Electronic Composer John Hayes Releases New Album ‘Closer’

 Denver-based producer and live performer John Hayes announces the release of his new full-length album Closer, out now via Nettwerk. The announcement follows the recent release of “Slow Break,” the latest single from the project, which continues to build momentum after earlier releases including “Closer,” “For Now,” “Whatever It Takes,” and “All the Memories” featuring il:lo.

Long known for his intimate piano-driven compositions and ambient releases, Hayes steps confidently into a more expansive electronic sound on Closer. While piano remains a foundational influence, the album represents a clear stylistic shift toward rhythm, movement, and immersive production. It is a mature and cohesive body of work designed to live equally in headphones and on stage, marking the most defined direction of his career to date.

Much of Closer was written during a period of forced stillness following a serious ski injury that left Hayes unable to walk for several months. Unable to attend shows or perform live, he found himself channeling a subconscious desire for motion and release into his music. That internal restlessness runs throughout the album, shaping its uplifting tempos, layered percussion, and forward momentum. What emerges is a record that feels both deeply personal and quietly euphoric, striking a balance between introspection and energy.

Sonically, the album draws inspiration from artists such as Four Tet, Overmono, Jon Hopkins, Burial, Bicep, and Kiasmos. Like those influences, Hayes aims to create electronic music with range, tracks that feel just as powerful in a quiet room as they do in a club or live setting. The songs unfold with patience and intention, allowing space for interpretation while maintaining emotional weight and cohesion.

Hayes’s approach to songwriting and production evolved significantly throughout the process. With greater confidence as a producer, he shifted focus away from perfectionism and toward composition, dynamics, and emotional flow. Many tracks were shaped in direct conversation with his live performances, where early versions were tested and refined in real time. That feedback loop between studio and stage became a defining force in the final form of the album.

Collaborations also play a key role on Closer, most notably “All the Memories” with il:lo. The partnership evolved from shared live experiences and mutual creative influence, reflecting the album’s broader themes of connection, growth, and openness. Other moments across the record further highlight Hayes’ range, from driving club-focused passages to reflective interludes and melodic release.

At its core, Closer represents a new entry in Hayes’s ongoing musical journal. It honors where he has been while clearly signaling where he is headed. Described by Hayes as moving, progressive, and freeing, the album captures an artist embracing change, curiosity, and risk without losing the emotional depth that has always defined his work.

Closer will be available everywhere January 16 via Nettwerk.

Album Tracklist

1. Tell Me
2. Whatever It Takes (out now)
3. Not Enough
4. Gone
5. For Now (out now)
6. Closer (out now)
7. Interlude
8. Slow Break (out now)
9. All the Memories with il:lo (out now)
10. Buried Alive
11. You Said
12. Looking West featuring Elskavon

More about John Hayes:

After taking a massive step forward with his five-song project, Bloom, Denver-based producer and multi-instrumentalist John Hayes continued to expand his sonic boundaries with his three-track EP, Dawn Creek. Across these tracks, Hayes immerses himself in the world of body-moving electronic music, resulting in music that’s energetic and propulsive, yet still contains the emotive streak that has marked his work thus far. Recalling the hypnotic dancefloor psychedelia of artists like Jon Hopkins, Tourist, and Lane 8, Bloom and Dawn Creek mark the start of an exciting new path for Hayes, as well as a full realization of his influences and ambitions.

Growing up with the piano as his primary instrument, Hayes eventually abandoned classical studies in college and started immersing himself in the intricacies of score work, as well as the limitless opportunities of electronic music production. Inspired by Nils Frahm’s hybridic neo-classical electronic approach, Hayes has since amassed an impressive and expansive body of work, with releases via. Nettwerk (Neil Frances, il:lo) Western Vinyl (Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Balmorhea), and Moderna (Tom Adams, Lycoriscoris). Along with his studio releases, Hayes has gained recognition in the Denver electronic scene, known for his live performances. He has shared the stage with prominent artists such as Duskus, Luttrell, Christian Loffler, and Two Lanes.

When Hayes was 23, he lost his best friend to a rare form of cancer—an experience that pushed him to dive headfirst into his musical ambitions. The result is an inspired sound that is deeply expansive and freeing.

“That feeling that it could all be gone is why I make music, it drives me. Why would I not do exactly what I want to do with my time? We only have one shot at this.”