About

knives of spain is 21st-century trobairitz Gwen Young, a multi-instrumentalist, composer and singer-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, analog synths, sitar, guitar, accordion, violin, broken autoharp, field recordings, drums/percussion and electronics, her music spans intimate song craft to fever-dream collage and improvisation, braiding "aspects of folk and the psychedelic avant-garde, minimalism, electronic experimentation, and sonic mood painting." (J. Adamian, YES! Weekly). Her second full-length album Telluric, released on the Chicago indie label Hairy Spider Legs, was included in the "Top 200 Tapes of 2016" by Tabs Out! and appeared at #3 on Duke's WXDU radio. 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).

knives of spain has shared the stage with a wide variety of artists, including Cate Le Bon, Wei Zhongle, Clang Quartet, Ora Cogan and Eugene Chadbourne. Apart from this project, she has performed in contemporary classical, cabaret jazz, and various world music ensembles. Her concurrent duo cenOte, with Greg Hoffman, explores sound and free improvisation on a wide array of acoustic and electronic implements, as well as site-specific improv in visionary art environments and other unique settings.

"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

"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 in Knives of Spain. There are subtle connections to be made with artists like the Silver Apples, Linda Perhacs, Colleen, early Pink Floyd, Can, the Latin Playboys, Tom Waits, Laurie Anderson, Vashti Bunyan and Portishead."

Yes! Weekly

"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