In this conversation I had a chat with Jack Hyphen, a singer-songwriter based in Salford, Manchester. We discuss the inspiration behind his EP titled Second Wave which was recorded during lockdown. Jack also gives us an in depth review of each single featured on the EP and shares his advice for upcoming musicians.
Hi, Jack tell us a bit about yourself!
I am Jack Hyphen, a solo musician (and more recently attempting to be a bedroom producer) based in Salford. I quit my 9-5 to pursue music in late 2019. So I only had like 5 months of it before “the virus”.
How would you describe your music?
I sometimes struggle describing it, because I never really write wanting a song to sound a certain way, it just forms as part of the process. My roots are alternative rock/ indie, as that’s all I would listen to as a teenager and subsequently was in a band making that sort of music, based in Hereford for a few years. I followed that style into my debut EP when I restarted my music endeavours properly in late 2019. But I think this year, as odd as it has been, has given me a chance to try some new things. But I’d go with Alternative/ Indie Rock/ Indie Pop/Pop with some other sub-genres chucked in. Is that too many forward slashes?
Do you have a particular artist or musician who you consider having inspired your musical style?
I would have to say the bands I rinsed as a teenager. I never wanted to write a song that “sounds like” a certain band, but 100% they would have influenced me - Bloc Party/Two Door Cinema Club/Everything Everything and Alt-J. In more recent times I’d say Ben Howard and Will Joseph Cook have influenced me. I'm always open to people telling me what they think I sound like, would be very helpful actually!
When did you realise you wanted to pursue a career in music?
I honestly never considered it as a career, I loved making music and performing with my band( It was the only thing I did outside of work), so when that ended, I was pretty certain I wasn’t going to put that much time into music again because it was almost traumatic for me haha. But several years in a corporate job drove me to try again, but this time more equipped, that’s why I quit in late 2019! Great timing!?
Your new EP is called Second Wave, which is the name of the opening track of the EP. What made you decide to name the EP Second Wave?
The phrase was being branded round back in May. I thought it would be cool to spin that on its head and give it a more positive/reflective spin as opposed to all the doom and gloom. This project is almost a second wave of my musical venture, being self-produced and with some musical differences. I had no idea we would be IN a second wave by the time I brought this out. I guess it works for the marketing heads out there.
Tell us a bit about each track that is featured on the EP
SECOND WAVE
The song had begun life in May 2020 when I wrote the hook. I never really thought it would be anything, it was just a bit of fun at the time. My later self-isolation ironically gave the song a second chance. Lyrically, the song looks at ‘waves’ as opportunities to make something and question your outlook on life.
CATALYST FOR CONFUSION
A conversation with a friend, about how some relationships and individuals in life can be the cause of so much confusion and disillusion, lead me the use the phrase "Catalyst For Confusion " and I knew it had to be a song title. The song hints at the current situation as a cause as well as people who carry themselves as if they are above you with no actual grounds too. Basically, confusion comes in many guises. The song flips from acoustic to the full band as a metaphor for how things can change in a blink of an eye.
RARITY
This songs meaning ties into "Second Wave" in the sense that it is about a rare situation. But this is more about a rare scenario in a romantic sense. Knowing that you can't guarantee you'll be who you are in that moment, forever; in a literal geographical sense but also who you are as a person. It's self-reflective and I acknowledge that I tend to leave a situation if I have any forms of doubt. The song came out of nowhere late in the EP process when I was playing around with some percussion samples. It was one of those songs that just came together really easily.
WHEN I’M ROLLING, I SOMETIMES SHUT MY EYES
The first line (title) was written while cycling along the canal this summer. Something I find very liberating and relaxing. The message from that line is that - just because something feels good and you are enjoying it, you shouldn't get too lost in it because it can be a detriment to other parts of your life. If you shut your eyes and carried on cycling, you'd end up in the drink!
The rest of the song questions that philosophy asking, "well what are we supposed to do if we don't focus on these things?".
Second Wave features a blend of pop vocals and a rap vocal melody in the bridge. Was that a conscious decision to experiment with different styles and genres?
Yes, 100%. It was firstly a concept a while back, when I discovered a rapper called “Hyphen”. I thought it would be cool to have that as a feature, not to mention the fact he is very talented. When this song started to formulate, I just knew that this was the song to get him on. I am excited to hear what people think because it is a very different song for me.
Do you have a favourite track on the EP?
Rarity came out of nowhere when I was playing around with some samples. It all happened quite fast and I love the chord progression on this track, the vocal melody, and my first KEY CHANGE in a song I am pretty buzzed about!
Where did you learn to produce and record your music?
I’m not sure I have! I played around with garage band on my mum's Ipad when I was a teen. Usually making covers and paying around with panning (the penny-drop moment when you figure this out). Also, the discovery of “phantom power” was a huge breakthrough. From then I progressed to getting a DAW/interface for my laptop and just playing around for years which has taken us to where I am. This is the first full release I have done myself. So if this goes well, there could be more in the future.
Were there any songs that did not make it onto the final EP?
Actually, no. I wrote the EP pretty might entirely in a 2 week self-isolation period. Luckily, I liked all the songs! And they show a few different sides to my writing I think, well that is the idea anyway.
Has the current lockdown affected your creative process?
I think in normal life, the gigs were rolling in so I didn’t need to think about it. I just wrote when it came to me. Lockdown made me realise that writing/recording is one of the only things I can do to progress my music at the moment. So I guess it has changed it in a positive way.
Did you face any challenges with the overall process?
I think in general, the confidence in my production. I am not trained AT ALL, I just figured it out as I went along. This is how I have always done music and playing. To me, it makes it way more enjoyable, but the con is that sometimes you doubt yourself because you don’t have the technical knowledge to back it up. Also, I had some free plugins that ran out the night before I was going to render the tracks (I had a mini-breakdown), I got this sorted though haha.
What would you like to see change in the current music industry?
Gigs to come back! But that is a pipe dream at the moment. I think it is an odd time to be a musician, especially a performing musician. I have no strong feelings about it right now, I guess I’d need to be deeper in the industry to have an idea. Maybe the cost of PR and plugging is difficult unless you have a good-sized budget!
What advice would you give to someone who wants to pursue music as a career?
There are many things you can do in music, so I will keep it broad and geared towards “artists”. Be prepared for people to not think what you are making is good. If you are all about the music, don’t let anyone force you to change. If you get some success by not doing what you wanted, you might not be fulfilled. If you just want fame? Die your hair pink and make a reggaeton song (Or whatever genre is big now) and go for it.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
“Grow your hair” – Clive, from Crewe – a man my friends and I met while doing a busking tour in the north in Jan 2020. #10pTour Vlog coming soon
Check out Jack Hyphen's new EP Second Wave in the link down below!
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