Hybrid - Disappear Here

Written by the B&B Crew

Enigmatic UK outfit Hybrid returns with their fourth full-length artist studio album Disappear Here, featuring new member Charlotte James. Can this album take on the test with the band's previous output, or is it destined to fade away in todays never-ending avalanche of releases?

They've come a long way since their epic 1999 debut Wide Angle, an album considered a landmark in the worldwide electronic scene to this very day. Nevertheless, UK act Hybrid is still ranked high on many EDM fans' list of favorite acts, while their live acts (featuring a classic band setup) are no less than sensational. Why? Because their forward-thinking fuse of electronica, breaks and progressive house still sounds incredibly fresh, up-to-date and energetic. Emotional content is placed alongside club-crushing material, while recently added member/singer-songwriter Charlotte James proves to be a valuable asset with her powerful, recognizable vocals. The answer as to whether this album can measure with its predecessors can therefore be answered with a simple 'yes, it can'.

And  not only that: Disappear here also adds a whole new dimension to the band's sound. Hybrid's trademarked cinematic fuse of genres is still firmly rooted in the band'ss sound, but more than once experiments are heard across the whirlwind of groundbreaking studio effects, moody grooves and thumping, crisp clear beats. Tracks such as the rocky The Formula Of Fear and the intense Original Sin reveal the outfit's incredible club-destuction  potential, while tuneage such as Take A Fall sees Hybrid re-inventing and improving their stunning breaky sound. The album is remarked by a constant presence of electronica in all its forms. Shady synthesizers, warm, glowing strings and chilled, somewhat melodramatic sound effects form fantastic combinations on the Massive Attack meets Dido cross-over Break My Soul and the beautiful Numb, which includes a set of goosebump-raising vocals.  

Disappear Here is far from just a simple continuation of Hybrid's sound. It effectively combines all three forces of the band on 11 mesmerizing tracks. This album does not fit just one category: Instead, it carefully explores the facets of chilled electronica, then jumps to rock-influenced breaks and straight epic club bangers, after which we get to hear stunning hybrids of all aforementioned genres. Atmosphere is ever present, with each track representing a different aspect of the emotional spectrum. It is often claimed that listening to music is like a therapy session. In that sense, Disappear Here would be the perfect soundtrack.

Tracklist:

01. Empire
02. Can You Hear Me
03. Green Shell Suit
04. Disappear Here
05. Every Word
06. Formula Of Fear
07. City Siren (Reprise)
08. Salt
09. Original Sin
10. Take A Fall
11. Break My Soul
12. Numb

Rating: 9.5 / 10
Label: Distinctive Records
Release date: March 29, 2010

Hybrid - Empire

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