Hybrid – Wide Angle (1999)

Delivered at a time when EDM was growing in popularity, Hybrid were a trio who were ready to shake up the scene who were frustrated by some of the more limiting mainstream sounds of EDM in 1996. The album title and cover actually refers to movies, and this is supposedly somewhat like a film score here. It was widely received as a classic album upon release, so it is an essential listen to look into, so let’s do so.

We begin with Opening Credits which has a rather strange string section to it, indicating the music ahead. It is rather melancholy sounding, but good nonetheless. Very unusual for an album of this sort to begin with such a sound, it ends with a build up into the next track.

The first major track here is If I Survive which begins with some assorted electronic sounds that sound really awesome. It gradually builds up with suspense and tempo, before launching into a really excellent Breaks piece that sounds futuristic. The cut up beats, textures and melodies here are really top. This is an excellent listen from the start, and just sounds amazing. Some female vocals enter, which are reassuring and different. This is an outstanding and reassuring listening experience, it sounds quite unlike anything else out there. It sounds as though it could have been the theme for a James Bond film or something similar. Towards the middle are some symphonic sounding strings to match this track. A really excellent listen, and the vocals here are really top and amazing. The breakdown here is definitely different and just is mixed superbly. A really deep and emotional listen is here, and this is a definitely inspired and fresh listen. Really top stuff, it is a really intense listening experience. Towards the end, we have a quirky mixture of symphonic strings, beats and Acid/Techno textures. Brilliant piece, and nicely delivered. It concludes with a repeating vocal, before some glistening electronic sounds lead into the next track.

I Know begins with some pseudo-guitar textures here and some electronic sounds, along with some symphonic style strings. Shortly into it, the beats of the track enter, and this piece gets going underway. More female vocals are here, which are interesting and a decent addition to this track. Great listening experience, this is awesome and clever music to hear. A really fresh and inspired piece, this is great music in the background for a dinner party or something similar. This piece is very melodramatic and powerful sounding, and it is an incredible listen. In the middle is a gentle breakdown with soft singing, strings and some unusual electronic based sounds. A very concise and well thought out piece of music, it launches into heavier beats in the second half. This is designed to get you thinking, moving and moved all at the same time. Excellent stuff, and a really interesting listening experience. Great music to hear, it finishes with a super long outro that sounds majestic. It has an unusual wind rush sort of sound leading, segueing into the next track.

Beachcoma is next, and it begins with some beautiful saxophone sounds that are really nice and melodic. This is a sweet intro to a piece of music that sounds really top. It sounds as though it could have been designed for a beach at sunset. Some darker textures and beats then enter, taking this piece to the next level. It’s a slow burner this one, but a very good and consistent listen all the way through. Before long, some Trance sounds gradually enter which are awesome. After a few minutes, the piece kickstarts with some awesome beats and textures that are nicely chopped up and edited for your listening pleasure. Really awesome listening and just sounds like an awesome take on Breakbeat and EDM here. Good tune here, it sounds fresh and energetic. Towards the end is some prominent piano, before some extra symphonic sounds enter here. It finishes off nicely, before launching straight into the next track.

Next along is Dreaming Your Dreams which has a really excellent EDM styled intro which is top. It quickly emerges with some gigantic breakbeats and sounds really interesting and amazing. Some dark bass sounds then enter which is cool, and this piece launches away quite nicely. A really awesome, epic and suspenseful listen that sounds super incredible, this is an amazing album and track to hear. It just flows superbly. More female vocals enter, which are superb and nicely delivered. There is a breakdown in the middle here with symphonic strings, before the piece continues by resuming with beats. A really intelligent and well thought out piece of music, it succeeds on many levels. A great and gentle listening experience by Hybrid, there is a Jazz feel to this track as well. Really awesome, moving and clever, this is awesome sounding. Great stuff, it ends with various electronic noises and symphonic strings. Some fast electronic sounds finish this off, segueing into the next track here.

Following is Snyper which begins with some ghostly electronic sounds, before some Acid squelches begin. Some nicely cut up breakbeats then enter, and we are underway. This is a really great and inspired listen that sounds top and energetic here. It is a fine mixture of electronic sounds and film style sound settings here, and sounds very different to anything else out there. Towards the middle are some really excellent DJ style scratches, before going into a sort of breakdown with some strange and unusual sounds here. Some very melodramatic strings enter, which are quite moving. A really cool and decent piece of music here, this is one for the brain as much as dancing away with one’s body. Excellent music, it never bores one throughout the six minutes of listening here. Towards the end, the strings become centrepiece and finish nicely with this played in the foreground. Excellent stuff. It finishes with some sampled chatter which is weird.

