Hector Lee Tut – Beyond the Curve (2022)
Hector Lee Tut is bringing a little something for everyone with his EP Beyond the Curve. Across the four instrumental tracks, he brings a splash of jazz to some funky afrobeat before bouncing you into the bop of hip-hop. There is also a sprinkling of acoustic folk guitars that bring a slightly more classic sound to the music.
Playing most of the instruments on the EP himself, he uses sample-based music to fill in the gaps. A true one-man band, Tut writes, records and produces everything himself for a dynamic flow that carries a wonderful uniqueness. A fan of hip-hop, he taps into beat-making while pushing the boundaries and stepping out of the cookie-cutter template samples to craft original arrangements that are extremely interesting.
The EP opens with ‘Warsaw Tombola’ and the night vibes of the guitars. There is a dark folk vibe to the opening line of music while a steadily growing drone rises from beneath it. This drone meets the drums for a really fantastic movement that starts to fill you with the energy of the track. The piano is a sombre march that gives way to an almost eery plucked tone. There is a feeling to the movement of the music that leads you further into the twilight of the track with the sparkle of stars guiding your path. The arrangement is masterful with each instrument making itself known while adding to the groovy flow of the track as a whole.
‘Pocket Change’ has a light distorted feeling to the opening as it taps and plucks against your ears. This turns into a more melodic movement as the drums roll in. There are lighter tones that fill the upper levels of the melody that ripple like water over the drums. It is a rather relaxing movement that is rich in its tenderness making you want to sink back into it. As the track progresses, you feel like you are walking through a forest with the gentle call of birds making their way to your ears and a light breeze bringing the fresh smells of nature. Through all of this, there is a sway to the music that you gently rock to while the lightness of the music lifts your spirits.
The progressive drums in ‘Tack Shuffle Jam’ bring a touch of jazz that mixes with an intricate guitar line. The interplay between the rather folky guitar and jazz drums is wonderful and seems to hit all the right notes. There is a slow build to this track as the guitar and drum layers form the foundation of the music. Some of the relaxing vibes of the last track reach through into this song but there is a warmer feeling to them. Halfway through the track, there is a change to the tones with a blues-jazz movement taking over on the guitars. This meets up with the original instrumentation for a lazy summer day.
The EP comes to an end with ‘Funereal Sound’ which sweeps into your ears with a growing volume through the opening. The twang of the instrumentation leads you to a sombre movement. The touch of sadness remains as the drums get you lightly bopping to their rhythm. When the synths rise into the top of the melody they wash over you like a cool breeze. The guitars call out to your soul and pluck at your emotions before fading into the synths. This track is a wonderful combination of electronic and organic tones as they intertwine and fill the soundscape with their emotions. The arrangement is rich even as it drips low later in the track. The vocal sample that comes through in the second half of the track is an interesting addition.
Hector Lee Tut captivates with a merging of electronic and organic instrumentation while blending genres for the instrumental EP Beyond the Curve. Each track has a powerful arrangement that highlights each instrument while bringing them together for an enthralling whole. The diversity of the soundscapes and emotive movements also showcases Tut’s musical prowess.
Find out more about Hector Lee Tut on his Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
