Hybrid - Black Halo (Album Review)

The latest Hybrid album was not nearly as immediate a listen as I expected, but it is still easily up to par with their previous catalog (that I don't think has had anything resembling a miss yet).
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Light Of The Fearless review: • Hybrid - Light Of The ...
Favorite Tracks: Flashpoint, Lost Angels, No One Knows, Come Back To Me, Voices In The Static, End Of The World, Sky Full Of Diamonds
Least Favorite Track: Truth From The Lies (I change my mind on this nearly every listen tho)
Overall Rating: 8.3/10
All ratings based purely off of personal enjoyment at the time of this video's upload and either end in .0, .3, .5, or .7. Take nothing I say too seriously.

[@XLRider2]

There are so many artists that you've covered that I have checked out based on your discography reviews, hell I just finished catching up on Squarepusher and enjoying Feed Me Weird Things to the point where I made my own custom tracklist for the thing (that I actually posted in your original review if you're curious), but Hybrid, they are a band that I put on... absolutely love them... and then don't put them in rotation for some ungodly reason and I still have no idea why I haven't delved into their catalogue yet. For example, Light Up is legit one of my favorite songs of 2018 period I absolutely love it... and I'll come right out and say it, I first heard Disappear Here in 2017, which I've gone on record many times saying it was a GOD AWFUL year for me, and hit me really hard... but it never was put into constant rotation. If I had actually put it constant rotation it might've joined Eco's Wolves as an all time favorite. I mean the next year I had two albums by The Anix, Ephemeral & Shadow_Movement, join that list because of how much I've listened to them... and still listen to them, that time was the time for me getting that sort of deeper connection. So here's what I'm gonna do: I'm going to go buy this album, and I'm also going to actively throw Hybrid into my listening rotation. I've never been able to get into them for extended periods of time for some ungodly reason despite every time I do I'm greeted with amazing material. Now that I think about it, I think the reason why Disappear Here never made it into constant rotation is because I was never a fan of the first 3 tracks, so hopefully I can get past that. Anyways, wish me luck I guess? I mean I've been using this time around my birthday as an excuse to fix mistakes, so why not add to that list? I'm absolutely awful at closing statements, I'm just going to shut up now before I ramble for another half-hour or something. Great review btw lol

[@benjamincraig7198]

No One Knows bangs! Whole thing is great, but I've been listening to that on a bit of repeat today. Thanks for the review!

[@hamboneh2701]

I honestly think this might be one of my favourite albums Hybrid has released. Everything is just so concise and flows brilliantly, and the individual tracks themselves are all great (Nails is my least fav, but I still manage to fine quite a lot of enjoyment out of it). Obviously it's not beating the likes of Wide Angle, and Sky Full Of Diamonds isn't anywhere near Finsihed Symphony, but imo it's the closest they've gotten.

[@RobertLombardi04]

I can consider myself a fan of Hybrid’s work and I found the album to be really great on first listen. The album is pretty cohesive as all hell and I love the production on this thing as well. My favorite track is probably either Flashpoint or Sky Full of Diamonds. Flashpoint is a really great intro for the album. That track is a pretty dark track that actually gets me excited for what’s in store for this project, as it kinda gives me a bit of sci-fi action vibes to it. Sky Full of Diamonds on the other hand is just the perfect and somewhat uplifting way to close out the album. I really love the rock-ish sounding production on that one. Overall, I think this is a great album. I’ll be looking forward to what Hybrid release in the future.

[@kai..............]

Great videos man, I'm a recent subscriber. Glad I found you. Keep it up.

[@jamesfield1674]

Nothing will beat Wide Angle, Beachcoma changed my life

[@finnthomas5870]

Only listened to their first album but now I want to listen to the rest!!!!

[@ToastedWaffles_]

I think i might be in the smallest camp here but I'd say I Choose Noise is my favorite album. That is likely a bit of nostalgia but I spent so many hours listening to it on repeat, letting it take me to a different place and boy do i love the song Choke. I'd say I really like this album compared to Light of the Fearless, it feels like a return to form to me not saying I didn't like it but i feel like this is more like a Hybrid album.

[@ianvance1647]

I Choose Noise is easily their most consistent album in terms of quality IMO.

[@tieflingKJ]

I Choose Noise is one of my favourite albums of all time. "Only Fallen Angels Can Sing This Loud"

[@ToastedWaffles_]

@@tieflingKJ it is in fact my favorite album of all time. Having the album around at a critical juncture in my life where being able to escape without leaving was necessary. My kingdom for it to be pressed to vinyl.

[@tieflingKJ]

That would make my obsessive vinyl collection VERY happy. My Hybrid vinyl is limited to a remix vinyl they released not long after Morning Sci-fi

[@drax6094]

I'm a big fan of Hybrid, so I was really looking forward to this. And yeah, it definitely lives up to the expectations, in my opinion. I had the same view, it feels like while it doesn't have as many standouts as their last album, it is a better album as a cohesive whole. Early favourite tracks for me are Flashpoint and End of the World. Flashpoint is just everything I want in a Hybrid track; it's dark, gritty and focused on breakbeats - really good stuff. As for End of the World, I'm a sucker for emotional electronic music, so this one really clicked with me right from the get go; reminds me of Numb too, one of my favourites from Disappear Here. All in all, really good stuff. Can't really say I have a least favourite... Seven Days maybe...? Looking forward to whatever they bring out next!

