Hybrid (Welsh band)

Hybrid
Background information
Origin	Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
Genres	Electronica Progressive breaks Big Beat Nu breaks Progressive trance Symphonic techno
Labels	Distinct'ive Kinetic (former US label) Hope Recordings Kill City Recordings
Website	http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/
Members
Mike Truman Chris Healings Charlotte James[1]
Past members
Lee Mullin

This article is about the electronica band. For the metal band, see Hybrid (Spanish band).

Hybrid are a British electronic music group based in Swansea, comprising Mike Truman and Chris Healings, with the addition of Charlotte James completing their 2010 lineup. They are primarily known as a progressive breaks act, although they overlap considerably with progressive house and trance. However, the band are now taking a more structured approach to song writing, with the addition of Charlotte James contributing to the writing process. The duo are considered pioneers of the electronic genre, and have produced four studio albums, all garnering critical acclaim. They are known for their cinematic approach to their production, specifically with the use of orchestral sounds, which is particularly notable on their debut album Wide Angle when they collaborated with the Russian Federal Orchestra. Also over their eleven year career, they have produced over 100 remixes for over 40 artists. Their fourth studio album, Disappear Here, was released on March 29, 2010. The band is selling the album together with self designed artwork and t-shirts at their official web site.

History

Hybrid released their first album, Wide Angle, in 1999 – a combination of progressive house and nu skool breaks with vocals and symphonic textures. They hired the Russian Federal Orchestra for the string sections. Julee Cruise supplied many of the vocals for Wide Angle. The album was produced and written by the duo along with the third original band member, Lee Mullin. The music's cinematic feel and scope have led to comparisons with Massive Attack and Underworld. Hybrid also supported Moby during a live tour in 2000.

Hybrid released their second album, Morning Sci-Fi, in 2003. They added semi-permanent vocalists and guitarists, Adam Taylor and Tim Hutton (both on the album and when performing live) with a guest appearance from New Order alumnus Peter Hook. This album had a generally darker feel to it than Wide Angle, though still retaining the cinematic undertones for which Hybrid are known. In addition to this, Morning Sci-Fi features a more diverse range of influences than its predecessor — Chris Healings stating in an interview that, "We've been listening to absolutely anything other than dance music. I suppose that is because dance music is so ingrained into what we do naturally. We've been listening to stuff like Doves, Radiohead, Soulwax, New Order and lots of jangly indie guitar bands and classical music, particularly the work of Arvo Pärt and Alexander Gretchaninov."^[2]

In 2006, Hybrid released their third studio album, I Choose Noise, with three tracks featuring vocalists Kirsty Hawkshaw and Perry Farrell. The epic symphonic sound of these pieces seemed to confirm a return to the grand orchestral scope of Wide Angle.

Hybrid played at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 29, 2006.

In July 2006, Hybrid collaborated with Perry Farrell's Satellite Party. Satellite Party made three tracks with Hybrid. "Wish Upon a Dogstar", a remix of "Dogstar" from I Choose Noise, "Kinky", a cover of "Dreamstalker" and "Awesome", a cover of Hybrid's unreleased track "Orbit". All of the tracks are featured on Satellite Party's debut album Ultra Payloaded.

On March 8, 2007, Hybrid kicked off their US Spring 2007 Live Tour in support of their third album I Choose Noise. Hybrid was joined by John Graham, Peter DiStefano and Charlotte James among others.

On October 22, 2007 Hybrid Remixed was released by Distinctive Records. It consisted of remixes of several compositions by Hybrid, however Hybrid themselves had nothing to do with the release of the album. This was Hybrid's last album with Distinctive, and they are now managed by Hope Recordings.

Hybrid's mix album Soundsystem 01 was released July 14, 2008 by Hope Recordings.^[3] The album is a double-disc mix collection with the first CD being based around actual film scores fused with ambient electronica, and the second containing more upfront, club-oriented music represented by remixes of music by the likes of Sasha, Quivver and Elite Force.^[4]

In 2008 Hybrid contributed the song "Komuru" to the Survival International charity album, Songs for Survival.

During the production of the X-Men Origins: Wolverine film, Hybrid reported that they had been helping Harry Gregson Williams on the score. They also helped to collaborate on the sound design for the film.^[5]

After months of silence, their fourth album Disappear Here was finally finished and released on March 29, 2010. The album was made with Andrew Skeet and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. A video recording of the track from the forthcoming album, entitled "Break My Soul", was also released which was filmed and edited by the band.^[6] The band are selling the album together with self designed artwork and t-shirts at their official website. The album was followed up by two singles, "Can You Hear Me" and "Disappear Here". A Special Edition of the album, called the 'Widescreen Edition' was released in November 2010 featuring remixes and ambient orchestral version of album tracks on Disappear Here.

