of simon wickham-smith and makoto kawabata (of acid mothers temple); and in special live performances playing bass with jandek. leaving a very human fingerprint on even the most far-reaching experimentations, youngs has built a extensive, intriguing catalogue that just begs one to go deep.

$13.26

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
march 12th, 2010

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 157 cd

richard youngs “under stellar stream” compact disc

broke up by night
all day monday and tuesday
cluster to a star
arise arise
my mind is in garlands
the bells of spring

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "my mind is in garlands"

october 2009 release ; cd version ...

jagjaguwar press release...

$13.26

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
june 12th, 2008

threads:
modern-psych
analogue-synth

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 137 cd
insignificant (usa) #ins 016 cd

simon wickham-smith / richard youngs “veil (for greg)” compact disc

indiana spike dance
obese americans
apologetic
bars
land of lincoln
cleveland
angels from ct
ferris booth hall

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "obese americans"

june 2008 release ; what appears to be merely a re-stickering of the original 1997 insignificant-label disc by simon & richard, now branded as a jagjaguwar title. alongside the duo’s “enedkeg” & “knish” lps, this is at the core of their late-90s “experimental” activity ... completely weird synth-figures & clanking room-tone events ...

jagjaguwar press release...

simon wickham-smith & richard youngs - veil (for greg) cd (jag137)

originally released in 1997 and having sat in storage unit purgatory (growing finer) for the greater part of a decade, jagjaguwar proudly unearths and re-distributes this visceral british take on american outdoor spirituality.

"veil (for greg) is a carousel ride inside a digital rock tumbler, a battle between gnomes and mercury termites for a maple tree's soul, and the reflection of a pile of moog turtles in a bathroom mirror's swamp sweat. throbbing gristle reimagined as zen garden desk accessory." — william gass

compact disc is being made available in limited quantities.

$13.26

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
november 7th, 2007

threads:
modern-psych
folk

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 121 lp

richard youngs “autumn response” long playing record

i need the light
before we were here
low bay of sky
one hundred stranded horses
paths in the city
tinsel matrix
no edge
i am the weather
something like air

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "low bay of sky"

jagjaguwar press release...

richard youngs
autumn response cd / lp
(jag121, released: 11/06/07)

autumn response is a spartan folk-"pop" record filled with tinder-box intimacies, composed of some of the shortest songs ever recorded by richard youngs. the simplest form of trickery comes from richard youngs' restrained use of an acoustic guitar, bringing it back to youngs basics. twenty-six seconds into "i need the light", the first track off the album, the listener is confronted with the pivotal element of the record, the drawing line between the hardcore youngs purists and fairweather fans: the track, like others on the record, features youngs' double-tracked voice splitting in two - as one overlaid performance veers away from the other. while i have never personally been comfortable with the moniker "king of the progressive minimalists" - which is often used beside his name by critics - this gesture warrants such a title as the confident inclusion of such an effect grants it legitimacy. youngs' voices slipping away from one another is on par with other intense representations of singularity such as donald judd and malevich's suprematist composition: white on white. pop is a gesture, a stance, a pose.

autumn response is a singer-songwriter album, as youngs' fingers slip over the steel strings with little feet and whispery toes, his gently prophetic songs evoke roger waters and the folk phase play is sure to appeal to fans of animal collective's sung tongs.

-- william gass, st. louis, mo

$12.48

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
november 7th, 2007

threads:
modern-psych
folk

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 121 cd

richard youngs “autumn response” compact disc

i need the light
before we were here
low bay of sky
one hundred stranded horses
paths in the city
tinsel matrix
no edge
i am the weather
something like air

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "low bay of sky"

jagjaguwar press release...

$13.26

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
october 10th, 2005

threads:
modern-psych

best of 2005 !!!

