Music News

Light of the Fearless – Hybrid

By groovemagazine / August 2, 2018
Hybrid began as a trio of remixers based in the Welsh city of Swansea: Mike Truman, Chris Healings, and Lee Mullin. Meeting while going to clubs in the early ’90s, the three made their own remixes of recordings, eventually earning assignments from record companies to pursue their hobby professionally. Finally, they were signed to Distinct’ive Records and embarked on making an ambitious first album, Wide Angle, in Moscow, using such talents as singer Julee Cruise and the 90-piece Russian Federal Orchestra. “Finished Symphony,” which reached the U.K. singles charts in July 1999, featured the orchestra. It was followed into the charts in September by “If I Survive,” featuring Cruise on vocals, and by Wide Angle itself. Picked up for release in the U.S. by Kinetic (distributed by Reprise, a division of major label Warner Records), Wide Angle was reconfigured for its American appearance in September 2000. The group then served as the opening act on Moby’s U.S. tour that same fall. A host of full-length material followed during the next three years, including two volumes of the compilation series Remix and Additional Production By as well as the mix album Y4K. The proper studio follow-up to Wide Angle, Morning Sci-Fi, followed in 2003. Perry Farrell and Peter Hook were two of the guest stars featured on 2006’s I Choose Noise, an album that a year later was supported by a tour of the U.S. In 2010, Disappear Here introduced songwriter and vocalist Charlotte James as an official bandmember. ~ William Ruhlmann

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