In late 2010, Hybrid finished work with Harry Gregson-Williams, for yet another musical score, for the film Unstoppable.^[7]

On March 15, 2011, Hybrid released the song "Blind Side" for free, as promotion for the single, which itself was officially released on August 29th, 2011, aon their new label Kill City Records.^{[8] [9]}

Hybrid have recently been busy helping Harry Gregson-Williams with the soundtrack for the film Cowboys & Aliens,^[10] as well as the music for the video game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Future Soldier.^[11] The group also submitted two tracks for the film Fast Five.^[12]

Usage of Hybrid's music

Hybrid's extensive music for TV, film and games can be found at their dedicated scoring website, www.hybridscores.com^[13]

Over the years, Hybrid's studio material from their first three albums and their singles, have been heavily used for television, film and video games. Hybrid composed the soundtrack for the 2007 film Catacombs, and have also helped Harry Gregson-Williams score Man on Fire, Déjà Vu,^[14] and X-Men Origins: Wolverine^[15]

Other notable uses includes:

• Know Your Enemy, Out of the Dark, and Visible Noise were featured in the game In The Groove 2, released on June 18, 2005.^[16]

• In November 2006, All I Want was featured in an advertisement for the Channel 4 show Unanimous.^{[citation needed]}

• The music of Hybrid has been featured several times in the motoring TV show Top Gear. Finished Symphony was used when Jeremy Clarkson, in a Bugatti Veyron, raced James May and Richard Hammond, in a light aircraft, across Europe (Series 7, Episode 5), whilst "Formula Of Fear" was featured in Series 14, in the Maserati/Porsche/Aston Martin segment. Mr. Smith (aka. Ultimatum) was used in Series 5, Episode 4, and in the first episode of Series 7, when Clarkson reviews the Aston Martin V8 Vantage on the Isle of Man.

• Finished Symphony was featured in the games SSX, SSX Tricky, and Juiced.^[17]

• Higher Than A Skyscraper is featured in the Xbox 360 game Crackdown.^[18]

• I Know was used as sample in the song Desnudame, from Achillea's second album "Amadas Estrellas."^{[citation needed]}

• I Choose Noise was featured in an advertisement for the BBC's Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood.^{[citation needed]}

• "Choke" was used in a game trailer for Quantum Theory.

• "Cascade", from Scores was used as the bed for a Sky HD advertisement.

• "Dogstar" from I Choose Noise was used by the BBC as title music for their coverage of the 2009 World Athletics Championships and 2010 European Athletics Championships.

• Finished Symphony was used by the BBC for their Boxing coverage.

• "Kid 2000" was one of the tunes for Kevin and Perry go Large movie in year 2000.

• "We Are In Control" was used in Poland by Gellwe for their "Fitella" muesli advertisement, and has also been used in Top Gear a couple of times.

• "If I Survive" was used as the opening music in the game Kinetica.^[19]

• Five songs by Hybrid were used in the film Man on Fire.

• Parts of We Are In Control were used as background music for Disorderly Conduct: Video on Patrol.

• "I Know" was used in Armin Van Buuren's six hour long set, Armin Only.

• Hybrid produced a track called "Komoru" for BBC's Tribe LP. It's set for release in September.^[20]

• Elements of "Zulu" were used as samples in the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots soundtrack.^{[citation needed]} The Soundtrack was partly composed by Harry Gregson-Williams.

• The song "Choke" was used for the trailer for The Spirit;^[21] "Keep it in the Family" was used in a later trailer for the same film.^[22]

• "Formula of Fear (Hybrid's Matrix Dub)" was featured on the soundtrack for Need For Speed: Undercover.

• "We Are In Control" has been used on the Australian version of Big Brother.

• "I Know" and "If I Survive" have been used in the show CSI: NY.

• Lamborghini used the song "Ultimatum" as the soundtrack for their website exclusive video featuring the Lamborghini Murcielago LP640

• Several songs from Hybrid's unreleased album of scores have been used in taped segments on the ABC show Dancing with the Stars.

• "Just for Today" was used as the backing music for the 'Best in Britain' video clip the Alfa Romeo's website for the Prodrive-tuned Brera S coupe (breras.co.uk) which featured the car driving around Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, UK.

• Early episodes of America's Next Top Model regularly used tracks from Morning Sci Fi.

• A sample from Last Man Standing was used in the Crysis 2 Multiplayer Reveal Trailer.

Discography

See also: Category:Hybrid albums and Category:Hybrid songs

Studio albums

• Wide Angle (1999); re-released as Wider Angle (2000)
• Morning Sci-Fi (2003)
• I Choose Noise (2006)
• Disappear Here (2010)^[23]

Remix albums

• Remix and Additional Production by... (2001)
• Hybrid Remixed (2007)
• Soundsystem 01 (2008)

Promo releases

• The Remix Collection (1996)
• Symphony (1996)
• Music from the Forthcoming Album Wide Angle (1998)
• Views from Wide Angle (1999)
• Scores (2005)

