Hyper

The progressive sound of Hyper has traversed the electronic landscape via a mix of nu-skool breaks, punk-infused electro, and EBM- and industrial-imbued post-dubstep. Releases such as 2006′s debut full-length We Control through to 2021′s Control EP and beyond have cemented Hyper’s place as the go-to DJ for adrenaline-drenched broken beat electronica.
Born and raised in Lincoln, England, Guy Hatfield (aka Hyper) left his hometown to pursue a career in the music industry, working behind the scenes for Sony and creating his own promotions company, Waxworks, while also becoming a key player in the early-2000s nu-skool breaks scene. Alongside the likes of Adam Freeland, Tayo, and Dylan Rhymes, Hyper fused elements of progressive house, electro, and big beat on his early releases such as 2000′s “Trigger” and 2003′s “We’ve Been Waiting.” The breaks scene splintered between the tear-out bassline sound pursued by the Freestylers and Sons of Mecha and the more progressive sound followed by Hyper that crossed into the tech-house and progressive trance scenes dominated BT, Hybrid, and Way Out West. Although Hyper had released a handful of singles, he had become a sought-after DJ, playing internationally and providing mixes for Bedrock and Distinctive Breaks.
Around 2004, on a flight back to the U.K. from Australia, Hatfield met up with former Prodigy dancer Leeroy Thornhill, who had left the group to pursue his own music career. While listening to some of Thornhill’s own productions, the two decided to collaborate, fusing the punk-edged sound of the Prodigy with the progressive breaks of Hyper. Two years later, Hyper and Thornhill released their first album, 2006′s We Control, bringing on board ex-Prodigy guitarist Jim Davies, Kieron Pepper, and fellow breaks artist John Ross (Stir Fry). Following successful live dates as a band, they returned for their sophomore release, 2008′s Suicide Tuesday. Their brand of electro-punk fit perfectly within the video game world, with tracks often appearing on high-profile game releases as well as Hollywood blockbusters and TV shows.
Hatfield continued with the sound for 2011′s The Panic, while bringing in elements of dubstep and drum’n’bass for his fourth album, 2014′s Lies. Over the next couple of years, a handful of releases appeared that saw Hyper’s sound starting to incorporate elements of EBM, industrial, and rousing cinematic soundscapes. At the beginning of 2021, he issued the bombastic “Impact Weapon,” his first release since signing to Deadmau5′s label Mau5trap. A few months later, Hyper brought together all the elements of his earlier work on the EP Control. ~ Rich Wilson