Yellow Swans, a Portland noise duo known for their experimental and improv-heavy sound, have reemerged after a 14-year hiatus. The duo disbanded in 2008 but resurfaced in 2020 by sharing archival material on Bandcamp. They recently reunited to perform live for the first time in 15 years at Austin’s Oblivion Access festival. Now, Yellow Swans have unveiled a new two-track, 28-minute tape titled Out Of Practice I.
The release of Out Of Practice I marks the beginning of a series of cassette tapes documenting the duo’s 2023 recordings. The two tracks on the tape, labeled as “Side A” and “Side B,” offer different interpretations of the same piece. Both tracks were recorded live, with “Side B” captured at the Oblivion Access festival. The music features Yellow Swans’ signature textured, psychedelic drone sound. The band shared insights about the recordings on their Bandcamp page:
Returning to music-making was a challenge for us. Given our geographical distance and lack of recent music activity, we felt somewhat lost. Having relied heavily on improvisation in our performances, we decided to establish loose frameworks for our live shows to guide us. This tape showcases two distinct renditions of one of those pieces, built around abstract concepts and tape loops of early musical fragments. Despite the passage of time and our evolution as artists, we felt the urge to experiment with our musical history. Overall, we are pleased with the outcome, considering our extended absence from recording and performing over the past 15 years.
Out Of Practice I is now available for download on Bandcamp.
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