Hyper-driven sounds
Guy Hatfield may be only 29, but the DJ known as Hyper has built a decade-long career based on innovation and hard work.
He made a name with his work on pioneering mixed-compilation albums for dance music labels Y3K and Bedrock at the turn of the millennium. But Hyper has shown few signs of slowing down. He's recently completed a debut artist album, and continues to do production/remix work for the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Pink and Paul Van Dyk.
British-based Hyper took his name from an old record promotion company (Hyper Active) - and his penchant for jumping around the decks. His introduction to DJ-ing was fairly typical. 'I was 14,' he says. 'I went round to a mate's house and he had decks. I was into punk at the time - and still am - and he was into house music. After one particularly late night, I was hooked.'
Hyper focuses mainly on breakbeat and describes his style as 'driving, dance-floor s*** with the odd guitar lick'. He says it was a reaction to the uninspiring state of dance music at the time. 'I was bored to death of hearing old 'classic' house records remixed and repackaged,' he says. 'The scene got stale and I got bored. I want to see people jumping around and enjoying themselves.'
Hyper's latest musical incarnation personifies his love of this energy. 'We're touring Hyper as a live band at the moment with Leeroy Thornhill [ex-Prodigy] fronting it. We've had a great response to the gigs and it's all heading in a very positive direction. I feel very good about it all at the moment.'
Hong Kong fans will have to wait to see the show that fuses punk with electronica. Although Hyper is in town this weekend, he'll be going solo behind the decks. 'I like music to stay fresh and exciting - which is something breakbeat has always had,' he says. 'At the moment though, it's in danger of losing this. Often the records all sound the same and have no character or actual musical content.'
Through his record label, Kilowatt, Hyper hopes to address this. 'I keep Kilowatt open to standout tracks, and don't want to fill the market further with average records. We stick with quality, not quantity.'
Having been heralded as a leader of the pack at a young age, Hyper has had to live up to high expectations. 'I've built my career from that [Y3K] starting block. I just wanted to push this fresh-sounding music to a wider audience. It's always hard to keep up with the pressure to keep delivering, but I've finished my debut artist album now and am moving into a new stage of my career.'
No stranger to this city, Hyper is in a buoyant mood about his upcoming show. 'I've played in Hong Kong probably five or six times now, and I always have a great time. I love being away touring, but I equally love being at home. I think it's vital to move the sound around and put it in peoples' faces.'
DJ Hyper, Sat, 11pm, Today's Tonnochy Nightclub, 1-5 Tonnochy Rd, Wan Chai, $220 (advance, HMV), $260 (door). Inquiries: 6121 3208
