User:PhilColinHawkins/sandbox

Young Egypt is an American experimental group from St. Petersburg, Florida, formed in 2009, consisting of Jeff Skatska (vocals, electronics) and Phil Hawkins (guitar, synthesizer, electronics). They started making electronic “noise” experiments on four-track when they were around 17. They regrouped in 2009 under the name “Young Egypt,” which they took from a line in their song "Cocaine."

Formation and the Screwletter Era
CITATION

'Young Egypt began as a recording project and it was uncertain whether it would evolve beyond the studio. On several instances, Phil and Jefff performed live as duo, but it was a semi-awkward enterprise until Randolph joined the collective. Robert was intrigued by Young Egypt’s first set of recordings and he quickly offered to master the tracks free of charge. He was also eager to see Young Egypt evolve beyond a recording project into a fully functioning band joining as a fulltimer in Sept. Rather than pursue the normal avenues for bands, Young Egypt first tested their material in the local poetry scene.

Musical Style
"impassioned performance and ability to create a truly distinctive live experience" "the pair possesses a raw energy that is nearly palpable from the audience."

"the duo sat and knelt in front of three open suitcases"

"Young Egypt is unique and essential to the Bay Area – in the midst of synth lines that sound like something from a twisted 1980s public service announcement, ghostly and droning drum patterns, spastic vocal chants, and flirtations with g-funk conscious hip hop, one can witness moments of personal transcendence in the performance the elusive Jeff and Phil provide. The last time I witnessed this, one was cradling a Madonna and writhing whilst the other proved even a forehead can be good for playing a keyboard – doubters be damned." "gangsta rap"

"madness and assimilation"

"Like mad scientists in a lab"..."The outcome is a melodic, lo-fi sound akin to Neon Indian or Memory Tapes."... "chillwavey"

CITATION FOR CHRIS'S PIECE

"Young Egypt was inducting a settling audience with an ethereal atmosphere, jagged sampling, and droning guitar riffs. As a collaborative outfit that promotes and abides by all things experimental and avant-garde in the Bay area, the group lived up to the premonitions of others I’d spoken to: that their act would be one that dove headfirst against the grain. Even in the thick of the noise, I overheard the meandering crowd banter. One person shook her head and retreated from the audience, saying, “This is just too weird for me.” Another: “It sounds like Interpol.”"

"Their strung out approach to old school slow-burn jams and early 90′s cassette rap is delightful in its own little weird way"

CITATION FOR ARIELLE INTERVIEW

Albums

 * The Screwletter Tapes (2009)
 * The Screwletter Monologues (2010)
 * The Blue Tape (2010)

Splits and Compilations

 * DICTAPHONIA Volume 9 (2010)
 * International EMail Audio Art Project Volume 5 (2010)
 * Young Egypt/The Uhhh... - Central Ave (2011)
 * 727 Experimental Mixtape 1.0 (2011)
 * Necktar 2017 Volume III: Macro / Perception / Micro : Evolution (2011)
 * Florida Indoors, Vol 1: Bedroom Beats (2011)
 * Decoder Magazine #1 (2012)

Videography

 * Southern Blocks
 * Love Action
 * Crystalis Pyramid Scheme: First You Get the Money