Singles

• Fall Out Of Love (1996)
• Finished Symphony (1999)
• If I Survive (1999)
• Kid 2000 (2002)
• Visible Noise / Know Your Enemy (2002)
• Gravastar / Celebrity Science (2002)
• True To Form (2003)
• Higher Than A Skyscraper (2004)
• I'm Still Awake (2004)
• I Choose Noise EP (2006)
• Dogstar / I Choose Noise (2006)
• Falling Down / Last Man Standing (2006)
• Dreamstalker / Just For Today (2006)
• Last Man Standing / Until Tomorrow Remixes (2007)
• I Choose Noise / Sleepwalking Remixes (2007)
• Hybrid Re mixed EP 1 (2007)
• Finished Symphony (Remixed) (2008)
• The Formula of Fear (2008)
• Break My Soul (2010)
• Can You Hear Me (2010)
• Disappear Here (2010)
• Original Sin (2011)
• Blind Side (2011)

Compilations

• Hybrid Present: Y4K (2004)

Bootlegs

• Remix And Additional Production Unmixed Version 01 (2002)
• Hybrid Club Collection Mixed (2004)
• Hybrid 1000 Original Hits Unmixed Best Remixes (2004)
• Bootlegs (2005)

Various Remixes

Main article: Songs remixed by Hybrid

Hybrid has produced over 100 remixes of more than 40 artists, including Radiohead, Alanis Morissette, U2, Filter, BT, DJ Rap, The Orb, Jean Michel Jarre, Gouryella, The Future Sound of London, UNKLE, Moby and The Crystal Method.^[24]

Notes and references

1. ^ http://disappearhere.info/about.php
2. ^ "Hybrid: "Music that isn't disposable"". JIVEMagazine.com. http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=2314. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
3. ^ "MySpace.com - Hybrid - Swansea, UK - Electronique / Breakbeat / Indie - www.myspace.com/hybridsoundsystem". Profile.myspace.com. http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=36510135. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
4. ^ "Hybrid Soundsystem 01". Hope Recordings. 2008-05-29. http://www.hoperecordings.com/article.aspx?nArticleID=246. Retrieved 2009-05-12. ^{[dead link]}
5. ^ "Music For 'X-Men Origins : Wolverine'". hybridsoundsystem.com. 2009-05-01. http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/2009/05/01/music-for-x-men-origins-wolverine/. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
6. ^ http://vimeo.com/7326952
7. ^ http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/2010/10/01/music-for-unstoppable
8. ^ http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/2011/03/15/blind-side-free-download/
9. ^ http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/2011/07/29/blind-side-music-video-release-date/
10. ^ http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/2011/04/06/music-for-cowboys-aliens/
11. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/hybridsound/status/65499234165735424
12. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/hybridsound/status/60054524139810817
13. ^ "Scores website". http://www.hybridscores.com. Retrieved 2011-10-12. 
14. ^ "Hybrid Interview". Dancemusic.about.com. 2009-03-04. http://dancemusic.about.com/od/remixersproducers/a/HybridInterview.htm. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
15. ^ Submitted by Music.je (2009-01-05). "::Music.je | Podcasts | Events | DJ & Band Info | Channel Islands UK::.: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HYBRID". Blog.music.je. http://blog.music.je/2009/02/exclusive-interview-with-hybrid.html. Retrieved 2009-07-12. 
16. ^ "Song Lists & Difficulties". DDR Freak. http://www.ddrfreak.com/versions/songlist.php?mix=178. Retrieved 2009-05-11. 
17. ^ "SSX Fan Site - SSX Tricky - Jukebox". Merqurycity.com. http://www.merqurycity.com/ssxtricky/coolstuff/cooljukebox.html. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
18. ^ Jigsaw hc says: (2007-03-02). "Review: Crackdown (Xbox 360) - Video Game Podcast and Geek Culture Blog | The Weekly Geek". Weeklygeekshow.com. http://weeklygeekshow.com/2007/02/review_crackdown_xbox_360.php. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
19. ^ "IGN: SCEA Announces Kinetica Soundtrack". Ps2.ign.com. http://ps2.ign.com/articles/098/098389p1.html. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
20. ^ "Hybridsoundsystem.com News". HybridSoundSystem.com. 2008-01-07. http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/news.php?i=31. Retrieved 2009-05-12. ^{[dead link]}
21. ^ "'The Spirit' Theatrical Trailer on Yahoo! Video". Ca.video.yahoo.com. http://ca.video.yahoo.com/watch/3106355/8831867. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 
22. ^ "'The Spirit' third Theatrical Trailer on AOL". Video.aol.com. http://video.aol.com/video-detail/the-spirit-2008-third-trailer/2897329174. Retrieved 2009-05-12. ^{[dead link]}
23. ^ http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/news.php?i=45
24. ^ "Remix Interview: Dance-music duo Hybrid discuss recording I Choose Noise | Interview with Hybrid’s Chris Healings and Mike Truman on latest album, I Choose Noise". Remixmag.com. 2006-12-01. http://remixmag.com/artists/remix_sweeping_beauty/. Retrieved 2009-05-12. 

External links

• Band's official website
• Soundcloud
• Facebook Page
• Twitter
• Hybrid discography at Discogs
• Up to date Discography of Hybrid productions with track times
• Hybrid biography from BBC Wales