I should mention that this is the first Hybrid album I’ve come into contact with, and it was bought purely on a whim. Unknown to me were the ear-tingling cinematic and progressive breakbeats that lay inside.

So what is Hybrid? It is a Welsh act, now based in Swansea, and comprised of Mike Truman, Chris Healings and, new to this album, vocalist Charlotte James. They have released four albums and have been in the game for over eleven years, experience which can clearly be heard in the quality all over the album’s production.

The album, sadly, begins disappointingly. The first song, ‘Empire,’ is a bit of a non-starter, its only quality is that it’s pretty inoffensive. The production is top notch and you can clearly tell that there is a lot of skill involved, but in the end even Britney is produced well and the less said about that the better.

The song that follows, ‘Can You Hear Me’ is also a bit of a let down. It falls short of the epic tune it wants to be, even with power chords a-plenty. I put it down to the cheesy lyrics that run along it. ‘Green Shell Suite’ sadly sends me down the pit of despair. It’s not that it’s bad, though, it’s just that it doesn’t really go anywhere.

So it wasn’t going well for Hybrid three tracks in, but then, without warning, ‘Disappear Here’ makes its entrance, with Charlotte’s singing changing the whole direction of the album. The song breaks from the trend of the others and begins to really test the realms of the progressive breaks genre, mixing soulful melody and moody atmospheric beats. The pace quickens and the song begins to make steady ground. You could be easily forgiven for making comparisons with acts such as Massive Attack, Lamb and Portishead, but with a much more upbeat feel to it. My fear that this might just be a one-off is dispelled with ‘Every Word,’ a song that continues within the same vein as ‘Disappear Here” and equally poetic. Its breath of fresh air vocals find, and complete, what were once lost beats.

Next up it was ‘Formula of Fear’ and straight from the piano melody you know it means business. The breaks begin to loosen and the drums fall a little harder. The song’s dreamy vocals couldn’t match much better, with wisps of piano faintly haunting the piece as it firmly fits what is a much better performance from the Welsh trio. ‘Salt’ and ‘Original Sin’ begin to take the album down a much moodier road, keeping true to the newfound form.

Next it’s ‘Take A Fall’ which is arguably my favourite song on the album – which surprises me to tell you the truth. It shamefully jumps back to the cheesy male vocals of ‘Can You Hear Me’, but just listen to that bass line. It’s as dirty as fuck and makes me want to gurn like wildebeest. Nuff said.

Following this is ‘Break My Soul,’ another beautiful track harking back to what they got so right with ‘Disappear Here’. And finally, Hybrid’s swan song is ‘Numb,’ another uplifting track, hitting all the right chords and ending on a high. Something it’s a shame it didn’t start on.

So Hybrid, ‘Disappear Here,’ a pretty epic album if you miss out the first three songs. It’s a shame really, but hopefully that won’t put you off because it really is an album worth owning.