[@marvamaxwell4124]

Hybrid creates the best album movie trailers honestly sometimes it's better then their music from a visual stand point.

[@antoineguilbeault8025]

Great video ! Will you review the new Daniel Avery album ?

[@a_silly_birb]

I didn't know about this one until it dropped lol. Might be my favorite since I Choose Noise... don't quote me on that yet

[@jamesfield1674]

Yes bro my fav band

[@YouHaventSeenMeRight]

For their more instrumental takes on the songs you also have to listen to Shadow of the Fearless, the companion album to Light of the Fearless. Originally it was only released as part of the special edition version (which is how I got it), but they released it as a standalone album a few months later. It contains some very nice instrumental tracks (Polaris amongst them) and some armchair remixes of songs from Light (I prefer the armchair version of Down To The Wire over the official album version for instance). If I remember correctly 6 of the 10 tracks on Shadow are instrumentals, 5 of them brand new (there is one remix for Long Time Coming)

[@vectorsesh]

It's a mixed bag for me, I strongly dislike the singles they released from this album but I am seeing a new demographic being attracted to Hybrid because of those so good for them. For me, songs like No One Knows, Seven Days and Voices in the Static are delivering the Hybrid goodness!

[@danielgriff2659]

Impressed you are a long-time Hybrid fan. Are you a Miss Monique fan? SIONA Records produces pure gold tracks... Hybrid was my favorite "melodic techno" for many years.

[@matthiaslul]

Nice Video! Have you bought the 4CD Edition Box set and could you make a video about it´s horrrible packaging, please? Distinctive have yet again screwed it up and delivered a small cardboard box, and small carboard envelopes where you have to finger and fiddle the cds out with good luck and leave inadvently ugly finger prints on it!

[@TheWonkyAngle]

I only got the standard one-CD version in an attempt to save more room on my CD shelf, will admit the cardboard sleeve packaging is pretty cheap but I'll take it over an internally disintegrating jewel case with near-unremovable sticker residue lol

[@marvinthemartian4044]

Morning sci-fi is the best to most people?? Dude, Wider Angle is, by far, the only quintessential classic album they've made. Man...growing up in high school with that album, driving around...morning Sci fi came out but we all still listened to Wider Angle more

[@itsferfmurpl9152]

Ever considered using Last.FM to track your music listening?

[@VanezArt]

back to the jurassic era? c'mon man

[@Noobcuber101]

havent listened yet, but i loved nails and if thats the worst track here im in for a treat lol

[@secretsunofficial]

Harry Snotter

[@fdarchives_]

its funny how Sasha Airdrawndagger Xander Ep haven't got a review since you're a BT, Hybrid fanatic. Not saying you have to. They all were all kinda tied into that Era of 98 to 00

[@soulhunteru12]

Personally, one of their best albums, which is saying a lot. I really appreciate their progress as artists, taking different direction. However, i'd be remiss if I didn't comment on a few things you've mentioned in this review: - I honestly don't understand how you can dislike "We are Fearless" as much as you do. You've mentioned it a few times in various videos, and honestly, it's one of my fav tracks on LotF. - While music is always up to interpretation, I'd say that "Truth from the Lies" is less about a "boomer perspective" about toxic online chatroom discourse, and more about Brexit, the media, and how certain newsmakers (*cough*Trump*cough*) are constantly spouting blatant mistruths and being believed just because they shout the loudest and flat out deny any sort of challenge (aka the whole "fake news" thing). I honestly see the song as a condemnation about how facts and reality are manipulated and the masses just go along with it, rather than questioning it. Just my 2 cents tho

[@TheWonkyAngle]

I think I did say that Truth From The Lies was **not** coming from a "boomer perspective", I agree with your reading of it. admittedly still a track that makes me feel like I'm doomscrolling on twitter and not a huge favorite as a result also We Are Fearless is still a solid track, LOTF just happens to have like 7-8 other tracks I like more

[@AznHops]

U r kewl

[@dzretromachine]

Barren "concept" album with good production display that still a shadow of that was before. Got bored at first listening and i don't want back on it. Flashpoint was slight interesting but still a tune that goes nowhere, orchestral is bland and uninspired along the record and most of tracks are boring poptronica with the intrusive vocalist everywhere. The last track is catchy but overlong and mostly indie pop matter. Even the average Light of the Fearless was better album. The last good Hybrid record was Disappear Here, the one before their key member has left.

[@sartavin]

Agree 100%. Tried to listen to this today and the composition is just subpar on 85% of the tracks.

[@tieflingKJ]

It's not just me then. I was very let down by LOTF (Disappear Here was outstanding) and didn't have much expectation here, TBH - This got a streaming once over and didn't get a second listen.

[@brendawg207]

wonky slush

[@fliptheflunk]

Wocky angle

[@numberfive8359]

You have no friends, do you?

[@brendawg207]

Number Five wonky slush

[@Lord_Scabtree]

Your mom is wonky.