Theme From Wide Angle is next, with some blood pumping electronic sounds, before launching into a very Leftfield sounding piece which is quite good. The precision and cut up nature of the beats here are really fantastic, and this piece sounds really fine. A really superb and awesome listen here, this is more along the lines of what a typical EDM track would be. Still, it sounds really great. A fine and awesome listen with a hint of IDM about it, this is really fresh and inspired Electronic music, and sounds like an incredible head rush here. This is a really cool piece of music, and just sounds fresh and timeless, even today. There is somewhat of a breakdown in the second half here, with some Fender Stratocaster style guitar parts here, sounding beautiful and excellent. A thrilling listen from start to finish, this is an awesome track to hear. It finishes up with the guitar parts by themselves, whilst the other sounds are gradually faded out, and there is some weird chatter right at the end here.

Sinequanon begins with some dark and weird beats and some excellent additional sounds. It is a groovy and catchy piece of music, and features what sounds like a French rapper. Yes, a bit weird but all the same, very very good. A fresh, original and energetic piece of music here, this is a great listen from an amazing album. Some organ in the background plays along nicely, along with the French rapping. It sounds like a ridiculous idea for an EDM track, but it works very well, surprisingly. Towards the middle are some excellent symphonic sounds, which are supported by the other sounds on this track. Really excellent listening, this is another majestic and interesting listen that never burns out or bores one. In the second half are some excellent beats and the organ re-emerges here, and this piece gets quite minimal and catchy here. Another good song to hear, it finishes off with a bunch of delayed sounds before launching into the next track.

Next up is High Life which begins with some uplifting and different Electronic sounds, before some more female singing emerges, which is terrific. It quickly goes into a trippy and more straightforward EDM piece that is really excellent here, and it just sounds different. This is an exciting and interesting listen with more female vocals that just sounds killer. It seems that Hybrid wanted to be different in a good way, which they achieved here. A really cool piece of music and original sounds, this is an ideal album for a film score of some sorts. This song may refer to drug use, but even so, it sounds pretty cool and amazing. Excellent music here, this is more vocal driven, but definitely different listening here. A decent track with a lot of suspense here, this is nothing short of awesome. Great music and sounds here, this is really amazing sounding. It finishes with a bunch of delayed vocals and beeps, excellent stuff.

Following is Fatal Beating which begins with some strange sounds, more female vocals and some interesting sonic textures to go. It sounds incredible and futuristic here, with many different and original sounds that support the vocals perfectly here. A really top and excellent listen, with some excellent string sounds and textures to get one thinking. There are a huge amount of programmed sounds and textures that are nicely delivered here, although it is about death lyrically. A really cleverly done and interesting listen, this is quite a good song. It finishes with some excellent vocals and string textures before going straight into the next track.

Finished Symphony begins with some sampled chatter, before launching into some interesting Electronic sounds sampled of birds and other really interesting textures here. Some rather dark and eerie textures emerge, along with some strings nicely played here. A decent and wonderful listen, with a great deal of emotional charge and suspense here, this is definitely different. It builds up gradually into a suspenseful Electronic piece with some awesome beats that sound excellent, and this is definitely a highlight of this album. A really cool and awesome piece of music, this is wonderful and timeless listening. Towards the middle, string sections enter and this piece has a melancholy movie quality about it. It emerges into a more concentrated and layered piece in the middle that sounds eerie. Some extra Electronic textures enter, before a subsonic bass line and beats enter, prior to this piece launching into some danceable beats. A really awesome and lively listen, this is really top and awesome sound here. Towards the end the strings here return, making this a serious and rather moody listening experience. It reaches a dramatic climax towards the end here, with a horn and string section that is very different for EDM. It finishes up with a lengthy outro here.

Altitude – Red Square Reprise is last here, and samples some (likely) Russian being spoken from a loudspeaker, most likely from Moscow’s Red Square. This is an unusual finish for such an album as this, and just sounds really different. Some excellent cut up beats and textures are here, and this piece is a really warped and interesting listen, with more string sections here again. Excellent music is here, and we conclude this album nicely.

This is definitely a classic album and is a great mixture of film, artistry and music here. If you dig film scores and EDM with a twist, you will definitely find this record appealing. It is one of the greatest Breakbeat albums made out there, so definitely seek this if you are interested. A good quality and decent listen. Fans will be pleased to know that there are re-releases of this album with extra tracks, seek them out if you are interested.

Epic.

8/10