You probably know Oliver Sim as the singer and bassist of
The xx. For his debut as a solo artist, he didn't look too far from home, as
Jamie xx signed on for the production. Yet Hideous Bastard has by no means become a disguised The xx project. The album is influenced, among other things, by Sim's fondness for horror films and personal experiences that he gives a place. In the opening track Hideous,
… for example, he confesses that he has been living with HIV since the age of 17. Themes such as shame, fear and masculinity surface in his lyrics and are framed by sultry pop music. On the one hand, Sim incorporates a nice tension in his music, while there is also room for release. Dark synths and buzzing guitars shape that tension building. Hideous Bastard is a layered album, on which Sim's personal experiences occupy a prominent place, which in turn yields beautiful pop music. (JvQ)more
