Hybrid recently opened their 2008 account with "Soundsystem 01", a big double CD compilation on Hope Recordings that showcased the full range of the bands' musical palette, with everything from their trademark cinematic strings and slamming breaks to peak time floorfillers and groovy tech. They now take one of the highlights of that comp, their own "Formula Of Fear", add a sparkling array of remixes, and prepare to launch it as the opening salvo in their next artist album.
Having collaborated over the years with the likes of Perry Farrell, Peter Hook and Chrissie Hynde, and played festivals from Coachella to Glastonbury and back, few will be surprised that 'Formula of Fear' takes the rockier, live sounding Hybrid and captures it on record in glorious, wide angled technicolour. New singer and band member Charlotte James delivers an emotional, rock tinged vocal, with big live drums and driving bass making this a must for festival heads, breaks freaks and radio programmers alike.
The main remix comes courtesy of the mysterious Grafiti who turn in a deep and chugging 11 minute epic, with the vocal making an appearance half way through to floor slaying effect. Combining the space and groove of a minimal record with a bit of the energy left over from progressive's afterglow, this is a big, modern sounding club mix.
Meanwhile newcomer Steam Punk gets wonky with an electro-gonzoid stormer, working the psychotropic groove hard, and taking snippets of Charlotte's vocal to places it was never meant to go, before coming out the other end smelling of (black) roses.
Former US electro-breaks pioneer Uberzone shows he can go 4/4 with the best of them, employing a fat, scuzzy bassline as his main weapon and using most of the vocal whilst still managing to keep it sounding clubby and dubby. Last but not least, Oribitals' Paul Hartnoll dons his guise for a crunchy, breaks driven mix that will appeal to Orbital and Hybrid fans alike.