Younghusband

Younghusband formed as an English rock outfit known for matching introspective words to relaxed, fall-tinged tunes drawn from psychedelia, shoegaze and krautrock.

The ensemble borrowed its title from Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband, the colonial explorer featured in the memoir Seven Years in Tibet, and began life as a solo outlet for Euan Hinshelwood of New Shapes. His initial release under the name, the 2007 single “Could They Be Jealous of Us,” was followed by the EPs The Judas Cow in 2008 and Idiot Sun in 2009. Those two projects expanded the lineup to a trio by adding Adam Lambert, formerly of New Shapes, on drums and Joe Chilton on bass, though Lambert later gave way to Peter Baker, ex-drummer of Mohair. Adam Beach, an engineer and guitarist who was dating frequent collaborator Emmy the Great at the time, came aboard and appeared first on the 2011 EP Crystal, the band’s debut release for Sonic Cathedral Recordings.

The resulting quartet recruited Nicolas Vernhes, known for work with Deerhunter and Silver Jews, to produce their 2013 debut album, the fuzzed-out Dromes. In 2015 they signed with ATP Recordings and delivered their second album, Dissolver, overseen by Loop frontman Robert Hampson. Stripped of much of its earlier psychedelic emphasis, the record adopted a leaner, more minimalist approach that showcased the group’s songwriting skill. For their third album the band shifted to Opposite Number and released the pastoral Swimmers, tracked inside a converted barn that Hinshelwood had turned into a studio.