Theory Therapy 94: Hugh B
Sun-tinged sounds from Sydney
If you live in Sydney and are reading this, you don’t need me to tell you how influential Hugh B is to the city’s music scene – from his record label OTIS to his forays into live radio through Live from the Gonsch, alongside countless parties, sets and other projects that have helped shape the broader community around it all. His new album Ordinary Badman on Best Effort feels like a natural extension of that world: warm, reflective, sun-soaked and impossible to neatly pin to one genre. Or as Hugh put it himself: “I call it jungle, but feel free to call it drum & bass if it makes you happy <3”. It’s my favourite (and most listened to) record so far this year. If you haven’t heard it yet, do yourself a favour.
For the mix, Hugh told me he approached it similarly to one of his radio shows – “I recorded it to feel like my radio show but leant into a structure I figured the TT audience might enjoy…oh and no mic banter haha.”
Hey Hugh. How are you?
Preeetty preeetty good.
What was the last song you listened to?
Just listened to the Blue Communications album over dinner (there’s a tune in the mix actually)
You’ve been such a big part of Sydney’s musical landscape for a while now, whether through parties, radio, records or just the wider community around what you do. Does living in Sydney still inspire you creatively? What do you like about living here?
Thanks for saying so - although I should probably point out I no longer live in Sydney but I’m only an hour south and I’m in town every week for life and work… so I suppose I’m nitpicking ;)
Yeah I still feel inspired by the city, for sure. Some days less so but mostly yes! My friends are by far and away the best thing about Sydney. Not just my old friends but the music community I’ve grown to know/love over the years too, it’s quite special and I’m lucky to feel a part of it.
This might sound overly romantic, but your music genuinely feels shaped by Sydney’s weather sometimes – there’s this warmth and openness to it. How much of an impact does the climate or landscape have on your music?
I used to joke that Melbourne gets more attention/the artists are more prolific because the weather is kinda shit, so everyone is inside making tunes. Never considered that good weather could be positively influencing my music… I’ll have to think about that one. I’ll get back to ya!
Were there any particular records, artists or memories that fed into the Ordinary Badman album while you were working on it?
Yeah so many. Unkle G’s ‘An Honest Meal’ was in high rotation at the time (still is tbh). Lil Ugly Mane! I was also rinsing that Tinashe EP ‘Quantum Baby’. Oh and a classic Simon Caldwell number ‘White Snares’ by Instra:mental and DBridge. That track had been bouncing around in my brain for years. I had all these ideas for how to borrow from it conceptually but just needed a break from all those genres for a bit. Those are obvious reference points but there’s so many ideas contained in that album, it would be boring to list it all.
What are some of your earliest memories of music? Could be a song, a place, a car ride, a party – anything that stuck with you.
My sister and I had a routine where we’d run in circles around our living room to The Rascals’ Good Lovin… once we collided, like full blown head clash, in front of a baby sitter and we were laughing so hard my sister pissed herself. The babysitter must’ve just been so confused.
What first pulled you towards dance music and club culture? Was there a particular night, record or moment that shifted things creatively for you?
It was a gradual progression from Hip Hop, Electronica and Warp adjacent kind of stuff but maybe the biggest catalyst was a USB of music a good friend gave me when I was living in the UK in my early 20s. Primarily it was the Theo Parrish stuff, I just took to it immediately… it was everything I wanted to hear at the time. I love it when that happens. Next came the DJ Sprinkles folder and I was smitten from then on.
Sydney’s changed a lot over the years in terms of nightlife and music culture. Is there a party, venue or era that still feels especially important to you when you look back on it?
Mad Racket is always my answer to this question, it was really pretty life changing for me. But more recently we celebrated the 10yr anniversary of Moonshoe (my good friend Cousin’s label) and that was an incredible day. It felt like a reunion of sorts, everyone turned up for it and the music was so good all day. To celebrate with all my friends and see a new crop of young listeners/ravers in attendance was very special.
Do you have a favourite set or party you’ve ever played? Or one that still sticks in your mind for whatever reason?
Well this one was literally last Tues, so it’s fresh in my mind but honestly it might be my favourite. Setwun and I supported Adrian Sherwood at OAF. With Setwun, I just always have a blast playing our music together but to be supporting Sherwood was a big deal for me. He has informed so much of what I do and I’ve been an avid listener to his label for years now. I gave him one of the pedals I designed/built and he was just so thankful. He came on stage at the end of our set and gave me a gift and said how much he enjoyed the set. It was crazy. Then he just tore the place up with all these live dubs. We had a crew of good friends there and we were all just skankin out… I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.
Your sets move through lots of different moods really naturally without feeling forced. What usually catches your ear when digging for music these days?
Well thank you! Umm, I’m a sensitive bae, I mostly just wanna be moved in some direction… up or down it doesn’t really matter. A good bassline often does it for me too.
Where do you most enjoy listening to music?
Honestly anywhere. I just love it, so anywhere and everywhere really.
Talk us through your Theory Therapy mix – where it came together and what kind of space you were in mentally or musically.
Gary asked me to do one and I said “for sure” but that I’d think about the best approach. Then all these ideas flooded in and I just went for it an hour after responding. It’s a reflection of my radio show for Do!!You!!! but I tailored it slightly more to what I thought the TT audience would dig… at least structurally.
Where would you recommend listening to it?
With a loved one… preferably a pet. If not, I dunno, wherever.
Tell us something exciting that's coming up in your life, music or otherwise.
Setwun and I have a follow up to our 2020 EP ‘Yeah Definitely’. 6 long years later and we finally did it haha. It’ll be out mid ‘26 in physical form!