| New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 2 | |
| Cover: | Mogwai_helicon.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Mogwai |
| Album: | Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997) |
| A-Side: | New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 1 |
| Released: | February 1997 (UK) |
| Recorded: | MCM Studios Hamilton, Scotland |
| Genre: | Post-rock |
| Length: | 2:51 |
| Label: | Wurlitzer Jukebox WJ 22 (UK, 7") |
| Producer: | Andy Miller |
| Prev Title: | Summer |
| Prev Title2: | Ithica 27ø9 |
| Prev Year: | 1996 |
| New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 1 | |
| Title2: | New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 2 |
| Next Title: | Club Beatroot, Part 4 |
| Next Year: | 1997 |
"New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 2" (almost always referred to as "Helicon 2") is a song by Scottish band Mogwai. It was first released as a double A-side with "New Paths to Helicon, Pt. 1", on 7" limited to 3000 copies.[1] It was later included on the 1997 compilation album, Ten Rapid (Collected Recordings 1996-1997). The single reached #2 in English radio presenter John Peel's 1997 Festive Fifty Chart.[2]
A live version of "Helicon 2" (recorded live by John Peel from a BBC Radio Session at Maida Vale on 20 January 1998) can be found on Mogwai's 2005 live compilation album, . The last track on Ten Rapid, "End", is simply "Helicon 2" played backwards. "Helicon 2" was featured on the Scottish Association for Mental Health's 2004 compilation album, One-In-Four.
The track begins immediately with a quiet guitar melody, and soft drums which are repeated along with bass and guitar doubling them. At (0:34), the guitar goes on to play a lead part, while the other guitar plays soft harmonics. At (1:08), they slide back into the main riff. At (1:42), a stronger, more distinctive lead part is played. This continues until (2:16), when the main riff is repeated for the last time. At (2:32), the song ends abruptly.