In Between by Hugh Hardie & EXEA

Some liquid tracks try too hard to feel uplifting. Everything polished to the point where the groove disappears underneath the sheen. In Between avoids that problem because there is enough grit left in the mix to balance the warmth.

Hugh Hardie and EXEA open things patiently. Discordant jazz-leaning chords drift around the intro before the vocal arrives, soft and intimate without becoming overly sentimental. The backing vocals are handled particularly well, tucked neatly into the wider synth layers rather than sitting awkwardly on top of them.

The atmosphere feels rich early on, but the arrangement keeps moving underneath.

When the drums finally drop, they arrive tight and detailed against a much heavier bassline than the opening suggests. Thick low-end movement rolls underneath while small synth accents flicker across the stereo field, popping in and out almost like fragmented arpeggios.

There is a nice contrast running through the track actually. The musical elements lean warm and soulful, but the rhythm section keeps enough bite to stop things drifting too far into softness. The drums crunch properly in places, especially once the groove settles into its stride.

The vocal continues carrying weight through the first drop as well, which is not always easy with fuller liquid arrangements. Nothing feels crowded though. Space is managed carefully throughout the mix.

The breakdown introduces one of the strongest moments on the track. Bell-like tones begin chiming quietly through the background with a slightly uneasy edge to them, adding tension underneath the smoother synth work. It shifts the atmosphere subtly without breaking the flow.

That pressure carries nicely into the second drop.

A few extra low-end stabs push through the groove this time around, giving the return more urgency while keeping the structure familiar enough to hold the track together naturally. Hugh Hardie especially has always been good at avoiding unnecessary overcomplication in his arrangements, and that restraint helps here.

By the closing stretch, the track pulls itself apart gently through loose jazz chords and soft electric piano textures that almost edge into lo-fi territory without fully leaning into it. The comedown feels earned rather than engineered.

Soulvent Records has built a strong identity around melodic drum and bass that still understands movement and system pressure, and In Between fits comfortably into that space. Musical without becoming weightless. Clean without losing character.

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