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 071 lp

richard youngs “the naive shaman” long playing record

life on a beam
illumined land
sonar in my soul
once it was autumn
summer’s edge ii

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "sonar in my soul"

lp version; necessary...

fall 2005 album from mr. youngs, recently (finally) featured on the cover of the wire... of his solo records from the past few years this is easily my favorite; less intensely personal song-statements, more full-on sound research, moored by massive fuzz bass & minimal, looping structures. awesome...

jagjaguwar press release...

richard youngs has been making music for over two decades. the naive shaman, released in dual format (cd and lp), is a deeply personal work. created on a computer at home, it is a high density digital song cycle driven by heavy, heavy electric bass guitar.

the opening "life on a beam" combines a modal vocal line with throbbing sonics and non-linear percussion. elsewhere a plaintive voice threads itself through frosted atmospherics and we hear richard's first recorded kazoo work since 1992's new angloid sound. at the core of the album is "sonar in my soul", a bass loop on to which are collaged strangulated guitar, singing and more singing. the track climaxes in a hollered plea for "unity". the second half of the set contrasts "once it was autumn", a succintly crafted dub chant, with the epic "summer's edge ii", whose sprawling 16+ minutes anchor a floating vocal melody and free-flowing drums with fuzzed bass octaves.

at a time when he has increased his commitment to live performance, richard has--paradoxically--produced an album that explores recording technology as an instrument, a work where song is modulated by sound. by critics and true music fans everywhere, youngs has been deemed the king of the progressive minimalists. he has now released seven full-length records in addition to multiple collaborations with other artists such as makoto kawabata (of acid mothers temple fame), simon wickham-smith and neil campbell.

$13.26

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
october 10th, 2005

threads:
modern-psych

best of 2005 !!!

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 071 cd

richard youngs “the naive shaman” compact disc

life on a beam
illumined land
sonar in my soul
once it was autumn
summer’s edge ii

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "sonar in my soul"

2005 release from mr. youngs, recently (finally) featured on the cover of the wire... of his solo records from the past few years this is easily my favorite; less intensely personal song-statements, more full-on sound research, moored by massive fuzz bass & minimal, looping structures. awesome...

jagjaguwar press release...

$13.26

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
january 24th, 2006

threads:
modern-psych

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 068 cd

richard youngs “river through howling sky” compact disc

fountain of light
blossom
sky is upon you
red cloud singular

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "sky is upon you"

2004 release... has the faint veneer of prog throughout (is that... mellotron i hear?)

jagjaguwar press release...

if the "musical" real number line is infinitely dense, then the most recent work of richard youngs endeavors to fill in all of the holes on it. river through howling sky is youngs' latest full-length. it returns to the more meditative and drone-y side of his songcraft (circa sapphie (1998) and making paper (2001)), although this is no true devolution: all of his recordings to date have some measure of these qualities. so what is it that sets river through howling sky apart from its predecessors? it is the density on the recording, both intraspatial and otherworldly. the howling guitar that points unerringly to some imagined horizon line. throughout, youngs is the calm and steady wolf, chanting odes to infinity. expose the ancient brotherhood of pythagoras to river through howling sky, and you would find knowing nods, pursed lips, and secret incantations in caves. an unwitting acceptance that not everything is rational or conceptually circumnavigatable. our western tonal system relies on ratios, i.e. strings whacked at particular intervals. young's howling guitar and circular chants - with the help of a spartan amount of percussion and electronics - may just encompass all the possible ratios and, mystically, more.

$11.71

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
january 24th, 2006

threads:
modern-psych

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 026 cd

richard youngs “making paper” compact disc

warriors
the world is silence in your head
only haligonian

2001 release.

jagjaguwar press release...

richard youngs' first three-song "full-length" release shone down like a beacon from above. it opened with a chorus of tape hiss and a patently english-sounding piano. eventually there was a british man pleading in song for mercy, for pardon, or, at the very least, for conviction to a lesser charge. this was advent and it was 1990. youngs had just introduced himself to the universe at large through his no fans label.

