HYPHEN ANNOUNCES LONGAWAITED EP, HERE TO STAY
Rap/punk rising star Hyphen has today announced the release of his highly-anticipated EP, Here To Stay, for 20th November. Spanning 6 tracks, the accomplished body of work explores themes of political frustration, grief, and most prominently, endurance.
It features previously released tracks, SAID WHAT I SAID, HYDRA and Go Back, plus three unheard songs, highlighted by lead single and EP closer, We Are One. The impassioned song is a rallying cry for the NHS, and was written by Hyphen whilst his Dad was in intensive care following a serious and near-fatal car crash.
Hyphen articulates, "My Dad nearly died in a car crash a few weeks ago. I wrote this while he was in intensive care, unsure of whether he'd live or not. NHS staff from all around the world worked tirelessly to answer the prayers of families hoping their loved ones would survive. I bonded with total strangers with totally different backgrounds and experiences over our shared proximity to death. That experience made me feel that most humans are good, most humans care - we are one." See the full quote here.
Hyphen has said of the EP release, "Here To Stay is an EP about survival. My father surviving a car crash. Humans surviving political crisis. Immigrants surviving racism. Me surviving suicide. The world is undeniably dark.
But there's light everywhere. Human's adaptability and resilience is unquestionable. I hope the EP is something people can hold onto when they feel hopeless. I hope it gives focus to the rage we feel at the parasitic richest among us who would burn the world instead of confronting the abyss within them. 'I used to think I was a human experiencing the universe, now I think I'm the universe experiencing a human.' We are all part of the same fabric, the music is a reminder of that. I hope you find comfort in it."
In celebration of the EP release, Hyphen is throwing a launch party! The festivities will take place on 3rd November from 7pm, at the Elephant's Head in Camden. As well as a live performance from Hyphen and his band, the event will be steeped in traditional South Asian culture. Celebratory garlands will be distributed, and there will be a henna tattoo artist drawing traditional henna art on attendees.
Hyphen will join punk duo Kid Kapichi on their UK headline tour in November! They will kick things off at Bristol's Electric on 12th November, and make their way around cities including Falmouth, Southampton, Norwich, Glasgow, Nottingham and Manchester, before wrapping things up at London's Outernet, on 20th November. Tickets are on sale now here.
Hyphen played a slew of festivals this Summer, including Green Man, 2000 Trees, Kendall Calling, Boomtown, and more. April and May saw the London-born artist play his biggest ever UK headline tour which was also sold out, including a date at London's Scala. He was joined by Native James, Mudrat and Gen and the Degenerates as support. The political punk has also previously played festivals including Great Escape, Reading & Leeds and Lattitude.
The London-based artist blends rap, punk and hip-hop, and is an absolute force of nature live. Hyphen is all about creating a safe space and a community for like-minded people, and spends the majority of his live sets in the crowd uniting everyone. His songs span pretty serious themes and topics including his own battles with mental health and racism, plus politics and immigration, but ultimately are quite tongue-in-cheek and are delivered with a sense of mischief. The biggest South Asian rock artist in the UK, a former Spotify RADAR artist, BBC Introducing Future Sounds artist, awarded the PRS Momentum fund (previous winners include Sam Fender and Little Simz), co-signs from the likes of Hollywood star Jennifer Coolidge and activist and wealth inequality campaigner Gary Stevenson, and has millions upon millions of streams, Hyphen is only just getting started.
See Hyphen live:
3.11 - The Elephant's Head, Camden (EP launch party)
12.11 - Electric Bristol, Bristol*
13.11 - Princess Pavillion, Falmouth*
14.11 - The 1865, Southampton*
15.11 - Waterfront, Norwich*
17.11 - SWG3, Glasgow*
18.11 - Rock City, Nottingham*
19.11 - New Century Hall, Manchester*
20.11 - Outernet, London*
(*Supporting Kid Kapichi)
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