Hot Since 82 teases long-awaited ‘8-track’ album with new single ‘You Are The Light’
UK techno & house star Hot Since 82 will release his album project ‘8-track’ in July, an expanded collection of tracks that he has been working on for over two years. New single ‘You Are The Light’ is the third taste of the album, after ‘Buggin’ and ‘Bloodlines’ already picked up 9 million streams.
A brooding, low-slung house roller, ‘You Are The Light’ is built the warped vocal of regular collaborator Jem Cooke that recalls classic trip-hop like Massive Attack. The haunting delivery glides over a plump, rolling techy bassline, snappy beats and subtle pads and FX that fill in the spaces beautifully. A tense breakdown lets the deft little melodic touches and the glorious vocal shine momentarily, giving the groove added impetus when it drops back in after a beautifully restrained build. Also harking back to classic house and progressive house with its beautiful atmospheres, it’s a brilliantly understated track that makes excellent use of its carefully-honed parts without the need for anything overblown.
8-track is a concept devised by Hot Since 82 which allows artists to create a body of work beyond the limitations of a single or EP. His own ‘8-track’ is deeply personal and cathartic piece of work, somehow created in the midst of his crazy touring schedule over the last two years. A 2×12” gate fold version will be available along with a limited edition poster print as well as the digital release.
8-Track Lived Up To Two Years Of Buildup
The album dropped that July as planned, and “8-Track” turned out to be one of the more personal, cohesive projects to come out of the tech house scene that year. Hot Since 82 leaned hard into the concept behind the album’s title, treating it less like a typical dance producer’s LP and more like a genuine artistic statement, something he’s talked about wanting to do differently from most of his peers in the genre.
Jem Cooke’s vocal contributions across the album, including on “You Are The Light,” became a big part of what set it apart – that same warped, trip-hop-adjacent tone kept the record feeling cohesive from track to track instead of just a collection of club-ready singles. Hot Since 82 has continued building out his Knee Deep In Sound label and touring schedule in the years since, but “8-Track” remains one of the releases fans point to as proof he can do more than just make peak-time techy house cuts.