fast forward to the new year, 2000. youngs is back on the stool, this time in edinburgh, scotland, with long-time collaborator brian lavelle engineering. youngs has another three songs in him, and they show him to be a much wizened, more patient man. distilled to only piano and vocals, the album is epic to say the least. opening with "warriors", a 19-minute journey the size of scotland, the song pleads, "warriors see through battle lines." the second song, "the world is silence in your head", is vintage youngs fare, offering further evidence that there is significant kinship between him and the ranks of the late-60's to early-70's progressive rock set such as peter hammill and his van der graaf generator, as well as first wave yes and king crimson. the song is as sprawling and imaginative in its mythology as the most inspired of prog's deep canon ever got. yet it tells the tale in less than three minutes and with only one phrase and one instrument, with unprecedented clarity and precision -- not to mention poesy. certainly it warrants that youngs be crowned the king of the progressive minimalists. he preys on the most meditative tendencies in each of us, and he finds the essence in each of his songs (throwing out the rest) which endeavours to put erstwhile listeners in a trance-like state.

$11.71

back in stock as of
july 28th, 2010

first in stock on
january 24th, 2006

threads:
modern-psych

jagjaguwar (usa) #jag 019 cd

richard youngs “sapphie” compact disc

soon it will be fire
a fullness of light in your soul
the graze of days

2000 release ...

jagjaguwar press release...

jagjaguwar is proud to announce the reissue of one of the most important unheard treasures of the last half decade of the twentieth century. originally issued in 1998 by oblique recordings (its second and final release), sapphie was richard youngs' fifth solo full-length and quite a unique album in his already unique oeuvre.

made up of three acoustic tracks -- spanning over 37 minutes in length -- featuring just classical guitar and voice, sapphie is quiet and introspective. the songs feel like an intimate journey by hand through a song cycle of loss and renewal. within the context of his massive and ever-growing body of work, sapphie is his most song-based and arguably his most personal. fans of reclusive sages like nick drake, anne briggs and robert wyatt will most appreciate the timeless quality inherent in youngs' songs.

in regard to his more experimental work -- with collaborators brian lavelle and simon wickham-smith, for instance -- melody maker has called him no less than the "grand-meister of contemporary british improv, spiritual son of eddie prevost and maddy prior; gentle manipulator of english hymn-notics and religious incantations; protege, challenger and radicaliser of folk, blues, rock, minimalism and improvisation; translator for the sea and the rain and the sky; ambassador to war and peace, to love and anguish," and "poet-seducer of souls."

"i recorded sapphie round my friend john's flat and it was the first time i'd ever done more than one take. he's a perfectionist and kept finding reasons to redo each song. a clock ticking too near a microphone. a sudden overload of vocal volume. downstairs neighbors rolling in late and loud from the pub. domestic appliance interference. he let me keep one fridge click on "the graze of days." it was early morning by then, my voice was so shot there was no way i was running through that one again.

"the guitar is a cheap classical i've had for years. i like the sound of it's nylon strings. the voice is very english and i've had that for years, too. despite moving to scotland, nothing seems likely to shift my cambridge accent. there's no overdubbing and no remixing. everything went straight to dat. what you hear is the best of what went on." -- richard youngs, august 1998

$8.41

back in stock as of
july 23rd, 2010

first in stock on
june 3rd, 2010

threads:
modern-psych
sound-poetry
minimalism-drones
electro-acoustic-composition

root strata (usa) #rs-54 cs

valet / richard youngs “tsuki no seika • volume two” seven inch single record

valet - touch me im sick (5:50)
richard youngs - fen flowers (2:25)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "fen flowers"

march 2010 release ; second in the “tsuki no seika” series of voice-only singles, this time offering a pair of incantations from honey “valet” owens (electro-acoustic spoken word piece that rises into a ruth white-esque electronic shitstorm- i.e. not a cover of the titular mudhoney gem) & richard youngs (laundry-list style acapella performance piece ala his excellent “summer wanderer” lp) ...

root strata press release...

