Younger Brother
The Last Days Of Gravity

What would Pink Floyd do in the era of VSTs, plug-ins, virus-t, and nord lead? Probably something not too far from the sound of "The Last Days of Gravity": a true gem! Electronic music for lazy nostalgic "progressives" obsessed with technique who don't look beyond their own garden. Experimentation aimed at those who seek not only emotions in music but also novelty, ideas, and why not, the infamous "technique". Younger Brother perfectly follows these guidelines without wandering into complex experimentalism. The work of the London duo is hard to classify, it is an intelligent, cerebral, and naturally psychedelic sound, rooted in goa-psy culture yet distancing itself from straight basslines, high BPMs, and galloping basses. 

The two in question are the genius of Simon Postford  (one of the fathers of goa and author of that masterpiece Shpongle - Are You Shpongled? work very similar in conception to the reviewed) and Benji Vaughan (a psytrance producer less known than the various Israeli big names, but of unquestionable value). The two have already worked together on the debut "A Flock of Bleeps" (also very valid), and both have behind them several attempts on the same wavelength as the reviewed, showing themselves particularly engaged in a constant search to rewrite the rules of psychedelic music carried forward with Simon's label "Twisted Rec" which for years has been proposing a hybrid halfway between psy downtempo and the psybient movement. In 2007 they come out with this big disc and the goal can be said to be achieved.

The calling card is undoubtedly inviting, with the artwork by Storm Thorgerson (the man of "The Dark Side of the Moon") which you can admire here. Even from a first listen placing it proves not easy: melody, electronics, guitars, synths, and the "mental" intent cohabit for most of the platter, the result is very successful.

The world is introduced to Younger Brother with "Happy Pills" (the title is obviously a whole program) a dreamy journey in continuous progression that approaches the IDM territories of the 90s; remarkable is the rhythmic section, with new sounds regularly added to the mosaic, giving life to a structure that clearly recalls the well-tested and very technical way of producing Psytrance. All the tracks are quite long and extremely varied: as evidence of this are 9 and over minutes of the triplet "All I Want", which deceives with an ambient start only to sharply turn on an electro soundbank and very Pink Floyd-like accompaniments enriched by a background full of FX and little synths, which contribute to adding color to a track which with further progressive development is also enriched with Ruu's beautiful vocals. This song more than any represents the concept of Younger Brother, and if you have the chance to appreciate it then this album won't disappoint you.

Stunning is the pulsating bassline of "Elephant Machine", a complex psy-downtempo track with a hallucinogenic atmosphere and an arrangement as full as ever (also featuring a marimba riff) reminiscent of Shpongle's productions, so definite beat, processed rhythms, talkbox à-la Astrix, and delays galore. In general, an episode a bit outside the rest of the album to tread entirely electronic territories, as well as the suite "Sleepwalker" unfolding in a part 1 dub/downtempo and a part 2 faster with deep house reminiscences. The very acidic "I Am A Freak" is instead the episode that most resumes the background of the two (though as imaginable with quite a few BPM less); it's an experiment with hyper-digitalized esoteric sounds, including electro inserts but with a singular rockish breakbeat! The guitars of the wonderful "Psychic Gibbon", "Your Friend Are Scary", and the retro charm of "Ribbon On A Branch", highlight the more melodic side of the work. 

The album turns out to be an eclectic and extremely interesting work, that possesses all the requirements to be among the most original records of the decade. Among pads, swoops, synths, quantized skill, and acoustic parts, psychedelic atmospheres, vocals with a 60-70's aftertaste added to a constant downtempo rhythm, the listening is easy even if one does not particularly pay attention to all the work behind each beat, the care of each individual sound, and the progressive development of each track, details that actually deserve special attention. Singers Ruu and Chester take a backseat compared to the substantial arrangement work done by Simon & Benji, but their talents are certainly not lacking (especially the latter who provides convincing and heartfelt interpretations on the tracks entrusted to him). Do not expect psytrance, nor downtempo nor psychedelia. Prepare for something completely new. This is also why we give "The Last Days Of Gravity" the highest rating, with the hope that the two can repeat it in the future.