Hugo Brijs falls hard for a femme fatale in his new psychedelic indie-rock single Creeper — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Crafted in downtime around his role as a composer, the darkly tinged track — also the first single and title track of his upcoming album — marks Brijs’ return to the spotlight with his first solo endeavour in some time. The track’s Caledonian soul guitar riffs, slow-grooving ’70s rhythm section and live strings recall artists such as T.Rex, Rodriguez, Serge Gainsbourg and Ennio Morricone. Leveraging his experience with film scores, Brijs enlisted The Budapest Scoring Orchestra’s full string section to enrich the arrangement and accentuate the song’s cinematic scale.
The narrative woven into the song is equally captivating — a femme-fatale gangster entering a bar, engaging in a poker game and capturing the heart of a simple man. Evoking imagery from vintage cinema, these influences and ingredients are skilfully fused with Brijs’ psychedelic flair and contemporary touch to cultivate a unique sonic landscape that promises to captivate listeners when the full album arrives later this year.
Recorded between 2020 and 2023, Creeper delves deeper into themes of identity and relationships explored in his previous album Glitra, offering an introspective journey described by the artist as “an essential step in breaking down unhealthy self-conscious mindset.”
Released in 2021, Glitra and collaborations with notable artists like Ed Nash (Bombay Bicycle Club), Girli and Will Joseph Cook have solidified his presence in the indie music scene. Garnering over 10 million streams and receiving praise from major press, Glitra also enjoyed consistent radio support.
In recent years, audiences have been immersed in Brijs’ compositions through various TV and film projects for BBC, Channel 4, Netflix and BFI. His talent has recently earned him a place on the 2023 long list for a British Independent Film Award for his work on the acclaimed drama Pretty Red Dress. As the co-founder of the music production company Thunderdrum, he has also lent his musical expertise to esteemed brands.
Check out Creeper above, hear more from Hugo Brijs below, and follow him on Instagram.