richard youngs / valet
tsuki no seika vol 2
rs54 7"

edition of 300

this has really been a long time in the making. it's great to finally see this project reach the light of day. originally conceived as a 7" box set, 'tsuki no seika' will now be offered up as a subscription only 7" series in four installments. each 7" will be a split, and each artist has contributed an a capella track. that is to say, vocals only! in addition, all of the artwork is done by the artist.

the contributing artists are :

grouper * christina carter * richard youngs * islaja * xela * zelienople * hisato higuchi * valet

$15.61

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 29th, 2008

threads:
guitar-themed
free-improvisation
modern-psych

best of 2008 !!!

vhf (usa) #vhf 103 lp

richard youngs / alexander neilson “electric lotus • lotus edition” long playing record and compact disc set

electric lotus (lp)

teeth
kickin' thru glass
mute action
electric lotus
lotus edition (cd)

glass teeth
mute kestrel
sepia tear
lotus edition
kick vent

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "electric lotus"

vhf press release...

vhf#103 richard youngs & alexander neilson electric lotus lp + lotus edition cd

epic double set from the duo, combining an lp of all-electric rock mayhem with a cd (in its own color card sleeve) of subtle drum/shakuhachi duos. electric lotus is the boys’ self-proclaimed “rock” album, and it is a mind-boggling clutch of guitar/bass/drums demolition. coming off like an amphetamine-fueled guru guru, the music tumbles out in a crazy quilt of stun-level attack zonage, especially on the side-long “electric lotus.” neilson’s staggering free-drumming hits a new peak here, stepping beyond his laudable work with jandek, bonny prince billy, etc into new realms. youngs lights it up with raging guitar and bass action, including some deeply psychedelic leads, and on “kickin’ the glass,” some killer “heavy” riffing.

lotus edition is a companion cd of restrained and completely live duos for drums and shakuhachi. youngs had previously issued a disc of shakuhachi solos with dense delay and layering effects, but here his untrained but highly musical output on the ancient instrument is in deep conversation with neilson’s drum set. a couple of the tracks feature the kind of long notes, bowed cymbals, and other droneage heard on previous releases like “partick rain dance,” but in a stripped down live setting.

like partick rain dance, this is sleeved in artwork by the children of vhf hq! the lp was expertly cut by john golden and pressed in the u.s.s.a. by rti on audiophile vinyl.

$13.42

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 29th, 2008

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones
electro-acoustic-improvisation

vhf (usa) #vhf 099 cd

richard youngs / simon wickham-smith “5 years” compact disc

2002
2003
2004
2005
2006

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "2003"

vhf press release...

vhf#99 richard youngs / simon wickham-smith 5 years cd

“5 years” is the venerable duo’s first release since “lammergeier” (vhf#58) in 2000. after recording and releasing nearly 20 albums between 1990 and 2000, richard and simon decided to try a novel and opposite approach to music making – they met once each year to record a solitary 10 minute track. the results show the duo remarkably unaffected by the half decade that elapsed - the tracks on “5 years“ reflect their long established signature mix of “real human” instrumental expression and explosive musique concrete sensibility.

“2002” starts with several minutes of looped snippets building up subtle patterns as they slide in and out of phase, leading to a change to a tremulous chord organ driven section. “2003” starts with a drastically filtered base of hand drumming, with full-on hand-on-the-knob tweaking, before giving way to an over the top fuzz organ solo that sounds like mike ratledge on 200 rpm. “2004” is a throwback of ululating noise as heard on 90’s efforts such as “metallic sonatas.” “2005” is based on electronically treated percussion, the sparest and most minimal track of the bunch. recorded mere weeks ago, “2006” finishes where we started, with a baffling electronic test pattern drone that segues into a section of beautiful, weird ambience.

