Hugh Hardie is back on Hospital Records with his latest ‘Dream In Green’ EP, home to four irresistibly soulful cuts. His third solo release to come out of lockdown follows the successes of his recent ‘Learning To Fly’ and ‘7 Tunes In 7 Days’ projects. The Bristol-based skateboarding selector’s new music features exciting collaborations with singer/songwriter Zoe Kypri and MC, d.e.o.n (formerly RSWT).
Title track ‘Dream In Green’ contains sombre pianos and rolling breaks from the offset which pave the way for Zoe Kypri’s awe-inspiring vocals. Being one of the touring artists for Sigma and Rudimental, and a previous collaborator with prolific dance music icons such as Artful Dodger, Disclosure and Crissy Criss, it’s no surprise that this pairing with Hugh Hardie is seamless in nature.
Illustrious synth swells and ticking percussion sets the scene on ‘No Compromise’, laying down the foundations for mesmerising arpeggios and an enchanting R&B-meets-garage style vocal which elevates the track into a world of its own.
The vibe is strong on ‘Overture’ which features the cold flows of d.e.o.n, previously known as RSWT, who is no stranger to injecting serious amounts of soul into tracks having previously worked with Mitekiss, Prspktv and more. Minimalist drums, rich piano keys and a warming upright bass line are perfectly intertwined into a future liquid drum & bass classic.
‘Repeater’ sees a switch up for the final track of the EP. Glitched out plucks and chopped up pads are powered by the legwork of fast-paced halftime drums and a serious business bassline, infusing elements from dub techno to jungle.
With the two aforementioned EPs as well as his ‘Shadows & Silhouettes’ and ‘Colourspace’ LPs resting timelessly in his back catalogue, Hugh has garnered the support from legendary tastemakers including LTJ Bukem, BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac, DJ Marky and Flava D, and shows no signs of stopping there.