Beautify Junkyards

This Portuguese psych folk act employ vintage synths and samples alongside acoustic instrumentation to create an ethereal, otherworldly sound taking influence from early-'70s British folk, German electronic music of the same decade, and '60s Brazilian Tropicalia. Setting out their stall with a 2013 self-titled covers collection, their first album of original material appeared two years later in the form of The Beast Shouted Love. When that record came to the attention of Ghost Box founders Jim Jupp and Julian House, it began a mutually beneficial relationship between Beautify Junkyards and the cult British label, which led to the release of both 2018's The Invisible World of Beautify Junkyards and 2021's Cosmorama. Formed from the ashes of João Branco Kyron's prolific Lisbon-based act Hipnótica, Beautify Junkyards' first release was a 2012 Fruits de Mer single featuring covers of Nick Drake's "From the Morning" and Os Mutantes "Fuga No.2." While Kyron led the group on vocals and keyboards, he was joined by João Moreira on acoustic guitar and synth, and a rhythm section comprising bassist Sergue Ra and drummer/percussionist Antonio Watts. Kyron mentioned in interviews that his vision for the group was inspired by reading Electric Eden, Rob Young's scholarly overview of British folk. Indeed, 2013's Beautify Junkyards could have served as its soundtrack, as it featured compositions by acts such as Bridget St. John, Vashti Bunyan, and Heron. With the recording of 2015's The Beast Shouted Love, they subtly began to augment their sound, nodding to library music with an increased use of vintage synths. On receiving the record as a gift from Kyron, Jupp and House felt they'd found an act which not only fit the Ghost Box aesthetic, but also allowed them to branch out on their existing, largely British, retro-electronic roster. June 2016 brought their first release for the label, a contribution to their Other Voices series of 7" singles. However, it was with the release of their sample-laden debut Ghost Box LP, 2018's The Invisible World of Beautify Junkyards, that the band's profile really began to rise. Prior to its recording, both Helena Espvall (cello and acoustic guitar) and Martinez (vocals) permanently joined the ranks. Fittingly, Espvall had previously been a member of the defunct Philadelphians, Espers, the 21st century act who perhaps most inspired the Beautify Junkyards sound. 2021 brought another album, Cosmorama, featuring guest vocals from Nina Miranda and the Eighteenth Day of May's Allison Brice; it was quickly followed by another single, a cover of the Incredible String Band's "Painting Box."
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