"Hideous Bastard" is the debut solo album by Oliver Sim, known for his work with The xx. Released on September 9, 2022, by Young, the album explores themes of queerness and personal experiences, including Sim's journey with HIV. The album was produced by Jamie xx, Sim's bandmate from The xx, and features a distinctive sound that aligns with Sim's exploration of new musical directions.
Accompanying the album is a short film directed by Yann Gonzalez, which premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. The film enhances the thematic content of the album and provides a visual narrative that complements the music.
Two singles were released prior to the announcement of the album. "Romance with a Memory," Sim's debut solo single, came out on March 10, 2022, accompanied by a music video featuring drag queens Charity Kase, HoSo Terra Toma, and Gena Marvin.
The second single, "Fruit," was released on April 6 with a music video directed by Yann Gonzalez. In the video, Sim appears as a guest on a talk show, performing the song in response to a question from the host about what he would say to his younger self. "Fruit" marked Sim's first song using male pronouns, a departure from the practice he and xx bandmate Romy had maintained in their work with the group. Sim and Gonzalez drew inspiration for the video from inner child therapy, Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist, Dario Argento, and late-night TV series such as Eurotrash, Queer as Folk, and The Graham Norton Show. The video's wardrobe was styled by Celestine Cooney, taking cues from David Byrne's "big suit" in Stop Making Sense. An orchestral version of "Fruit" was released on August 4, 2023, as part of the soundtrack for the film Red, White & Royal Blue.
The album was announced on May 23 with a release date of September 9. In a press release, Sim disclosed that he was diagnosed HIV positive at the age of 17. The third single, "Hideous," was released the same day, featuring lyrics about Sim's experience with HIV and a guest appearance from Bronski Beat vocalist and HIV/AIDS activist Jimmy Somerville.
The fourth single, "GMT," came out on July 7. It includes a sample from "Smile Backing Vocals Montage" from the Beach Boys compilation album The Smile Sessions and was inspired by Sim and Jamie xx's trip to Sydney and Byron Bay, Australia. Sim described the song as about longing for a love far away, with references to different time zones and a tribute to London. A remix of "GMT" by Jamie xx, with additional production by Floating Points, was released on August 22 and was nominated for Best Independent Remix at the 2023 AIM Independent Music Awards. The fifth single, "Run the Credits," released on September 8, features Sim singing about identifying with movie villains like Patrick Bateman and Buffalo Bill, as well as final girls from horror films.
