“Twitch and Tug” is the first single of Hugo’s much anticipated second solo record, Deep in the Long Grass. It is an experiment in grasshop.
What do you expect from a Thai artist who has written for Beyonce and Daniel Merriweather? What do you expect from an artist who has been signed to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation label and who hit the US charts with his version of ’99 Problems’ on his first album? What do you expect from an artist with a strong fan base across the world with over a million followers on social media, who sells out shows across 40 states in the US as well as across Asia?
Do you expect a stomping alt-country ditty with swampy guitar licks and a sub-bass dubstep breakdown? No?
Bangkok native Hugo refuses to let genre define him and in fact throws the concept in the faces of anyone foolish enough to try, wrong-footing the unweary at every turn. He’s been making music for over fifteen years starting as a teenager with popular Thai band Siplor. Moving to London, he was heavily influenced by blues musicians including Howling Wolf and Robert Johnson, gaining the ear of Roc Nation after his song Disappear was featured on Beyonce’s album “I Am… Sasha Fierce. His debut album Old Tyme Religion was released in 2011, described by his label as “gangsta-rock” and his bluegrass cover of Jay-Z’s ’99 Problems’ gathered him a legion of fans across North America.
In between world tours and appearances on TV, including Letterman, Hugo continued his artistic experimentation, not just with music, but with lighting concepts to create an even deeper live music experience.
His second album Deep in the Long Grass has recently surfaced, produced by Dave McCracken (Ian Brown, Depeche Mode), a continuing journey into genre with a blues and groove base heavy with rock, country, hip hop and electronic influences that create a unique soundscape that’s curiously both eclectic and coherent in its mastery of song writing.
The album is led by “Twitch and Tug”, a killer bluegrass number that both surprises and satisfies with its dubstep breakdown and wild west video creating a celebration of eccentricity.
