Morning Sci-Fi [Enhanced]

The introduction of frontman vocalist Adam Taylor has helped set a new tone, as have guest appearances by New order bassist Peter Hook, and singer Kirsty Hawkshaw.
All in all, It's easy to tell where Hybrid (Mike Truman & Chris Healings) are going. They are maturing musically into a band that can tackle anything and everything they set themselves to do. Morning sci-fi is proof of that...

The album opens with 'Lights go down knives come out' (a hidden track, do a reverse scan from the start of track 01 and you'll find it)
Here, hybrid craft up a deep film score atmosphere to set the tone of the album, the Hermitage string orchestra rise and drop with harsh emotion giving way to a haunting trumpet outro.
Next is 'This is what it means' U.S producer John Creamer mumbles and goes on about his dreams within music, While Hybrid drop a reversed euphoric guitar behind the subdued voice- by now the atmospheric tone has been set, and it's time for Hybrid to explode ...It's time to head 'True to form'...
it's this track that really show's the new face of Hybrid- Dark swooping synths, make way for Adam Taylor's emotional vocal work. As the beats kick in, the noises and sound FX get more intense and along with Peter Hook's stealthy basslines, creating a sound that is driving, gritty and emotionally vivid, and then the strings drop in- and here they are dark, sweeping and very mean, on the whole 'True to form' is a brilliant opener into the world and depths of what Morning sci-fi is all about.
keeping the intensity is 'Know your enemy' probably the toughest track on the album, violent heavy breakbeat pound's away with military precision, making way for deep and moving melodies. the chaotic FX and robotic noises further enhance this track into some futuristic and (very explosive) war zone.
Now it's time for the album to slow down with 'Marrakech' deep downtempo beats accompany the Middle-Eastern inspired noises, heavy guitar pounces and epic sweeping choral sounds, after the breakdown, things get even darker with some very twisted and angry synth lines. Still on the downtempo tip is 'I'm still awake' Adam Taylor returns with a brilliant vocal performance over powerful synth and piano chord progressions. Although Not quite as dark as the previous tracks, it does still however keep that haunting sci-fi-esque atmosphere.
The intense energy returns with 'Visible noise' over deep atmospherics, a pounding house beat get's more complex by the minute as it progresses into a tearing dancefloor monster, after the haunting breakdown the drum's return on the breakbeat tip, as the atmospherics merge into 'we are in control' Hybrid take a backseat ride. whirling guitars and piano create an upbeat and highly energetic atmosphere that would suit an old classic sci-fi theme perfectly. Then things get really dark with an angry robotic vocal, which rumbles over moody synth and guitar lines. the opening guitars return again and maintain that 'Doctor Who' or 'Back to the future' type theme. It's obvious Hybrid wanted to have a very playful song on the album that broke up the intense darkness of the other tracks, and 'We are in control' pulls it off perfectly.
They have had their fun and now the Hybrid boys are getting deep and emotional again with 'Higher than a skyscraper' the Hermitage string orchestra return for a haunting and epic performance alongside Peter Hook's bass work and deep gritty beats, The emotion and intensity of this song reach an unstoppable level as the track hit's it's peak, and then things come back down to earth, leaving the listener breathless.
As the haunting outro fades, the subtle acoustic melodies of 'Steal you away' fade in. Taylor returns again with a mighty performance that works the strings, guitar and atmospherics to great effect, His voice hit's an incredible peak near the end of the song where his sustaining is extraordinary.
the sci-fi vista's of 'Gravastar' make an entrance next, a deep house beat with tribal touches give way to an amazing and complex atmosphere. As the groove get's more intense, outerwordly moans and effected orchestral swoops accompany the twisted melodies.
As the melody lines drop, things slowly get bigger until 'Out of the dark' drops like a bomb. High powered breakbeat rolls along over haunting keyboard lines and moody hushed whispers. as the beats and acid lines drop, Adam Taylor makes his last appearance with an epic performance. Dark sweeping synths drop and rise with his voice until a mindblowing instrumental outro of synths and guitar takes you way... the energy here is fast paced and very huge.
Kirsty Hawkshaw brings the album to a suitable close with the emotional 'Blackout' The Hermitage orchestra entwine with Hawkshaw's deep and sad melodies to create an amazing finale. Her final whisper 'and the light's go out...' ends the album on a truly amazing level.
All in all, Morning sci-fi is an album that is remarkable, creating a deep and haunting twilight journey that is explained in each individual track.
Where as 'Wide angle' was quite extreme in it's scale, Morning sci-fi show's off the new matured Hybrid sound- slower, yet still extreme in places, but in a new form.
Overall it's a piece of music quite unlike anything else, and is one of the most incredible things you will ever hear.
What also makes Morning sci-fi so brilliant is the bonus DVD. It's packed with everything from interviews, True to form and out of the dark live, recording the strings in Russia for Wide Angle, and the awesome feature length Moby/Hybrid tour documentary, there is even a hidden Easter egg (actually a soundtrack version of Higher than a skyscraper)

all in all,
Experience Morning sci-fi.
you'll never look at music the same way again

The signature stamp on Hybrid's previous offering was the string arrangement; a faultless, beautiful marriage of classical and contemporary, it was a bolt of lightning in a trance scene which already showed signs of faltering. Morning Sci-Fi is nothing like its predecessor, and it doesn't need to be. Hybrid have transcended the idea of piling strings into everything, which, in my opinion, would have forever cast them as 'that gimmicky band with the strings'. But no sir, they weren't going down that route.

The whole album has the darkness and brooding of Massive Attack's Mezzanine, but where the Massive tend to plod along at an eerily slow pace, Hybrid menacingly build their music from achingly slow to blisteringly energetic. Every track serves as a lesson to those who wish to write music people will take notice to. What I was blindsided by was how much the CD made me sit up and listen to what was going on. The layers are simple enough - strings, bass, vocals and guitar - but they form a seething mass of music which grabs you by the throat and won't let go.

True To Form introduces the vocal effort of Adam Taylor, a major plus on the long-player. Taylor captures the quiet desperation which seems to be woven into the fabric of this music, and gives it a haunting voice. The instrumental tracks cope magnificently without him, however, and yield the high-point of the album - We Are In Control - a six minute cacophony of disco beats and robotic voices that makes your ears bleed.

If you are looking for the old Hybrid, I'm afraid they are no more. But a band which could so easily have succumbed to the string gimmick have re-imagined themselves in the most incredible way possible. And Morning Sci-Fi is the proof.