Multidisciplinary artist Hyd returns with the release of “Watch You Cry,” a delicate and immersive new single that further expands their singular sonic world. Built on a stuttering production bed and anchored by a spoken-word refrain, the track gradually dissolves into an ethereal chorus, showcasing a refined and understated evolution in Hyd’s sound.
At its core, “Watch You Cry” explores the physical and emotional nature of tears, drawing connections between the human body and the natural world. Reflecting on the inspiration behind the track, Hyd shares, “Tears are a special interest of mine. I love that the matter inside us is the same as the ocean. When I was working on this song I asked an astronaut who had returned from her first mission in space what it was like to cry in space and she said because of the surface tension, the tears collect around your eyes and it burns. You have to physically wipe them away and the molecules stay together in the air. They don’t drip or fall. I love thinking about suspended tears in space and the ocean below being held by gravity to earth. There is something about crying on earth where the liquid is returned upward. Where the tears evaporate on your hot face and go somewhere that then are returned again. I love being a part of this larger cycle. And I do that by crying.”
The single offers another glimpse into Hyd’s forthcoming album Hold Onto Me Infinity, due May 22 via Cascine. The project moves fluidly between the intimate and the infinite, exploring how love and grief transcend physical boundaries. Across the album, Hyd channels deeply personal experiences into a broader meditation on transformation—where emotion is reshaped into heat, rhythm, vapor, and light.
“Watch You Cry” follows the previously released “Angel,” produced by Hudson Mohawke, and accompanied by a visual directed by Tourmaline, with creative direction from Bobbi Salvör Menuez, movement direction by Monica Mirabile, editing by Hedia Maron, and cinematography from Aimee Goguen.
Sonically, Hold Onto Me Infinity leans into a drum-forward palette designed to be physically felt as much as heard, emphasizing vibration and embodiment. The album’s visual identity mirrors this tactile approach. Shot by Michael Bailey Gates, the cover art was created entirely through practical elements, incorporating a glass sculpture crafted by Hayden Dunham, pyrotechnics, mirrors, and natural light to form a portal-like image that blurs the line between physical and otherworldly realms.
This analog process was shaped in part by Dunham’s intermittent loss of vision over the past seven years, which heightened sensitivity to artificial light and reshaped their sensory experience. As their vision shifted, so too did their creative perspective—deepening their connection to physical sensation and embodiment, themes that resonate throughout the album.
Hold Onto Me Infinity follows Hyd’s acclaimed debut CLEARING, further expanding a multidisciplinary practice rooted in personal exploration, community dialogue, and material experimentation. Beyond music, Hayden Dunham’s work as a fine artist has been exhibited at institutions including MoMA PS1 and New Museum, with an upcoming exhibition set to open at Company Gallery on April 30.
With “Watch You Cry,” Hyd continues to carve out a space where sound, sensation, and philosophy intersect—offering a deeply introspective preview of what promises to be one of their most expansive works to date.