$13.42

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 26th, 2007

threads:
modern-psych

vhf (usa) #vhf 087 cd

ilk “canticle” compact disc

a guiding principle (9:09)
landsong (walking) (6:20)
honour's prospect (4:07)
the weight of stars (5:54)
tilling (5:41)
outward & homeward (7:55)
of souls (a pantomime) (2:29)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "landsong (walking)"

vhf press release...

vhf#87 ilk canticle cd

outrageous cd of prog rock from richard youngs and andrew paine's ilk. canticle is a long promised follow-up to the group's 1998 cd zenith, which was released on richard's no fans label. unlike richard's more "minimalist" solo records, ilk drapes his songs and voice in thick layers of heavy jams, and then piles on the production tricks, vocal layers, steve howe-style leads, synth bleeps, and other racket in beautifully intricate arrangements. canticle is clearly influenced by the classic uk progressives but unmistakably contemporary.

"a guiding principle" and "landsong" marry richard and andrew's multi-tracked voices with over the top full rock-band arrangements. "honour's prospect" mixes mystical narration with some searing fuzz-guitar leads, and is followed by the bass-heavy march of "the weight of stars." "tilling" shimmers and echoes, leading into the spacey and cosmic "outward & homeward." the folky "of souls" serves as a fittingly simple epilogue to the suite. veronica rennie's cover art (in card folio printed by stumptown) completes the package in highly appropriate style.

7 tracks, 50 mins.

$13.42

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 26th, 2007

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones

vhf (usa) #vhf 072 cd

youngsbower “relayer” compact disc

eagle like a fly (5:59)
pink sky blossom (3:17)
iridescent hosedown (5:49)
welding the sea (3:23)
moonlight ice rink (4:29)
stream entrant (3:29)
new martian sun tunnel (5:10)
helicopter kachina (3:39)
hoedown modulation (2:32)
opaline retrieval (3:17)
fly like an eagle (7:26)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "eagle like a fly"

vhf press release...

vhf#72 youngsbower relayer cd

second collaboration between these two stalwart titans of the true uk underground, coming 8 years after their first pairing on the site/realm lp. relayer (the title no doubt a nod to the odd resemblance of 7 year old rosalie bower's cover art to another lp of the same title) throws out the live methodology of the lp for a dense set of layered studio recordings.

like the music of bower's sunroof! group, the tracks are rainbows of colors and textures with string drone, percussion, bleeps, and the unidentifiable competing in a mix devoid of the traditional "lead with backing" schema. many tracks have the kind of welcoming electronic bed seldom heard since the demise of harmonia, with ring modulated fuzz bleeping away over a chugging, but non-oppressive beat. elsewhere, there's youngs' riley-style organ ping-pong, a little virtuoso kalimba, thick wads of analog synth....you know where this is going.

so tightly edited and accessible that this would be the perfect summer top-down cd, but what with it being released in november, you'll have to keep it safe until the thaw.

10 tracks, 48 minutes.

$13.42

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 26th, 2007

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones

vhf (usa) #vhf 064 cd

makoto kawabata / richard youngs “makoto kawabata & richard youngs” compact disc

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "3"

vhf press release...

vhf#64 kawabata makoto / richard youngs s/t cd

the untitled cd of duets by the nowadays unavoidable acid mothers temple leader kawabata makoto and the somewhat less available glasgow librarian richard youngs shows the pair in a relaxed, yet psychedelic mood. the five untitled tracks here play simple modal melodies performed on acoustic guitar, autoharp, organ, voice etc against swirling production and layers of shifting audio haze.

track 1 has richard's immediately identifiable voice, guitar, and autoharp against kawabata's spacey echo treatments - track 3 reverses the process with richard's minor key picking cutting against kawabata's thick, visceral bowed drones. tracks 2, 4, and 5 all use a base of lovely fingerpicked guitar melodies, layering on organ, synth, tape effects, and echo until a suitably mellow cosmic vibe is achieved.

all in all, some of the most beautiful sounds ever issued by either of these two gents, best known for their edgy experimental work - and support of pro wrestling and antique hunting, respectively.

