On the heels of a forthcoming vinyl release due out on Modulations (Critical's new sister label) and some big things in the works, we sat down with US born and now Prague based producer Hybris to take a look at what's to come for this dnb veteran now making a name for himself as a solo act.

Please introduce yourself. Where are you from? How long have you been making music?

My name is Evan Vischi and I'm originally from just outside Washington DC.  I've been making music for quite a while now, but it's been a slow progression. I started making music as a kid with a guitar and an eight-track recorder and gradually progressed towards using synthesizers and samplers. As far as drum & bass goes, I'd say I've been doing it for about seven years.

Where did it all start? What was your introduction to electronic music?

I think my first exposure to electronic music was when I was in high school watching TV with a friend, and the Chemical Brothers video for Setting Sun came on.  He immediately said "Look it these idiots, they're trying to like, make their own style of music or something, but it's fucking stupid."

At the time, I didn't have the balls to tell him that I didn't agree.  Then, I saw The Prodigy play a huge stadium show in DC, and I vividly remember the 808 bass of Smack My Bitch Up rumbling my guts, and it was all over. Completely blew my mind.  

The next year I saw Hive play in the electronic tent at the same festival, and he rewound Killa Bullet by Dom & Roland, which was one of the sickest things I had ever heard.  That, and Photek's Form & Function really got me into drum & bass.

You're originally from the US, and now based out of Prague. How does living there influence your music? Do you draw inspiration for your surroundings?

I think living in Prague has definitely been a catalyst for the development of my sound.  It's a fantastic place, with tons of beautiful old buildings and architecture, lots of things to see and some of the best beer in the world.  But it also has a much darker side to it.  Many areas of town are very industrial and decaying, and have a very eerie quality to them.  Being around that "eeriness" has definitely influenced my music, and I'm sure the way I think and view the world in general.

Being here has also allowed me to distance myself (somewhat) from the constant saturation of pop culture that is difficult to escape in many other places.  And the seven months of grey that tend to happen from the Fall to the Spring have given me long stretches of time to lock myself away in my studio and really work.

You have a new release forthcoming on Modulations, an offshoot of Critical Music. How did that link with Kasra and the crew come about?

Towards the end of last year I sent a tune called Not Human to Alix Perez. A week or so later, I signed on to MySpace, saw a message in my inbox from him, and initially thought it was just spam. When I realized it wasn't, I was totally amazed that he had listened.  Shortly after that Rockwell hit me up about the same tune, and both of them started playing it out. 

 

Tom also played some of my tunes to Kasra, who was into them and very supportive. Then one day I decided to try to make a roller with the biggest sub possible. The tune ended up being The Cleaner, and Kasra picked it up as soon as I sent it.

 

 

Both sides of the release have different vibes. One more dancefloor and the other on the moody tip. Which do you prefer, and why?

Well The Cleaner has kind of been "the tune" as far as what everyone has been liking and playing out. I really enjoyed making that one, as it just kind of happened. Sometimes when you don't think too much and just DO, things turn out the way they should. Raindance, on the other hand, was a tune that took quite a while to make, and was a big step for me when I made it. I had never tried anything in that vein and was really just exploring what was possible. I was very happy with the finished result, and I think it opened a lot of doors for me creatively.

Coming up as a solo artist in the mp3 and digital age of music, how does having your first solo release on vinyl feel?

It's a relief really. When I was working with Robot Death Squad, doing more evil sounding neuro dnb, we had a couple vinyl releases on Moving Shadow and Barcode. Even though a couple of those tunes were solo, I had never done a tune that was released under my own name on a piece of wax.

 

And after we went our separate ways, I was having a hard time getting any sort of attention, and was beginning to think that I might never get a solo release under my own name on vinyl.  So it feels very relieving and rewarding to have a release on a label that I've respected for so long.

Being a fairly new name to the drum & bass scene, how has working with a respected label like Critical helped you quickly advance your career as a DJ / producer?

Ever since I started working with Critical things have gone from completely stagnation to exponential growth. For the first time I feel like I have a good outlet for my music, and that if I make a tune, people will actually listen. It's incredibly difficult as a no-name producer to get anyone at all to listen, and I've really got to big up Alix, Tom, Sabre and Bailey for taking the time to sort through those AIM folders and actually have a listen to someone they've never heard of before.

What are your plans for the rest of this year? Anything else due out for release soon?

As far as releases, I've got a single coming out on Blackout Music featuring The Elusive 101 and Septic.  I've also signed a tune called Schemin' to CIA, which is due out on their new Tuned In Volume II LP, which should be out around October or November.

On Critical I've got a single due out towards the end of the year, and a few other things with a couple other labels which have yet to be confirmed.  And as far as plans, I'm just gonna keep working hard, push the sounds harder, and branch out in some different directions in the near future.

Where can we expect to see more of Hybris? Do you have any touring or DJ gigs in the works for 2010?

I don't have any tours lined up at the moment, but you can catch me in Barcelona on July 22nd. Nothing before then, a few things to be confirmed after, and I'm definitely looking forward to building up a more regular gigging schedule.

Anything else you would like to add?

Thanks to everyone who's been supportive so far, big ups to my Prague people, everyone back home in the D.C. area, huge ups to Kasra, and to everyone else, keep your ears peeled for some fresh sounds in the near future.

 

Words: Jon Methodus

 

Download Hybris' guest mix

 

Tracklisting

1. Morphy - Shackles (Voodoo)
2. Hybris - Precognition (dub)
3. Spectrasoul - I was 10 (Shogun)
4. Hybris - The Elusive 101 (Blackout Music)
5. Rockwell - Bone Structure (Critical)
6. Raiden - Vo Dub (Critical)
7. Hybris - Loaded (dub)
8. Raiden & Khanage - King Stays King (Icicle rmx) (Offkey)
9. Alix Perez & Zero T - Enemy of Reason (dub)
10. Hybris - The Cleaner (Critical: Modulations)
11. S.P.Y. & Kasra - Surface (dub)
12. Hybris - Schemin' (C.I.A.)
13. Ulterior Motive - Yogurt Brainwave (Subtitles)

• Hybris
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• Critical Recordings

Related Links:

• Critical Recordings Launches Modulations
• Kasra Mixes FABRICLIVE 62
• Critical's New London Residency
• Critical Recordings Reveal Their Autumn Plans
• Critical Marks 50 Releases With New LP

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