Biography
Led by Raven Mahon, once the guitarist and vocalist of Grass Widow, alongside Mikey Young from Total Control, the Green Child fuses eerie electronics with experimental rock through intense passion and inventive flair. Their richly textured analog synths, seemingly tranquil vocals, and lyrical compositions, together with a shared affinity for classic science fiction, defined the atmospheric self-titled debut that surfaced in 2018. That same command of atmosphere carried into subsequent releases, though the project pivoted toward eclectic pop with Shimmering Basset in 2020 before embracing expansive rock horizons on the 2024 album Look Familiar, their initial effort as a quartet.
Mahon and Young first crossed paths in 2013 during a shared bill between their respective groups, then started creating music together the next year. Drawing both thematic spark and the band’s name from Herbert Read’s 1935 utopian science-fiction novel The Green Child, the duo worked for several years across Young’s studio and at long distance, given that Mahon was then based in San Francisco while Young resided in Melbourne. Al Montfort, Young’s colleague from Total Control, added contributions to the debut, which arrived on Upset the Rhythm Records in January 2018 and earned acclaim for its retro-futuristic sensibility. Once the record was out, Mahon relocated to Australia; she and Young established themselves in a beachside residence in Rye, south of Melbourne, where they composed and tracked material in a basement setup.
The Green Child returned in 2020 via “Rats on the Roof” in July, contributed to Chapter Music’s Midnight Meditations compilation; “Geranium” in September, featured on The Searchers & Hobbies Galore Compilation; and an October reinterpretation of Canned Heat’s “Poor Moon,” included in a lunar-themed singles series issued by Australia’s RISING Festival. That same year brought the second album, Shimmering Basset, released on Upset the Rhythm in October and nodding to sources as varied as Andy Kim and Hot Chocolate.
For the following record the lineup grew, incorporating Shaun Gionis of Boomgates on drums plus Alex MacFarlane, founder of Hobbies Galore, on guitar and synths. The expanded configuration allowed fuller sonic possibilities during the writing process, with both Young and Mahon supplying ideas drawn from personal circles and surrounding circumstances. Look Familiar, issued in November 2024, captured this refreshed perspective through tracks that moved between pulsing synth pop and psych-rock excursions.
Mahon and Young first crossed paths in 2013 during a shared bill between their respective groups, then started creating music together the next year. Drawing both thematic spark and the band’s name from Herbert Read’s 1935 utopian science-fiction novel The Green Child, the duo worked for several years across Young’s studio and at long distance, given that Mahon was then based in San Francisco while Young resided in Melbourne. Al Montfort, Young’s colleague from Total Control, added contributions to the debut, which arrived on Upset the Rhythm Records in January 2018 and earned acclaim for its retro-futuristic sensibility. Once the record was out, Mahon relocated to Australia; she and Young established themselves in a beachside residence in Rye, south of Melbourne, where they composed and tracked material in a basement setup.
The Green Child returned in 2020 via “Rats on the Roof” in July, contributed to Chapter Music’s Midnight Meditations compilation; “Geranium” in September, featured on The Searchers & Hobbies Galore Compilation; and an October reinterpretation of Canned Heat’s “Poor Moon,” included in a lunar-themed singles series issued by Australia’s RISING Festival. That same year brought the second album, Shimmering Basset, released on Upset the Rhythm in October and nodding to sources as varied as Andy Kim and Hot Chocolate.
For the following record the lineup grew, incorporating Shaun Gionis of Boomgates on drums plus Alex MacFarlane, founder of Hobbies Galore, on guitar and synths. The expanded configuration allowed fuller sonic possibilities during the writing process, with both Young and Mahon supplying ideas drawn from personal circles and surrounding circumstances. Look Familiar, issued in November 2024, captured this refreshed perspective through tracks that moved between pulsing synth pop and psych-rock excursions.
Albums
Singles
