Hybryds – Mythopia (Album – 3RIOART)
Genre/Influences: Cinematographic, Ethereal, Ethereal-Pop, Ambient, Ritual.
Format: Digital, CD.
Background/Info: Belgian legendary Hybryds is back with a new work, the first new studio album since “Only Darkness” (2017). The project is still driven by Magthea and assisted by Peter De Koning while Madeline Arndt and Katharina Galgareipi (both involved with the Ethereal project Schattenkinder) took care of the vocals.
Content: This new Hybryds-work sounds totally different from all previous releases. The Ritual side is still somewhat present, but rather as a background element. Hybryds totally renewed its sound, dealing with a mix of influences like Cinematographic passages, danceable Ethereal-Pop and a kind of fusion between Ethereal and Tribal influences. The cadence is rather slow and has something sensual, which together with the heavenly vocals only accentuates the sensual feeling of this work.
+ + + : The main challenge –but I like challenges, of this work is the totally different sound approach. You can still recognize minimal sound treatments and Tribal/Ritual elements, which became like the band’s trademark, but Hybryds clearly explores a new sonic horizon. The work has something intimate because of the delicate and sometimes subtle arrangements. It also comes through in the rhythm. Hybryds always had something sensual in its global approach, but it’s definitely more refined and even mixed with pretty danceable elements. The song “Do I Dream” is pure Etheral-Pop music and has something visionary. The vocals of both singers accentuate the erotic aspect of the work –which is an element you also find back in the great artwork.
– – – : The ‘modern’ world we’re living in is dominated by social media and their impact it also noticeable on the artwork of this album. The illustrations inside the digipak are filled with artistic nude, but the front cover doesn’t. It only reveals artists no longer have the artistic freedom they had in the past! Sound-wise I can imagine some die-hard fans will have some difficulties to recognize the ‘old’ Hybryds in this new album.
Conclusion: “Mythopia” invites the listener to embark on a dreamy, sensual sonic journey. It’s a surprising, but fascinating work.
Best songs: “You Dark Night”, “Put Make Up On Reality”, “The Demon Awakes”, “Do I Dream”, “Fire And Ice”.
Rate: 8½.
Artist: www.hybryds.com / www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100048472162085
Label: www.3rioart.be
About Hybryds
Hybryds is a Belgian project centred on Sandy Nys, active since the mid-1980s and working in ritual, mythical and industrial electronic music. Its history reaches back to the cassette-era Belgian underground and later widened through a circle of collaborators, among them Peter De Koning.
The discography starts with the 1986 cassette “Mythical Music From The 21st Century” and continues with “Music For Rituals” in 1992, “The Rhythm Of The Ritual” in 1994, “The Ritual Of The Rave” in 1995, “Cortex Stimulation” in 1996, “Ein Phallischer Gott” in 1997, “Tectonic Overload” in 1998, “Virtual Impact” in 2000, “Electric Voodoo” in 2002, “Dreambient” in 2008, “Urban Rhythms Urban Rituals” in 2010, “The Silent Whisper” in 2013 and “Only Darkness” in 2017.
“Mythopia” is dated 1 January 2022 on the project’s Bandcamp page, where the album is credited to TraumaSutra, Madeline Arndt, Katharina Galgareipi and Barry Edgar Pilcher, and lists thirteen entries including a second version of “Put make up on reality”. The album later produced two further releases: “Mythopia, the sequel.” and “Mythopia The radioplay remix album”, both in 2024.
Nys discussed the project and the state of industrial music in a 2026 Side-Line interview, and in March 2026 Side-Line reported on the project’s effort to rebuild its lost video archive after a YouTube takedown.
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