We had a quick chat with Hacktivist, who are currently on tour in Europe and have just released their debut album, ‘Outside The Box’. We discussed festivals, their sound on the album and what they’re most excited about this year.
Hey guys! You’re out on your tour of the UK and Europe. How’s it going?
It’s always fun being back out on the road, especially when you have a set full of new songs! The UK went well and this is our longest headline tour in Europe.
You’ve just released your debut album, ‘Outside The Box’. You’ve been together for a few years now, so this is highly anticipated. What can people who haven’t heard it yet expect from it?
It’s definitely been a long time coming! The EP was very early in Hacktivist’s infancy, and we’ve been changing and refining our sound over the years since then. It’s more developed than the self-titled EP, but still holds that Hacktivist sound.
Are you happy with how it’s come out? How would you describe the sound? Do you think it’s similar to the music you’ve released so far or is it a complete departure?
We’ve taken the Hacktivist blend and pushed it further in different directions over the course of the album. We were lucky to keep full creative control over the music and we’re really happy with the results!
You’ve got some guest artists on the album – Rou Reynolds (on your single ‘Taken’), Astroid Boys, Heart Of A Coward – how was it working with them? Do you have any particular standout experiences from the studio?
The guests we’ve had join us on the album are all friends of ours which made it a really smooth process. The album was produced in Tim’s spare bedroom and a local vocal studio so we were literally feeling at home.
You’ve got tours coming up with Enter Shikari/Modestep and Issues/Astroid Boys. How are you feeling about them? How do you find headline shows compared to support slots?
We’ve done well from support slots in the past, as you get a chance to play to people who might not have heard of you. But playing headline shows gives you a different buzz when you know your fans are waiting for you to do your shit, rather than having to win people over.
You’ve also got a few festivals lined up, so you have a busy summer ahead. Do you have anything in particular you’re most excited for?
Slam Dunk is going to be a lot of fun – it’s our first time there and the line-up is full of bands we want to see! We’re starting our European leg at Complexity Fest so we’re looking forward to catching up with our buddies, The Algorithm.
It must be exciting to have a whole album’s worth of new material you can play live. Have you been playing any of it on this tour yet?
This is the longest set we’ve played with 12 songs with a high proportion of new stuff. It’s always hard to retire tracks, but it’s a welcome change to not having enough material!
Have you got anything planned for the second half of the year, once the festivals are over, or is it too early to say?
Too early to go in to specifics, but we have big plans. There will be a lot of touring…
What do you think will happen for Hacktivist now your debut album is out? Do you think it’s gonna propel you to the next level?
It’s gonna keep us touring heavily until the next album is ready hopefully! We want to play more shows, on bigger stages and gather even more fans.
What is your ultimate aim for the band? Where would you like to see yourselves in five years?
We’ve managed to achieve a lot in our first few years of being a band. I’d like to see us get our music out to people in even more countries, as well as seeing our name up nearer the top of the UK festival posters!
LAIS MW