While Thievery Corporation has hopped across various genres and painted with a broad musical brush over 25 years of albums and live work, Hilton’s solo album out now is an offering that is much more distilled, focused and personal, and presents itself as an elegant exploration of inner space. “’
Infinite Everywhere’ is an introduction,” Hilton declares.
“The last 25 years of my creative output have been about Thievery Corporation. I dearly love my brethren, Rob, and although that project isn’t necessarily done, my solo stuff is what the next 25 years are about.”
Recorded at The Winter Palace in Washington, DC, Infinite Everywhere and its concept predates the current global crisis but is remarkably prescient, conveying feelings of melancholy and optimism in equal measure. And while Hilton has incorporated exotic musical ingredients from diverse cultures on his previous work with Thievery Corporation, this album is decidedly more European in feel and allowed him to expand his artistic pedigree.
“I’m kind of the drum and bass guy in Thievery and I’ve never been much of a player of melodic instruments,“ Hilton says. “I’ve always been a bit of studio rat, but I’ve found I really enjoy making music on my own – late-night with just me and a keyboard, I’m kind of hooked on that. On this record, I played nearly every instrument, which I’ve never done before. This album is me challenging myself to play more.” With Hilton’s long-established alchemical abilities, concocting unique musical creations with Thievery Corporation – as well as birthing acclaimed gathering spaces in DC – it should come as no surprise that Infinite Everywhere delivers both beauty and substance to the listener.
“When you’re making music, you have a responsibility to contribute to music in general – to try to express a unique thought, which is very difficult,” he says. “I want every record I’m involved with to be beautiful, with empowering vibrations that recognize the spectrum of emotions. I don’t entertain defeatism, and I will always gravitate to positivity and perseverance. Hopefully people get that feeling when they listen to this record.”
Infinite Everywhere is the first of several full-length album projects that Eric Hilton plans to release in 2020 via his newly minted Montserrat House imprint. The label has recently released his partnership with longtime engineer Gianmaria Conti in the form of the 1980s-inspired analog synth odyssey Ekhodom and Carry Me Home. A Reggae Tribute to Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson, a critically acclaimed album by the DC reggae band The Archives which has been praised by The Associated Press, NPR Music, Rolling Stone, The New York Times and more. Hilton served as co-producer with Archives founder Darryl “Trane” Burke on the project. And to what should be of no surprise, these future releases for the label will all be diverse in their intent, style and overall spirit.
