Hive Riot

Despite only forming in 2015, Hive Riot have already caused a buzz with their debut self-titled album, which officially came out on Jan. 22 of this year. Comprising brother/sister-in-law duo Mindy (vocals) and Dustin Gledhill (synths), Hive Riot brings both artists’ best attributes to light. “I felt like we both had strengths we could bring to the table” says Mindy. The album ranges from the instant pop bangers like “Sherlock” and “Kiss my Lips You Fool” to more introspective yet sanguine tracks such as “Her Elegy,” a tribute to Dustin’s grandmother featuring a cassette recording of her telling a ghost story in 1984. Citing acts such as Brothertiger and Christine and the Queens as inspiration, Hive Riot have a confident, cheerful take on the electronic genre, recalling sounds of CHVRCHES and Purity Ring, but with an ’80s danceable twist.

Though Mindy and Dustin had interests in electronic music before Hive Riot, both artists are currently established in other musical endeavors: Mindy is known for her solo, indie singer-songwriter career in Provo while Dustin performs and teaches classical piano in New York City, requiring a lot of travel both ways. It was Mindy who reached out to Dustin to start Hive Riot. “We’ve both been doing our own genres for a long time and [we] both thought it would be fun to do something that was a departure from our usual jobs,” says Mindy, who has dabbled in the EDM genre before, having collaborated with Kaskade in the past. Dustin, however, had never played anything in the electronic pop genre. “It took a little convincing though to get him on board because he hasn’t done any[thing] electronic before, but hes such an incredible keyboard player I just thought he would be brilliant on the synths” says Mindy. “I knew he had an incredibly fun and crazy side to him that he wasn’t able to share in classical music and I knew people would love it.”

Though synths were almost second nature to Dustin, the freedom and spontaneity of electronic music—as opposed to the structure of classical music—created a challenge he had to overcome. Because both Mindy and Dustin have their own careers outside of Hive Riot, there had to be a lot of instantaneous writing while working on their album. “Recording this album was a real exercise in letting go for me…It’s hard to go in there not having practiced for 10 hours to record the damn piece” says Dustin, who had to travel from New York during the writing process and often had to come up with new ideas on-the-spot. “It took me a little while to be comfortable, and I’m still working on that” he says, “It’s a different change of pace and something that has excited love and newfound desires for classical music.” The intricately woven in keyboard melodies in “Sherlock,” as well as the more somber piano in “Her Elegy,” are Dustin’s classical touches on electronic, which elevates Hive Riot’s album into a pop album with influences in many genres and makes an impactful statement.

The result is infectious, synthpop dance music that has a deeper meaning upon the second listen. “Undercover” touches upon issues of people not being able to live their truths, whether they are pressured by society to hide aspects of their personality or are struggling to accept themselves. “Step out from behind the shadows/ Shake your shame and all your sorrow/ Take your place and dance out in the sun,” sings Mindy to an upbeat dance track, one that has special meaning for both members of Hive Riot. “The feedback we’ve been getting from our fans is that they listen to a track and then it resonates with them in something in their life that they’re trying to uncover or be ok with…In my case its about being raised in Provo and letting go of my sexuality,” says Dustin, who prefaced “Undercover” with a track called “Pourquoi?”, where he explains his journey from being a devout Mormon and going on a mission to Quebec to where he is now—open about his sexuality and married to his husband—completely in French. The spoken aspect of “Pourquoi?” gives the sense that the song is actually a conversation to the listener, unapologetically telling the truth before leading into “Undercover.”

Even with the release of their first album, Hive Riot sought to do something for the community as well as promote their music. Funding the project through pledgemusic.com, where they were able to meet their goal, they also gave a portion of the proceeds to the True Colors Fund, a foundation started by Cyndi Lauper to help homeless LGBTQ youth get help, “It’s definitely about liberation—the message of our album is letting go and embrace your fears” says Dustin, who does not want to pigeonhole the message into something that is strictly for members of the LGBTQ community, but for anyone who can relate.

Hive Riot’s album can be purchased through Itunes or on their website at hiveriot.com. Hive Riot’s album release show is on Feb. 20 at Velour. For information about the show, visit here. - SLUG Magazine

(Podcast) - Finn Bjarnson (Kaskade Producer)

What's so good?
One of the catchiest sounds from the last year has certainly come in the form of male-female vocal combos. One band in particular comes to mind: Oh Wonder.

Hive Riot's sound is one all their own, though I can't help but making the comparison to them and one of my all-time favorites, Stars. Which is a damned good place to be, if you ask me.

