Multi-faceted psychedelic experimental duo Daniel O’Sullivan and Richard Youngs have teamed up for a new album, Twelve Of Hearts.
Due to be released this month via Tim Burgess’ O Genesis label, the album was made in adherence of a strict set of rules: "Each song has four chords. No more. No less. They cycle without variation. They never change key." You can watch a video for a new track from the album, ‘Remain The Fool’, which we’d describe as a sort of languid cosmic doo-wop, above.
You can also read more about how the album came together, as well as the story behind the video above, in Daniel O’Sullivan and Richard Youngs’ own words, if you continue below.
O Genesis will release Twelve Of Hearts on December 4, 2020.
Tell us about how you connected, and how the collaboration worked out?
Richard Youngs: It’s a bit of a blur, but probably through mutual friends. We both know Neil Campbell (Astral Social Club and Vibra Cathedral Orchestra), and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve shared a bill with Alexander Tucker. We were swapping music, and one thing led to another. Before we could help ourselves, we were making the songs which became this album. Pretty early on we became focused on using the same four chords on every song.
Daniel O’Sullivan: I seem to remember meeting Richard at one of Alun Woodward’s events in Glasgow. Obviously, I’ve been aware of his work for several years. We initially decided to create some work around the mutual joy of singing.
What’s the story behind the new video?
DOS: Harry is a long-standing family friend. My uncle and his father are besties and I have vague recollections of seeing him and his brother Louis at family barbecues and birthday parties when we were children. We’ve been spending a lot more time together in recent years. He’s a complete one off and his vision speaks for itself. For this video we talked about the symbolic nature of the fool, Derek Jarman’s book Chroma and the dance of opposites.
RY: Harry had made the video for ‘Don’t Hang With Angels’. That worked out so well, we asked him to make another. I had a loose idea of a pack of cards being dealt – sort of close-up magic – but I’m so glad he ignored that and just did his own thing. He has a style, very striking, you can’t really dictate it.
What more can we expect from your collaboration?
RY: Before COVID, we had performed together a couple of times – just the occasional song. And, we had talked about how to present very stripped-down versions live. So, who knows, if the world can get back on its feet, or we can relocate to New Zealand, this may be a possibility.
DOS: Hopefully we’ll be treading the boards together before too long.
