STM 090 - Helm

The author of this mix is Luke Younger, also known as Helm, a British sound artist, experimental musician, and curator based in London, United Kingdom. Younger began by playing guitar in his late teenage years, later drawing influence from artists such as Andrew Chalk, David Jackman, Whitehouse, and Robert Ashley. In 2005, together with his colleague Steven Warwick (a.k.a. Heatsick), he formed the experimental electronic project Birds of Delay, exploring noise music, power electronics, and abstract sounds. The duo released numerous records on a wide range of stylistically diverse labels, from Hospital Productions to Not Not Fun Records.

Younger's solo work as Helm can be described as audio collages brought together through an array of revolving instrumentation and abstract sound sources. By blending organic textures, synthetic atmospheres, and shifting rhythm patterns, his creations achieve a unique musical originality. His fruitful collaborations with respected labels like Bill Kouligas' PAN and Graham Lambkin's Kye have reinforced his position in the underground scene, circulating his records among discerning listeners and collectors. Beyond the studio, Younger tours across Europe, performing at notable venues and events such as Tate Modern, Unsound Festival, Café Oto, Skaņu Mežs Festival, Donau Festival, Berghain, and many PAN label showcases. Aside from his musical endeavors, Younger is also involved in curatorial work, running the Alter imprint since 2010, initially launched to release his own record “To An End.” More recently, the label has released works by artists like Oneohtrix Point Never, Hieroglyphic Being, Richard Youngs, EL-G, and others. Younger represents a new generation of artists, and he seems poised to become a luminary of the future experimental/minimalism music scene.

Following his previous mixes for The Wire, The Quietus, Ad Hoc, and Blowing Up The Workshop, Secret Thirteen is excited to present his latest and longest selection. “Secret Thirteen Mix 090” is a complex, volatile mix, merging 21 expressive records from 1982 to 2013. Over more than two hours, Helm guides listeners through noise, experimental, house, abstract, ambient, and other astonishing musical styles, with hints of psychedelic rock, dub techno, and minimalism. Though each track brings its own emotional tone, developmental arc, and processing technique, Helm skillfully connects them to create a cohesive, immersive experience. Works by pioneering electronic figures like Pita (Peter Rehberg), Aphex Twin, Haswell & Merzbow, Masonna, Andrew Chalk, and Regis blend seamlessly with recent releases from emerging artists like Rashad Becker, Dirty Beaches, and Delroy Edwards. The result feels like sitting in a comfortable room with a close friend, discovering recent finds and rediscovered gems. This colossal compilation defies full analysis, as each piece invites its own exploration, so we urge you to dive straight into this dynamic ocean of sounds, rhythms, and textures.

“Secret Thirteen Mix 090” evokes the surreal quality of Eduardo Paolozzi's screen print “Girot,” where a cubist human form provokes thoughts on intelligence, constructivism, the machine age, depression, existentialism, and angst. Just as Paolozzi reflects our fragmented civilization through imagination and fantasy, Younger's mix juxtaposes contrasting ideas and sonic shapes, letting us hear both eclecticism and the deep musical influences he has honed over a decade—the DNA of Helm’s evolving musical ideology and vision.