Music / Spotlight
Spotlight: Hypothetics
Formed in 2018, Hypothetics are Bristol’s four piece indie alt band made up of George Bailey (vocals/guitar), Jim Wilcox (drums), Dan Pacini (guitar/vocals) and Joe Holliday (bass/vocals).
Their debut EP, Gets Let Down!, was released earlier this year alongside an EP launch party at Dareshack.
We caught up with them to find out a little more about who they are and what they’re up to, and it seems they’re proving they are a force to be reckoned with.
is needed now More than ever
Can you tell us about yourselves and what you’ve been working on?
George: We have been playing together for almost five years, living all around Bristol and practising at Factory Studios in Barton Hill.
In that time we have developed a hard hitting, rhythmically-led writing and performance style, recently taking advantage of vocal effects, synths and drum machines.
These new technologies have given our music a new kind of disorientation and futurism, but the basis of our sound is still very much a live band.
For the last few months we have been writing material for our debut album; the sound is very different from the stuff we’ve put out in the past and I want to see how far we can push it.
What’s your favourite memory of your career so far?
Joe: One of my favourite memories was playing on the downs for Forwards festival last year. As a kid, I had always thought it would be cool to play a set on the Downs and when the opportunity finally arose to do so, it felt like we were offered a great platform to show local people our music.
How have you found breaking into the music industry as grassroots artists?
Jim: We want our music to have the best platform it can possibly have, but involving something so dear to us as individuals with an industry, driven at the core by profit, ultimately causes conflict.
It’s easy to think you’re immune to compromise but the industry puts on pressures you can’t predict beforehand. This has taken a big toll on me and I’m going to be careful in how I involve myself with it going forward.
Where’s your favourite place to perform and attend a gig in Bristol?
Jim: Louisiana. They are constantly investing and improving the venue, for both the artists that play there and everyone else who uses the space.
Their attitude doesn’t feel centred around profit like some Bristol venues and they have supported us and what we’re doing from the start.
Dan: Many other venues will expect artists to take on the role of promoter and organiser for gigs, putting pressure on artists to try and sell themselves.
Instead, The Louisiana takes the approach of attracting punters with a variety of acts which provides a great platform for established and emerging artists alike.
Who have you got your eye on at the moment? Are there any artists you think deserve more appreciation/acknowledgement?
Dan: I don’t think it’s for us to tell people who to listen to. There are loads of great artists at the moment, and thanks to technology, many are only a click away.
All I’d say personally is to look beyond what you think would interest you and don’t just settle for whatever’s pushed your way by the so-called “tastemakers”.
Main photo: Holly Whittaker
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