About

knives of spain is 21st-c trobairitz Gwen Young; a composer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter whose sound is described as "a specially warped version of pop music, achieved from being baked in a kiln fired by ghostly spirits." (Lost in a Sea of Sound) On flutes, guitar, analog synths, sitar, accordion, violin, broken autoharp, field recordings, drums/percussion and electronics, her music spans intimate song craft to improvisation and fever-dream collage, braiding "aspects of folk and the psychedelic avant-garde, minimalism, electronic experimentation, and sonic mood painting." (J. Adamian)

knives of spain has shared the stage with a wide variety of artists, including Cate Le Bon, Ora Cogan, Wei Zhongle, Clang Quartet and Eugene Chadbourne. Her music has been featured on WGXC WaveFarm, Tiny Mix Tapes, Free Form Freakout KMSU, WFMU, Tome to Weather Machine, Psychic Glands (Auckland), and The Crooked Button (Dublin). Telluric, released on Chicago's Hairy Spider Legs, was featured in the "Top 200 Tapes of 2016" by Tabs Out.

Gwen has also performed as a classical flutist, on sitar and bansuri in North Indian classical settings, and on gamelan percussion. Her concurrent duo cenOte, with Greg Hoffman, explores free improvisation with a variety of acoustic and electronic implements.

"Performing under the name knives of spain, Gwen Young’s sophomore EP Telluric is transcendental. The record utilizes everything from analog synths to flutes to create a captivating, almost mystical sound. Knives’ sound calls forth comparisons to goth-rock goddesses like Kate Bush or Liz Fraser of Cocteau Twins; bestowing these comparisons feels like a rarity, but I am unable to think of someone else more deserving to coexist in this gossamer world." Hooligan Magazine

"Knives of Spain delivers a specially warped version of pop music, achieved from being baked in a kiln fired by ghostly spirits." Lost in a Sea of Sound

"The results are wide-ranging, with ominous thrumming and unsettled dissonances in some places, and lilting acoustic settings or hypnotic drones in others... Foghorn sounds, deep-breathing accordion, insect hissing, music-box tinklings, and clouds of shivering synth oscillations all contribute to a vibe that can either lull or put you on edge. Fans of music that braids aspects of folk and the psychedelic avant-garde, minimalism, electronic experimentation and sonic mood painting will find things to like..." Yes! Weekly