5 tracks, 45 mins

$14.98

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 29th, 2008

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones

vhf (usa) #vhf 060 cd

sunroof! “bliss” double compact disc set

gold carnation legacy
columbine kisses 1 (5:44)
columbine kisses 2 (5:47)
chirrups of certain being (18:10)
gold carnation legacy (6:13)
star sound (4:03)
distoria (5:03)
bells (4:44)
cloud generator in the blue sky of china 1 (7:35)
cloud generator in the blue sky of china 2 (8:25)
* (6:52)
embroidered birdsong nearly meadows
dirty joke from outer space (14:23)
dance of the blessed spirits (4:14)
her peacocks fly amain (10:53)
djfos 2 (6:06)
bitterne storm over minfield (9:40)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "columbine kisses 1"

vhf press release...

vhf#60 sunroof! bliss dbl cd

somewhat delayed yet unstoppable annual collection from long in the tooth uk viber matthew bower and friends (who here include neil campbell, young rosalie bower, richard youngs, and jazzfinger). the atmosphere here is mostly spaced and buzzing with instruments and voices hovering and floating in the dense mix, the tunes all running together like some sort of alien shortwave broadcast. disc 1 takes off from where last year's found star sound left us, with a mix of fuzzy guitar and organ rhythms jousting with voice, bowed strings, and unidentifiable percussion in a dense fog. disc 2 is a headlong rush into newish territory, with analog synth vs. birdsong, child's voice vs. sawing violin, chug vs. fizz, etc. there are many tracks on both discs that have subtle (and overt) melodic and rhythmic undercurrents that suggest some sort of alternate fuzz/hiss-dominated universe version of say, harmonia or richter band. probably a coincidence, but very, very appealing.

$13.42

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 29th, 2008

threads:
minimalism-drones
modern-composition
experimental-instruments
electro-acoustic-improvisation

vhf (usa) #vhf 058 cd

richard youngs / simon wickham-smith “lammergeier” compact disc

untitled (1)
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untitled (3)
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click the play button to hear an excerpt of "untitled (2)"

vhf press release...

vhf#58 richard youngs / simon wickham-smith lammergeier cd

lammergeier is the first new recording by richard and simon since metallic sonatas recorded way way back in the spring of 1998. following closely on the heels of the vhf reissue of the duo’s classic 1990 debut lake, lammergeier finds the duo continuing to pursue the head-scratching assortment and range of outer sound in a somewhat more contemporary style. lammergeier makes use of all sorts of exotic instruments, but like metallic sonatas, many of the pieces have undergone electronic transformation, adding an extra layer of ??? to the tunes. some of the sounds show the influence of simon’s laptop work over the last couple of years, tho' the duo now claim that this is an all analog deal. laptops aside, the layers of microscopic detail on lammergeier should give listeners plenty of practice in differentiating sounds that are produced by complicated software or tape loops or whatever, and sounds that are produced by a guy whacking a baking tray with a stick.

9 tracks, 39 minutes.

$13.42

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 26th, 2007

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones

vhf (usa) #vhf 052 cd

r!!!s!!! “lake” compact disc

lake (3:12)
anti - social behaviour (0:59)
anti - social behaviour in iceland (0:59)
penal animals (1:22)
ricardo ibarruri (2:38)
loss (1:23)
art and literature (1:24)
hymn (2:14)
let them eat records (7:17)
dance: help the aged (give them a heart attack) (9:24)
wasp (3:44)
chord (19:17)
bells (3:57)
redenhall (4:05)
goat (12:04)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "(lake part 2)"

vhf press release...

vhf#52 r!!!s!!! lake cd

originally issued in an edition of 300 on their no fans label and for all intents and purposes unavailable and unheard for a decade, the 10th anniversary cd-ification of richard and simon's classic debut double-lp still sounds as revelatory and alien as it did when it was released.

tracks like the immortal collage freak-out "dance: help the aged (give them a heart attack)," the minimal pulse epic "chord" and the psych-fuzz rock mania of "goat" have been undiluted in their majesty by the unbearable decade that has elapsed between then and now. highest rating. remastered from the original 1/4" analog reels, sounding much improved over the original pressing. new liner notes by simon.

4 (really 15) tracks, 73 mins.