Dig it? Check out more from the NYC duo here. - Indie Shuffle

When Mindy Gledhill moved to Provo as a teenager, she met the Gledhill boys who lived a couple blocks away.

“In high school, Mindy was mean to me,” Dustin Gledhill remembers. “She called me microphone head.”

Mindy’s memory sings the same tune.

“Dustin had this perfect sphere head — he looked like a Donny Osmond ‘Ken doll,’” laughs the singer-songwriter. “But I was impressed with his piano skills. He came to my house and played for us — he was a child prodigy.”

Fast forward a few years and Mindy married Dustin’s older brother Ryan. Fast forward a few more years, and Mindy and Dustin have synced up for a new synth band “Hive Riot,” with hits such as “Wonderwild” and “Kiss My Lips You Fool.” The ’80s electronic sound is a departure from both Mindy and Dustin’s regular lives — Dustin teaches classical piano students in New York and Mindy is a Provo-based indie singer-songwriter darling.

“I wanted to do a different musical project than what I’ve become known for,” Mindy says. “I didn’t want it to be a permanent departure, nor did I want it to just be a side project.”

Dustin Gledhill has been flying to Provo from New York nearly every weekend since September to work on the debut Hive Riot album with his sister-in-law Mindy Gledhill. Dustin and Mindy are also letting their voices be heard by donating a portion of their PledgeMusic funds to True Colors, which helps homeless LGBT youth find resources. The band’s first live shows will be in February in both Provo and New York.
Dustin Gledhill has been flying to Provo from New York nearly every weekend since September to work on the debut Hive Riot album with his sister-in-law Mindy Gledhill.
Dustin and Mindy are also letting their voices be heard by donating a portion of their PledgeMusic funds to True Colors, which helps homeless LGBT youth find resources.
The band’s first live shows will be in February in both Provo and New York.
She reached out to Dustin, who didn’t think Mindy was serious at first. Then she played a sample track of the synth-pop style for him.

“I thought it was super cool, and I was totally on board,” Dustin says. “It was delicious.”

Mindy saw Dustin as “super marketable.”

“Dustin has a refined side because of his classical training, but he has a fun crazy side that everybody loves,” Mindy says.

In fact, for Hive Riot’s PledgeMusic campaign, one of the rewards was a personal song and video from Dustin. Together, Mindy and Dustin have a wardrobe of watch-worthy sequins and boas. In fact, one of the finalists for their band name was “Sister Sequin.”

Hive Riot’s self-titled debut album, which officially releases early in 2016, is a musical exploration of the idea of “letting go.”

“This is a ‘dancey’ album, but there are serious songs about not hiding who you are and being confident as you let go of expectations others have for you,” Mindy says.

This Provo mother of three dropped her own expectation that she needs to play multiple instruments on stage.

“From this project I’ve learned my voice is my instrument,” she says.

With all their musical collaboration, there’s plenty for Dustin and Mindy to talk — and sing — about.

“We’ve created a lot of this album over Snapchat and texting, including voice-recorded messages,” Mindy says.

Ryan has been supportive of his wife and younger brother’s new venture, “but he occasionally threatens to kill me if I text Mindy after 11 p.m.,” Dustin laughs. - Utah Valley Magazine

Hive Riot, a new duo out of New York, just released “Sherlock,” a colorfully minimalist synthpop gem.

The catchy cut sounds like the result of an experiment that combines the best parts of Glass Candy, The Cardigans, and Paperwhite.

There’s Glass Candy’s arpeggiated-bass and drum-machine-driven minimalism, coupled with that duo’s all-around unchecked optimism.

Singer Mindy Gledhill’s vocals are reminiscent of Nina Persson’s tempered and bittersweet style, hushed but powerful beyond their charge.

Around that is Paperwhite’s stratospheric reach — an ability to take intimacy between two people and shoot it into the sky to create some type of universal empathy.

The single is dipped several times in a sweet syrup that sticks in the spaces between the controlled cascade of synthesizers and Gledhill’s vocals, but it doesn’t detract from the song. It only helps to make it an instantly pleasing and memorable track.

Hive Riot is made up of Dustin Gledhill and Mindy Gledhill, a singer-songwriter, actress, and DJ. They’re reportedly releasing a full album in January. You can get “Sherlock” now, though, via the usual digital stores.

I’ll sign off by saying that this is certainly another band I’d like to see collaborate with Phantom Ride. One day, maybe. One day. - Aaron Vehling