Hybrid (producers)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Hybrid

|thumb
Img_capt =
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Swansea, Wales
Genre = Electronica Nu Breaks Progressive trance
Years_active =
Label = Distinct'ive Kinetic (former US label) Hope Recordings
Associated_acts =
URL = http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/
Current_members = Mike Truman Chris Healings
Past_members = Lee Mullin

Hybrid is a British electronic music group based in Swansea, formed around the duo of Mike Truman and Chris Healings. They are primarily known as a progressive breaks act, although they overlap considerably with progressive house and trance.

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 The Doves, Radiohead, Soulwax, New Order and lots of jangly indie guitar bands and classical music, particularly the work of Arvo Pärt and Alexander Gretchaninov." [ [http://www.jivemagazine.com/article.php?pid=2314 JIVEMagazine.com - Hybrid: "Music that isn't disposable" ] ]

In 2006, Hybrid released their third studio album, "I Choose Noise", with 3 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 3 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 latest album "Soundsystem 01" was released July 14, 2008 by Hope Recordings. [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=36510135 MySpace.com - Hybrid - Swansea, UK - Electronique / Breakbeat / Indie - www.myspace.com/hybridsoundsystem ] ] 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. [http://www.hoperecordings.com/article.aspx?nArticleID=246 :: Hope Recordings :: ] ]

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

Usage of Hybrid's music

Hybrid have composed the soundtrack for the 2007 movie "Catacombs", and have also helped Harry Gregson-Williams score "Kingdom of Heaven", "Man on Fire", "Domino", "Déjà Vu", ' and its sequel '.

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. [ [http://www.ddrfreak.com/versions/songlist.php?mix=178 DDR Freak - Song Lists & Difficulties ] ]

*In November 2006, "All I Want" was featured in an advertisement for the Channel 4 show "Unanimous". Fact|date=November 2007

*The music of Hybrid has been has been featured several times in the motoring TV show "Top Gear". "Finished Symphony" was used when Jeremy Clarkson raced a Bugatti Veyron across Europe against James May and Richard Hammond in a light aircraft (episode 5 of series 7) and "Mr. Smith" (aka. "Ultimatum") was used in the first episode of series 7, when Clarkson roadtests the Aston Martin V8 Vantage on the Isle of Man.

*"Finished Symphony" was featured in the games SSX and SSX Tricky. [ [http://www.merqurycity.com/ssxtricky/coolstuff/cooljukebox.html SSX Fan Site - SSX Tricky - Jukebox ] ]

*"Higher Than A Skyscraper" is featured in the Xbox 360 game Crackdown. [ [http://weeklygeekshow.com/2007/02/review_crackdown_xbox_360.php Review: Crackdown (Xbox 360) - Video Game Podcast and Geek Culture Blog | The Weekly Geek ] ]

*"I Know" was used as sample in the song Desnudame, from Achillea's second album "Amadas Estrellas." Fact|date=November 2007

*"I Choose Noise" was featured in an advertisement for the BBC's Doctor Who spin-off series Torchwood. Fact|date=January 2008

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

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

*"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. [ [http://ps2.ign.com/articles/098/098389p1.html IGN: SCEA Announces Kinetica Soundtrack ] ]

* 5 songs by Hybrid were used in the film Man on Fire.

*"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. [ [http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com/news.php?i=31 HybridSoundSystem.com ] ]

*Elements of "Zulu" were used as samples in the soundtrack.Fact|date=June 2008 The Soundtrack was partly composed by "Harry Gregson-Williams."

*The song "Choke" was used for the trailer for The Spirit [ [http://ca.video.yahoo.com/watch/3106355/8831867 'The Spirit' Theatrical Trailer on Yahoo! Video ] ]

Discography

tudio Albums

*"Wide Angle" (1999) - later re-released as "Wider Angle" (2000)
*"Morning Sci-Fi" (2003)
*"I Choose Noise" (2006)

Remix Albums

*"Remix and Additional Production by..." (2001)
*"Hybrid Re_Mixed" (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)

ingles

*"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)

Compilations

*"" (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

Hybrid have produced over 100 remixes of more than 40 artists, including Radiohead, Alanis Morissette, BT, DJ Rap, The Orb, Jean Michel Jarre, Gouryella, The Future Sound of London, UNKLE, Moby and The Crystal Method. [http://remixmag.com/artists/remix_sweeping_beauty/ 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 ] ]

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.hybridsoundsystem.com Band's official website]
* [http://www.hybrid-group.com Major fan site (acknowledged by the band in the Morning Sci-Fi inlay)]
*
* [http://www.hybridized.org/ Audio files of Hybrid DJ sets and other progressive artists]
*
* [http://www.breakbeatpolice.com Up to date Discography of Hybrid productions with track times]