Richard Youngs
Like a Neuron

Our album of the week (3rd July 2009)

This record left our Brett feeling ecstatic.

'Like a Neuron' is a new LP from legendary underground lad Richard Youngs and when we put it on this morning it slapped our faces with surprise. Maybe the gnarly sleeve should have served as a warning.. All the stuff I've heard under his own name is ace and weird folky stuff but this one's chock full of amazing rhythmically instrumental psychedelic noise-type jams like someone's crossed Astral Social Club with Black Dice and made it all soothing and relaxing like. There might even be a little glimmer of Lindstrom-like cosmic disco in there too, highly abstracted and with the beats obscured to the point where they're almost more of a subtly rising and falling ambient wash than anything. I know he does all sorts of stuff and it's certainly not unprecedented for him to be involved in more overtly experimental forms what with his A Band involvement and everything but it's a refreshing change of sound from what I know of his more recent catalogue and a totally excellent record that falls far more in the 'fun experimental' camp than the 'beardy experimental' one!

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What their label says...

Richard Youngs is a prolific British musician (located in Glasgow) with an extremely diverse output. Dusted Magazine once wrote he is "defying strict genre classifications since the early nineties, swapping labels, styles, partners, motifs, and recording techniques as the desire has struck him". So 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.

01. Tapes Of Bothwell
02. Runway
03. Call Of The Full Ultra
04. Descent
05. Heights
06. Tornadoes
07. Alpha Blues

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