HYYTS come to Edinburgh on way to being Scotland’s next pop sensation

Drawing from influences as diverse as Kanye West, Scissor Sisters, Arcade Fire and Frank Ocean, HYYTS meld concepts to create their progressive, unique take on pop.

In just a few short months since the release of their debut track Butterflies In My Head things have moved at pace for the duo, they supported Culture Club at The Hydro and seen the all important streaming service playlist additions rack up for Butterflies and two subsequent tracks DWY and Bullet.

The pals, who both adopt HYYTS as their surname, started making music together in 2015 despite their individual background musically being very different.

“I really started on the underground nightlife scene, downloaded Ableton and started producing, making techno and house beats,” explains Sam.

“However, I grew up on my parents record collection who weren’t resigned to one genre. It was very upbeat and colourful - George Michael, Bowie, Moloko - my parents were cool in that respect!”

“Disco was my first love and as soon as I could make music I veered towards that,” says Adam.

“I taught myself to play guitar and piano when I was young and soon loved the more traditional singer/songwriters, Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon, Eric Clapton, music from the 60s and 70s.

“You could say I was a ‘snobby hipster’.”

Even the way the duo make music is different. So how do these fairly disparate influences help shape and make up the music of HYYTS?

Says Adam, “On paper, the way we make music shouldn’t really work - Sam comes at music from an abstract way, starting with beats, tapping them out on keyboards, making chord progressions – whilst I start on the topline with lyrics and melodies, but we bring out the best in each other.”

HYYTS, The Mash House, Guthrie Street, Thursday 4 April, 7pm, £8.80, 0131-220 2514, Age 14+