Hyde & Beast

Hyde & Beast

Hyde & Beast are a group from Sunderland, United Kingdom, active since 2011. The duo consists of Neil Bassett and Dave Hyde, both drummers from the North East of England. Hyde is associated with Futureheads, while Bassett comes from Golden Virgins.

Debut album

The group’s debut album, Slow Down, is issued through Tail Feather Records and is recorded at Bassett’s Sunderland studio. Hyde & Beast write, record, produce and mix the album themselves, with Hyde on vocals. The record is made by the pair at a pace of one song a day and includes contributions from Field Music’s David Brewis and solo artist Lucas Renney, who add bass and guitar to the tracks “Lord, Send For Me” and “You Will Be Lonely”.

Sound and influences

Slow Down is described through its psychedelic, exploratory character, with songs often developing in the studio as they are recorded live. The music draws on the group’s listening habits and evokes late 1960s and early 1970s pop and experimental rock, with references to Captain Beefheart, the Velvet Underground and T Rex.