Cube::Hard
Encyclopedia
Cube::Hard, also known as Tom Wright and Stargazer, is an English
music engineer
and Record producer
who has produced many records and remixes. Originally from Kent, England, he currently fronts the upfront UK Hardcore
label RFUGrey
, as well as being a major contributor of music and material for the label and many others, with scores of remixes and engineering credits to his name over the last two years.
His first releases were on Elation Recordings label under the alias Stargazer, and he had soon also released vinyl under his own label Phase Four. By 2002 he was making remixes for DJ Uplift's popular hardcore label Raw Elements
while the Stargazer tracks Released and Ultimate High were gaining recognition and being remixed by popular producers such as CLSM
and Breeze & Styles, and the Stargazer moniker quickly became a respected name in the UK hardcore scene. A series of popular remixes for tracks such as Undefined and John Peel (Not Enough) established him a place as one of the hottest (and youngest) producers in hardcore.
Wright dropped the Stargazer alias in 2005 for Cube::Hard, stating it as a sign of a migration away from a career based mostly on engineering hardcore tracks. Some of his recent releases and "projects" on RFUGrey evidence his diversifying interests.
Though still considered a relatively new "artist", Cube::Hard quickly became well-known moniker in hardcore circles. Tracks featuring Cube::Hard appear in no less than five places on the most recent Bonkers
release, one of the most popular and long-running hardcore compilations in the UK. His tracks have also recently appeared in recent popular Hardcore Heaven and Wow (What A Rush) compilations.
in music technology, and contributes to his tracks variously as a keyboardist
, drummer
, and singer (notably with his recent track Micro).
He often works closely with many of the biggest names in UK hardcore, notably Kevin Energy and Jon Doe (of CLSM). Of Jon Doe, Wright says, "I look up to Jon because he does the stuff I enjoy most in the scene and he is the one person who has given me real competition."
As Cube::Hard
As Stargazer
As Tom Wright
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
music engineer
Music technology
Music technology is a term that refers to all forms of technology involved with the musical arts, particularly the use of electronic devices and computer software to facilitate playback, recording, composition, storage and performance. This subject is taught at many different educational levels,...
and Record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
who has produced many records and remixes. Originally from Kent, England, he currently fronts the upfront UK Hardcore
UK hardcore
UK Hardcore is a broad term to describe the evolved sound of Happy Hardcore Rave music which emerged around the end of the 1990s and grew in strength during the 21st century...
label RFUGrey
RFUGrey
RFUGrey is a primarily freeform hardcore label located in the UK and promoting the distribution of free music. As a sub-label to RFU Recordingz, RFUGrey is the recording and distribution arm to The Grey Room, which manages and licenses artists of various genres.The RFUGrey website states that their...
, as well as being a major contributor of music and material for the label and many others, with scores of remixes and engineering credits to his name over the last two years.
History
Wright first got into DJing in 1993, and moved on to music production in 1999, now stating "I'd rather make tracks than DJ because anyone can DJ".His first releases were on Elation Recordings label under the alias Stargazer, and he had soon also released vinyl under his own label Phase Four. By 2002 he was making remixes for DJ Uplift's popular hardcore label Raw Elements
Raw Elements
Raw Elements is a hardcore record label, established by Steve Uplift in 2002 in an effort to get some vinyl onto the shelves and to represent the underground hardcore scene. Currently Raw Elements is jointly managed by Steve Uplift and Sc@r who continue to keep up the high quality level of...
while the Stargazer tracks Released and Ultimate High were gaining recognition and being remixed by popular producers such as CLSM
CLSM
CLSM is also an abbreviation of the scientific term Confocal laser scanning microscopyCLSM is also an abbreviation of the concrete term CLSM is a British Happy Hardcore group...
and Breeze & Styles, and the Stargazer moniker quickly became a respected name in the UK hardcore scene. A series of popular remixes for tracks such as Undefined and John Peel (Not Enough) established him a place as one of the hottest (and youngest) producers in hardcore.
Wright dropped the Stargazer alias in 2005 for Cube::Hard, stating it as a sign of a migration away from a career based mostly on engineering hardcore tracks. Some of his recent releases and "projects" on RFUGrey evidence his diversifying interests.
Though still considered a relatively new "artist", Cube::Hard quickly became well-known moniker in hardcore circles. Tracks featuring Cube::Hard appear in no less than five places on the most recent Bonkers
Bonkers (compilation)
The Bonkers series was one of the leading happy hardcore compilation series in the UK. The first release was in 1996 on record label React , it was available on 2xCD, 2xTC and 4xLP formats...
release, one of the most popular and long-running hardcore compilations in the UK. His tracks have also recently appeared in recent popular Hardcore Heaven and Wow (What A Rush) compilations.
Producer
All of Wright's production and engineering is PC-based, and he assembles his tracks using Cubase. He has a BTECBusiness And Technology Education Council (BTEC)
The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
in music technology, and contributes to his tracks variously as a keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
, drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
, and singer (notably with his recent track Micro).
He often works closely with many of the biggest names in UK hardcore, notably Kevin Energy and Jon Doe (of CLSM). Of Jon Doe, Wright says, "I look up to Jon because he does the stuff I enjoy most in the scene and he is the one person who has given me real competition."
Summary of releases
The following is a list of labels with contributions from Cube::Hard and his other aliases, not including those part of CD compilations. Tracks on some labels lack proper credentials and thus have not been included in this list.As Cube::Hard
- RFUGrey
- NukleuzNukleuzNukleuz is a dance record label based in the Clapham area of London, UK. Nukleuz is the home to many artists and compilation series in various genres including trance, UK hardcore, tech house and hard house....
- Nu Energy
- D
- Dusk Till Dawn
- Whojamaflip
- Indiscriminate Records
- Madcow Records
- CLSM
- Lucky Breaks Records
- Hardcore Collections
- Bedlam Records
- Turbulence Hardcore
As Stargazer
- Coriolis Effect Records
- Raw Elements
- Indiscriminate Records
- G-Core
- Underground Recordings
- KFX
- Relentless Vinyl
- Elation Recordings
- Phase 4 Records
- Innervision Records
As Tom Wright
- Electrolysis Recordings
- RFU Grey
- Electronic Recordings
- Digital Beatz
- Coriolis Effect Records
- Innervision Records