Karl Hyde

Karl Hyde (b. 1957) is the vocalist, lyricist, and visual artist of Underworld, the British electronic group he co-founded with Rick Smith. His lyric writing is characterised by a fragmented, observational style — recording overheard speech and environmental detail in small notebooks — producing texts of unusual density when performed over electronic music. Beyond Underworld, Hyde has pursued a solo career and a practice in visual art, film, and painting. His collaborations with Brian Eno extended his work into new territory. As a performer, his restless physical stage presence feeds directly into the large abstract paintings he makes from gestures rehearsed on stage.