Tag Archives: Eric Hilton

On Record – Eric Hilton: A Sky So Close (Montserrat House)

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Reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Released earlier this year, A Sky So Close is the latest solo album from Thievery Corporation co-founder Eric Hilton.

“This record is an atmosphere, a state of mind. I indulge myself by making music that I want to listen to,” he says. “It’s a more solitary record than some of my other work, there is not a big list of guest performers on this one. It’s really like my stream of consciousness.”

What’s the music like?

This slow-paced, lounging music is the sort of thing Hilton can do in his sleep, but few can match the richness and sense of atmosphere that he achieves. Beats are slow, based on hip hop, but the music above has no restrictions in terms of colour or region, which makes it all the more intoxicating.

Hilton has a lovely sense of pace in his music, not to mention the colours the listener experiences in each. Akasha is languid and rather exotic, Breathe Me In is set in a sensual heat haze, while The Endless Raga is a beauty. There is an elegance to his writing that comes across in the title track, as the press release promised, and throughout he creates vivid pictures in the listener’s eye.

Ghatam goes deep, with some lovely sonorities, while the Natalia Clavier guest slot on Lalita is a rather special one.

Does it all work?

It does, largely. The only qualm – a very slight one from this listener – is that Hilton uses the same pitch (‘D’) for the root in a lot of his work. It would be lovely to hear him branch out from this a bit more.

Is it recommended?

It is indeed. Eric Hilton makes sultry summer music – and the hotter the temperature the more you’ll enjoy this rather seductive album.

For fans of… Thievery Corporation, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Nightmares On Wax, Quantic

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,879 – Wednesday 6 May 2026

Switched On – Eric Hilton: Sound Vagabond (Montserrat House)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Eric Hilton, a founder member of the much-loved Thievery Corporation duo with Rob Garza, has continued to mine a rich vein of musical inspiration in his solo work.

The Thievery tradition has been retained, using largely down tempo beats as backing for music sourced from around the world, while simultaneously looking back through the decades. For Sound Vagabond Hilton used a public domain sample library, removing the problems of copyright clearance at one fell swoop, but in tandem with that he took inspiration from his travels.

The album, then, becomes what its creator describes as a ‘sonic travelogue’.

What’s the music like?

If the verdict is that it sounds like Thievery Corporation, then that is meant as a compliment for Eric Hilton’s music. The preparation is meticulous, and yet there is plenty of room for manoeuvre, a chance for the listener to enjoy all the sounds and sights of their destination.

Inspiration for the work runs far and wide – Cerro Allegre, for instance, was inspired by time in Valparaíso in Chile, while Mumbai Hustle takes a pinch of that city and blends it in with Detroit, upping the pace as it does so. Hilton orchestrates his source material so beautifully, with the harp that laces Endless Affair and Lumi a beautifully poised instrument, and the strings that dress Nico delivered with typical grace.

Midnight Milan is a suave nocturnal affair, the harp again forward in the mix, while the shuffling beat to The Violet Hour sits behind an exotic cast of strings, keys and languid guitar. The title track takes influences from North Africa, and you can feel the heat in its lazy woodwind and spacious keyboards. Similarly The Mirror Inside, a sultry number with a typically persuasive beat.

Does it all work?

It does. Hilton knows exactly what buttons to press, a skill he has honed over time, but that doesn’t make the music formulaic in every way. Each scene is exquisitely prepared.

Is it recommended?

It is. This is music to dress any cocktail bar, softly lit lounge or lazy poolside. Eric Hilton delivers a beauty.

For fans of… Thievery Corporation, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Nightmares On Wax, FC Kahuna

Listen & Buy

Published post no.2,103 – Thursday 29 February 2024