Kristeen Young is a force of nature, an ethereal being from another world whose dramatic and powerful music cuts through the genres of post-punk and delivers with a brave, bold and originality showwomanship. She is an artist in the true sense, whose razor sharp vision, and colourful palette, streams from the visceral veins of Folktronica and seeps from the soul of darkwave. An accomplished singer-songwriter and pianist, Young oozes charisma, individuality and creative flair that matches the likes of Kate Bush, Bjork, PJ Harvey, Alison Goldfrapp, Natasha Khan and Tori Amos. A prolific artist, Young will be releasing her 10th studio album “The Beauty Shop” on 24th June 2022, which has been co-mixed by the legendary Tony Visconti and where he also plays the bass guitar. During her career, Young has collaborated with the late, great David Bowie, as well as Morrissey, Brian Molko of Placebo, The Damned, Tony Visconti, Dave Grohl and Nick Zinner. She is an intriguing mix of Oskar-esque Bauhaus ballet, disco cabaret glamour and goth-horror side-show, caught up in the avant-garde theatrics of neo-classicism.

Cinematic and stripped down, crowded and sparse, eerie and inviting, oblique and elongated, tribal and aloof, Jittery and calm, urban and ethereal. Young’s music is a mass of contradictions, a paradox of art, that tilts obliquely and floats in the technicolour gateways of neo-psychedelia. Innovative, passionate and emotionally driven, Young is the archetypal songstress, whose vulnerability is also her strength, that provides an outlet for her intensity and turbulent tones. Blessed with an expressive range, Young has an amazing voice that soars and loops to the operatic heights of ethereal rock. With obvious comparisons to Kate Bush, Young adds a new-wave gloss, a contemporary sheen that surrenders in the smoky shadows of neo-jazz. Through her virtuoso piano playing, Young stomps in the honky-tonk club house of neo-blues and tinkles in the discord dwellings of baroque rock. She’s a real talent, whose impressive back-catalogue is testament to Young’s versatility, steely determination and drive as an artist.

Like a Pagan witch, a shamanic siren, Young  is a captivating performer, who casts spells and reflects lights from her torchbearer of truths. A beguiling beauty, a post-punk queen, Young exudes old-school artistry with a mystique, star-quality and finesse. She is the real deal, who rides her inflamed chariot like a winged warrior flying high above her peers. In an age where artists have to work harder to sound original and stand out, Young is that rare artist that levitates from the same lineage of all the greats, but helps to re-write the ethos of third wave feminism.

Like chaos in the cosmos, Young unlocks a celestial cycle of unpredictable sounds that release energy from the momentum of particles that have fuelled the evolution of music. She is a shining star, whose depth catalytically rockets her music to the stellar heights of prog-rock, whilst exploding into plectrum pieces of glam rock. It’s a topological transition of emotional states, occurring in linear systems from the soul, that reach out into infinite dimensions. Through her sixth sense sensitivity, Young makes music that acts as an Interstellar medium, where stars die and are reborn again.

Taken from her forthcoming album “The Beauty Shop”, released on 24th June 2022, Sue Veneer is an amazing track which has been selected as my “Single Of The Month”.

Sue Veneer floats through the dry-ice of new-wave and drifts through the haunting clouds of goth-rock. It’s an enchanting track, whose enthralling vocals soar and swirl with the stardust of dream-pop and collides with the remnants of symphonic rock. Majestic and aloof, Sue Veneer elongates and glides, like a Mystical bird, and whose eerie synths, flutter and reverberate from the panoramic views of prog-rock. Along with the descending drones and brooding bass, Sue Veneer crashes in the cosmos, whilst feeling the breeze of the misty ambience.

Just when you thought you had figured out the parameters of Young’s talent, she manages to mesmerise you all over again. What’s great about Sue Veneer is that it offers a portal between the origins of ethereal wave and contemporary new wave that delivers an ever-evolving journey to its progressive state. It’s a contemporary spin, an individualistic innovation, whilst remaining classically crafted. Through the Stellar synths and tribal beats, Sue Veneer space-travels through the timelines of post-punk, whilst juddering from its celestial quakes. Like an ancestral visitation, Sue Veneer ripples from the DNA pool of darkwave and twinkles from the celestial lights of shoegaze. Dreamy and hypnotic, Sue Veener transcends the wonders of goth-rock, whilst adding the aesthetics of experimental rock to create an avant-garde work of art. 

The Beauty Shop | Kristeen Young (bandcamp.com)

All songs written, arranged and produced by Kristeen Young
Additional vocal production by Ainjel Emme
All songs mixed by Kristeen Young and Tony Visconti
Mastered by Mike Bozzi at BGM, Hollywood, CA

Kristeen Young- piano, keyboards, vocals, guitar, bass guitar, drums
Jefferson Wayne “Baby Jef” White – drums
Don DeVore – guitar
Rob Durando – guitar
Tony Visconti – bass guitar
Donny McCaslin – saxophone