Karhide

Karhide is the project of Tim Waterfield, an instrumental act rooted in post-rock, post-metal, metal and electronic music. Waterfield grows out of the East Midlands industrial and guitar-heavy scene, with influences from Godflesh and Frontline Assembly, and he begins developing the project after years of working with drum machines and guitar-based experimentation.

Background and formation

Before Karhide, Waterfield plays in Ann Arbor, a Nottingham duo described as a heavy, noisy act, and he spends more than a decade refining a blend of electronica and guitar music. Karhide becomes the clearest statement of that approach. Although the project is presented as a group, it centres on Waterfield, who performs every instrument on the recordings and also takes the lead in live performance.

Sound and style

Karhide’s music combines heavyweight guitars with crushing programmed beats and drifting electronic textures. The sound is associated with the heaviness of Jesu and Pelican, the textural detail of Four Tet and the precise rhythmic complexity of Squarepusher. The project is entirely instrumental, with no vocals, and its music is marked by intensity, power and melody.

Live work and collaborations

Waterfield performs Karhide live as a one-man setup, supported by the ability to reproduce the recorded material on stage with precision and volume. He has also played alongside bands including Pitchshifter, Refused, The Get Up Kids, Karate, Oxbow and Fudge Tunnel, experiences that contribute to Karhide’s live reputation. He is known as an engineer and remixer as well as a musician.

Label work and related activity

Alongside Karhide, Waterfield runs Field Records, a label focused on math-rock, post-rock and electronica. The label releases work by acts including Maybeshewill, Lafaro, Alright The Captain, Upcdownc and What The Blood Revealed. He also operates a mobile recording studio and uses it for unusual recording projects, including converting an RNLI lifeboat station into a studio for one album.

Recognition

Karhide receives praise for its recorded work as an ambitious and highly textured instrumental project, with particular attention given to the contrast between heavy guitars, shimmering synths and detailed electronics.