Younger Brother
| Company type | Music duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Electronic music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Simon Posford, Benji Vaughan |
| Products | Music albums, live performances |
Younger Brother is an electronic music duo created in 2003 by Simon Posford and Benji Vaughan. Their initial album, A Flock of Bleeps, debuted in 2003, followed by The Last Days of Gravity in 2007, and then Vaccine in 2011.
The project originated after Posford (Shpongle, Hallucinogen) and Vaughan (Prometheus) collaborated on a charitable remix, which led to the formation of the band.
Name
The name of the group is inspired by a prophecy from the Kogi people; they viewed themselves as the Older Brother, while labeling Westerners as the Younger Brother, who they held accountable for ecological damage to the planet. Posford and Vaughan elaborate on this concept in the 2007 Twisted DVD. Themes from this prophecy are incorporated into their track "Evil and Harm".
A Flock of Bleeps
Released under Twisted Records, A Flock of Bleeps gained cult status within underground electronica circles, featuring notable tracks such as "Crumblenaut" and "Finger". The album’s success sparked interest in live shows, resulting in performances spanning cities like London, Tokyo, New York, and Moscow.
Last Days of Gravity
Motivated by their live gigs, Simon and Benji transitioned from the purely electronic approach of their first album to a more naturalistic sound for Last Days of Gravity. They performed instrumental parts themselves and brought in former Leftfield singer Ruu Campbell for vocal contributions. Released in 2007 with cover art by Storm Thorgerson—renowned for his work with Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin—the album narrowly missed inclusion in the 2008 Mercury Music Prize shortlist and was met with critical acclaim. Their tour featured an expanded ensemble including Marc Brownstein (The Disco Biscuits), Tom Hamilton (Brothers Past), and Joe Russo (The Benevento/Russo Duo, Furthur), covering locations in Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
In 2009, Younger Brother composed "Phoenix in Dynamite Sky" for the British cult film Heartless, directed by Philip Ridley.
Vaccine
The third studio album, Vaccine, recorded alongside the American touring members Marc Brownstein, Joe Russo, and Tom Hamilton, was released on April 4, 2011.
Vaccine Electronic
In 2014, the band introduced a mobile application alongside Vaccine Electronic, a remix album variant offered as a complimentary stream via the app.
On August 16, 2014, Benji Vaughan posted on Younger Brother’s Facebook page that he intended to "go quiet for a while" and planned to "disappear for a few years".
Albums
- A Flock of Bleeps (Twisted Records, 2003) – The debut release from Younger Brother, a side project involving two prominent psytrance producers.
- The Last Days of Gravity (Twisted Records, 15 October 2007)
- Vaccine (Twisted Records/SCI Fidelity Records, 2011)
- Vaccine Electronic (Younger Brother Records Ltd, 2014)
EPs
- All I Want (Remixes) (Twisted Records, 2008)
- Night Lead Me Astray (EP) (Twisted Records, 2010)