“we're listening to lake close on a decade since we recorded it. just as it sounds odd now, what we do today would've sounded bizarre then. we couldn't make this record now. it's like a ghost - so long ago. we've moved on. our label name, no fans, was a statement of fact; the record was a dare to ourselves - who in their right mind would ever release anything like this? with no fans, no distribution and no prospect of either, spending over 1,000 pounds on a vanity project when most of our peers were doing sensible things smacked of arrogance. in an ironic bid to launch lake, a goat evening was held in nottingham at the home of neil campbell and jim plaistow. though everyone had a good time, by the end of the evening no-one had bought the album, so we gave away copies to the three people who had shown any interest. which left 297 copies. the situation was more ridiculous than ever.” -- simon wickham-smith

$14.98

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 29th, 2008

threads:
modern-psych
minimalism-drones
guitar-themed

vhf (usa) #vhf 041 cd

sunroof! “delicate autobahn under construction” double compact disc set

misty spring morning
valentine
stately metal trees
jacking off making airplane noises
silver pennies
the last lemur
schooner trapped in ice
grey felt village
prince of thieves #2
drive by #1
shiney tunnel
cleopatra's wedding gift
twilight theme park
drive by #2

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "the last lemur"

vhf press release...

vhf#41 sunroof! delicate autobahn under construction 2xcd

first release from new matthew bower group, following the retirement of skullflower and total. working mostly as a trio with bower, john godbert and neil cambell, sunroof mines territory similar to total but with a more group-oriented, communal trance orientation. taking cues from minimalist composers, indian music, and assorted folk musics, sunroof uses guitar, violin, hand percussion, and reeds to build up layer upon layer of stratospheric bliss. the unhurried and slowly unfolding delivery of most of the music makes it suitable for both foreground and background uses. on top of the layers of sound floats bower’s unmistakable, sometimes gentle, sometimes excoriating electric guitar.

$13.42

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 29th, 2008

threads:
modern-psych
folk

vhf (usa) #vhf 027 cd

richard youngs / simon wickham-smith “red and blue bear” compact disc

untitled (1)
untitled (2)
untitled (3)

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "untitled (3)"

vhf press release...

vhf#27 richard youngs and simon wickham-smith red and blue bear cd

red and blue bear is a simple but charming children's story written by simon and illustrated by richard. the story is included in the 20 page color booklet. the cd is r!!! & s!!!'s demented "performance" of the story. there's anglo-folky laments, bizarre improv, casio madness, found sounds, etc, etc. the breadth of material is similar to lake.

"i consider red and blue bear to be inappropriate for my kids, the bear is too trusting." - matthew bower.

3 tracks, 45 mins.

$13.42

back in stock as of
january 26th, 2010

first in stock on
april 29th, 2008

threads:
modern-psych
free-improvisation
experimental-instruments

vhf (usa) #vhf 022 cd

richard youngs / stephen todd “georgians” compact disc

bananas 'n' muffins
granite eye
sixteen 00
higher grit
ladies of staines
techno won ton
hannibal
perranuthruoe
berry

click the play button to hear an excerpt of "granite eye"

vhf press release...

vhf #22 richard youngs and stephen todd georgians cd

an unorthodox and lovely bunch of tracks- a theoretical version of some incredible indigenous music from a culture that doesn’t exist. exotic and beautiful sounds from a variety of instruments both acoustic and electronic. the cd’s two centerpieces are “sixteen oo,” a simple melody which spirals into the ether, and “perrannthnoe,” a track with an atmosphere much like a crinkling sheet of cellophane. i have no idea what that means. surrounding these two are several short tracks, including the immortally titled “techno won ton.” a surprising and charming record suitable for many uses. richard and steven also recorded a couple of other cd's worth of material, but aside from the "st helena" 7" on insample, this is all that was released.

9 tracks, 42 minutes.

previous artist:
youngsbower

...and that's everything in stock featuring richard youngs.
(why not take a look at the previous and next artists?)

next artist:
la monte young

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... this page was last updated on wednesday, september 1st, 2010 @ 1:16 pm