#bryce hackford

In 2017 Brooklyn's Bryce Hackford spent a week at the PRAH Foundation in Margate (UK) recording rhythmic foundations and the environment around him. After his residency, eleven musician friends contributed their performances to what would become Safe (Exits). All of these contributions, however, were made in isolation and the task of mixing them together became the crux of the production. Bryce's records largely explore improvisation with electronics, using recording as the compositional medium, and feature the occasional contributing musician. Eleven make Safe (Exits) more of a chance ensemble record, with players in unlikely combinations, from disparate backgrounds both personal and musical, pushing a collage aesthetic beyond sampling. The poetics of these sounds is the focus of this album. Safe (Exits) attempts to create a rare space where rhythms get propulsive enough to make one dance yet become subtle enough to make them nod into the serene vistas of distant, contemplative waves. Safe (Exits) is Bryce's first album since 2015 and second release with Spring Theory. Featuring: Gabi AsFOUR, Brian Close, Matt Evans, Adrian Knight, Kiki Kudo, David Lackner, Frank Lyon, Camilla Padgitt-Coles, Bernardo Risquez, Viktor Timofeev and Justin Tripp

Bryce Hackford, “Fetish Present” (Spring Theory 2020) | This track, and much of NYC-based producer/composer/multi-instrumentalist Hackford’s excellent new album, exists in a liminal space between techno, one-man electronic art-jazz, and the cut-up “ethno-beat” of tribal rave, where a love of Fourth World/Hassell/Bush of Ghosts “the world is small” thoughtfulness, rubs up against the Ricardo Villalobos’ deep dance-floor mindf*ckery. I wonder if "Fetish” is better to think about dancing to than to actually dance with — other tracks are much more focused on taking that action — but it is definitely what make it such a fascinating sonic labyrinth to wander around.   

my first thought is: this has dated in the past 3 years; which means perhaps it was always hitting some temporary soft spot where formulas work, but just for a short while, the way dark dubstep did; but i’m revisiting it tonight, and flaring my nostrils in pleasure 

the feeling of being as close to you as i can yet still wanting to be closer

Oliver Coates, “Another Fantasy” [written by Bryce Hackford] (Prah 2014)” | Arthur’s Children, part two

04/12/15  At PS1, Delia Gonzalez presented a performance of her latest project, In Remembrance (DFA Records), a score to four ballet films. In Remembrance was composed for piano, but at this concert it was reproduced with synthesizers, played by Gonzalez with local luminaries Alice Cohen, Bryce Hackford, Adrian Knight, and David Lackner.