2022 Rewind with Dan Hayden, Freddie Light and Sarah Meyz

2022 Rewind with Dan Hayden, Freddie Light and Sarah Meyz

3rd January 2023

We asked the Abbey Road team to look back and reflect on what was a particularly poignant year for the studios.

From their favourite projects to work on, most played albums and their tips for which artists will be burgeoning in 2023 — find out more about Abbey Road's Dan Hayden, Freddie Light and Sarah Meyz in our 2022 Rewind series.
 

Favourite project you’ve worked on at Abbey Road this year and why?

Dan Hayden

"Favourite project was being the digital recordist for Alexandre Desplat's score for Netflix's Pinocchio.

I recorded with Andy Dudman the vocals in 2019 in order for the animation team to animate too then almost two years later with Pete and Kirsty engineering a full orchestra added the accompanying orchestral backing to the songs. It gave me a whole new appreciation on how long stop motion takes too animate."

Freddie Light

"I was lucky enough to be involved with some of the re-recording and mixing of David Bowie's The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars for ATMOS/Sony360. It's one of my favourite records of all time and to have the access to those original recordings and to hear his isolated vocals was pretty special, goosebumps."

Sarah Meyz

"Working on Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, this year, was a really, really special experience. I got to spend ten days in Studio One with one of my favourite composers, Alexandre Desplat, along with an incredible engineering team with Kirsty Whalley, Peter Cobbin, Daniel Hayden and Joe Wyatt.

The highlights of the session certainly includes doing first takes with the whole orchestra playing and Desplat conducting them right in front of me, which was simply extraordinary, and having a lovely conversation with him about my country (Brazil), my instrument (harmonica) and great music."
 

Your favourite album of 2022?

Dan Hayden

"George Solti's remastered Ring Cycle. Hearing the remaster and the Atmos mix led me to watch the documentary The Golden Ring. It would have been great to be a fly on the wall on these Vienna sessions."

Freddie Light

"Maybe Warpaint's Radiate Like This, it just sounds really good."

Sarah Meyz

"Let’s talk about Last Night In The Bittersweet by the exceptional Paolo Nutini. The construction of the album, Paolo’s powerful and always on point vocals, along with incredibly relatable and storytelling lyrics, made this one of my favourite albums of 2022.

Spending time at Angel Studios earlier this year with Paolo, his band, and the brilliant engineers, Dani Castelar and Chris Parker, recording live versions of songs from the album, was definitely a treat. All I can say is that Paolo is now a big part of my Spotify Wrapped 2022!"
 

Which new artist / band are you most excited about for 2023 and why?

Dan Hayden

"Kamasi Washington."

Freddie Light

"I'm very excited about the new Little Simz album. Spent a few days with her team last month across Studio One, Two and Angel working on it. The previous record landed so well, so I’m stoked to see how this one turns out."

Sarah Meyz

"I’m really looking forward to hearing works from Hak Baker and Yeule, which are both such unique artists, as well as exceptionally kind human beings. Working with them this year was very inspirational and most of all, fun and creative. I'm also excited to create new music, experimenting with different and alternative recording and production styles. 2023, here we go!"
 

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