Yellow Swans
Encyclopedia
Yellow Swans were an American
experimental
electronic
noise
band from Portland, Oregon
. The duo are renowned for their improvisional approach to music, creating a unique experience for each live performance. They describe their music as "a constantly evolving mass of psychedelic noise that is both physically arresting and psychically liberating"http://www.jyrk.com/yellowswans/media.htm. The band consists of Pete Swanson (vocals, drum machine, electronics) and Gabriel Mindel Saloman (guitar, feedback, electronics). The band announced their split in April 2008.
for two years. In 2003, they recorded their debut album, Bring The Neon War Home, and continued to tour across the USA.
Their debut album garnered much recognition and soon the band were invited to perform shows across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. In October 2005, Numerical Thief, a Melbourne
-based label, debuted the release of the band's second studio album, Psychic Secession. It was later re-mastered and released on LOAD Records
the same year, and then released on 12" vinyl by Weird Forest in 2006.
Throughout their existence, the duo have used the moniker of D Yellow Swans, where the "D" can be substituted for any word beginning with the letter. This began as a joke when the band formed, and became "a fun take on anti-branding...[it's] not really meant to be elitist though" http://www.auralminority.com/5qsd.yellowswans.html. They have used several different names over the past six years, as can be seen in their discography, but are most commonly referred to as simply Yellow Swans.
In April 2008, Pete Swanson announced the band's break up. In an email to Pitchfork Media
, Swanson stated "There are no specific reasons why we've come to this point, but both Gabriel [Mindel Saloman] and I have decided that it's in our best interest to move on from the project. Neither of us have any intention to stop playing music anytime soon, but we will not be playing or performing with each other again."http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/50041-yellow-swans-break-up The group played their last US show in the city of Chicago.
Note: For a comprehensive list of releases, see the band's official website.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
noise
Noise music
Noise music is a term used to describe varieties of avant-garde music and sound art that may use elements such as cacophony, dissonance, atonality, noise, indeterminacy, and repetition in their realization. Noise music can feature distortion, various types of acoustically or electronically...
band from Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. The duo are renowned for their improvisional approach to music, creating a unique experience for each live performance. They describe their music as "a constantly evolving mass of psychedelic noise that is both physically arresting and psychically liberating"http://www.jyrk.com/yellowswans/media.htm. The band consists of Pete Swanson (vocals, drum machine, electronics) and Gabriel Mindel Saloman (guitar, feedback, electronics). The band announced their split in April 2008.
History
The duo formed in Portland, Oregon in 2001. From here they established their own collective art label, JYRK where the band have self-released several CD-Rs and cassettes of their music. With frequent touring and shows with artists including Tussle, Xiu Xiu and Japanther, the duo moved to Oakland, CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for two years. In 2003, they recorded their debut album, Bring The Neon War Home, and continued to tour across the USA.
Their debut album garnered much recognition and soon the band were invited to perform shows across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. In October 2005, Numerical Thief, a Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
-based label, debuted the release of the band's second studio album, Psychic Secession. It was later re-mastered and released on LOAD Records
Load Records
Load Records is an American noise/experimental independent record label based out of Providence, Rhode Island. "Load Records might possibly be in possession of the world's most challenging record roster," writes Mark Hensch of Thrash Pit...
the same year, and then released on 12" vinyl by Weird Forest in 2006.
Throughout their existence, the duo have used the moniker of D Yellow Swans, where the "D" can be substituted for any word beginning with the letter. This began as a joke when the band formed, and became "a fun take on anti-branding...[it's] not really meant to be elitist though" http://www.auralminority.com/5qsd.yellowswans.html. They have used several different names over the past six years, as can be seen in their discography, but are most commonly referred to as simply Yellow Swans.
In April 2008, Pete Swanson announced the band's break up. In an email to Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
, Swanson stated "There are no specific reasons why we've come to this point, but both Gabriel [Mindel Saloman] and I have decided that it's in our best interest to move on from the project. Neither of us have any intention to stop playing music anytime soon, but we will not be playing or performing with each other again."http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/50041-yellow-swans-break-up The group played their last US show in the city of Chicago.
