Hamish Thomson began his career in music as a drummer, initially working with a pipe band in Vancouver. He completed two years in the Capilano College Music Program, going on to form the Vancouver-based trio Big Tall Garden. Since then Thomson has worked as a drummer in a variety of bands including Vancouver’s The Simples. In 2000 Thomson decided he needed more control over his musical creativity and formed the one-man group The Hermit. The Hermit’s first album "Flying out of Solitude" was produced and released independently in 2001. Working with engineer Mike Rogerson, Thomson wrote and recorded the ten tracks by himself, playing all the instruments and even using some unusual objects to make his music like a toaster oven. The album is mainly instrumental consisting of spacey synths which are grounded by Thomson’s drum beats, which he emphasizes are made with a real kit. The album was described as "a wonderful little gem of a first album...a minor masterpiece at best, but it’s still a masterpiece" by "PopMatters".