2002
- Gnrl Motor Skills/PA Swans CD-R
- Live at Kimo's CD-R (Self released)
- Ded Yellow Swans CD-R (Collective Jyrk) - as Ded Yellow Swans
- Free CD-R (Collective Jyrk) - as Detained Yellow Swans
- Manik Tiks CD-R (Collective Jyrk) - as Disk Yellow Swans
- EPX CD-R (Self released)
- PDX TRPX CD-R (Self released)
2003
- Deep Yellow Swans CD-R (Collective Jyrk) - as Deep Yellow Swans
- Duh Yellow Swans CD-R (Collective Jyrk) - as Duh Yellow Swans
- Detestifi Yellow Swans CD-R (Collective Jyrk) - as Detestifi Yellow Swans
- Against Sleep And Nightmare CD-R (Collective Jyrk) as Dyad Yellow Swans
- Business Card CD-R (Das Fort) - as Decapitation Yellow Swans
- Yellow Swans CD-R (Self released)
- Live From Men's And Women's Bathrooms, The Placebo, Arcata, CA 3" CD-R (Tape Mountain/Jyrk/Deathbombarc) - with Gang Wizard
- Die Yellow Swans/John Wiese Split 7" (Collective Jyrk/Helicopter)
- Dreamed Yellow Swans 12" (Collective Jyrk) - as Dreamed Yellow Swans
2004
- Bring The Neon War Home CD (Narnack Records)
- Drill Yellow Swans CD-R (SNSE Records) - as Drill Yellow Swans
- Basement Ghost 7" (Helicopter) - with John Wiese
- Live In The Police State Capitol 12" (Weird Forest) - as Demos Yellow Swans
2005
- Live During War Crimes CD (Release the Bats) - as Dove Yellow Swans
- Drowning Yellow Swans & Jim Altieri CD-R (Carbon) - as Drowning Yellow Swans
- Drowned Yellow Swans 3" CD-R (Chondritic Sound ) - as Drowned Yellow Swans
- Yeh Yellow Swans 3" CD-R (Collective Jyrk) - as Yeh Yellow Swans
- Yellow Swans/Axolotl CD-R (Collective Jyrk)
- Yellow Swans/Axolotl/Gerritt CD-R (Collective Jyrk)
- Copper/Silver 2xCD-R (Collective Jyrk) - with Grey Daturas
- Humming Lattice Flowers CD-R (Collective Jyrk) - with Skaters
- Australian Tour EP CD-R (Heathen Skulls) - with Grey Daturas
- Live 5-6-04 US Tour aka: War CD-R (Hung Like A Horse?!) - as Demonic Yellow Swans
- Psychic Secession CD (Numerical Thief/LOAD Records)
- Dreamed Yellow Swans CD (PACrec110/Deleted Art) - as Dreamed Yellow Swans
- Live at Camp Blood CD (Troniks) - with The Cherry Point
- Doorendoorslechte Yellow Swans 3" CD (Ultra Eczema) - as Doorendoorslechte Yellow Swans
- Draught Yellow Swans 7" (Deathbombarc) - as Draught Yellow Swans
- Against Sleep And Nightmare 12" (Weird Forest) - as Dyad Yellow Swans
2006
- Drift Yellow Swans CD (Acuarela) - as Drift Yellow Swans
- Live At Sound & Fury CD-R (Sound & Fury Records)
- They Do Not Always Remember CD (Oedipus Records) - with Moth Drakula
- Live During War Crimes Vol.II CD (Release the Bats) - as Dove Yellow Swans
- Global Clone CD (PacRec) - as Doubled Yellow Swans
- Yellow Swans/Birchville Cat Motel CD (Important)
- Drift Yellow Swans 12" (Root Strata) - as Drift Yellow Swans
- Psychic Secession 2x12" (Weird Forest)
- Copper/Silver 2x12" (Olde English Spelling Bee) - with Grey Daturas
- Yellow Swans/Devillock Split 7" (Modern Radio)
2007
- Yellow Swans/Warmth Split 7" (DNT Records)
- Descension Yellow Swans 12" (Three Lobed Recordings) - as Descension Yellow Swans
- Descension Yellow Swans CD (Acuarela) - as Descension Yellow Swans
- Drowner Yellow Swans cassette (Tape Room) - as Drowner Yellow Swans
- Yellow Swans/Robedoor Split 7" (Arbor)
- Yellow Swans/Goslings Split 7" (Not Not Fun)
- At All Ends CD (Load)
- Mort Aux Vaches (StaalplaatStaalplaatStaalplaat is an independent record label that is located in Amsterdam with a separate store in Berlin. Created in 1982, the company's mission was created as a sound forum for sound artists, who write and perform new and experimental music...
)
2010
- "Going Places" CD (Type) - Announced as the final Yellow Swans album
- "Being There" CD (Type) - Going Places bonus CD
Note: For a comprehensive list of releases, see the band's official website.