Pretty Lights

The output of Colorado-based musician Pretty Lights (Derek Vince Smith) flitted between moody downtempo and upbeat, densely layered material geared more for clubs. His tracks often applied vintage samples to hard-hitting abstract hip-hop beats and layers of bold synthesizer patterns. Remarkably productive, Smith released several albums and EPs across the span of a few years, including the full-lengths Taking Up Your Precious Time (2006), Filling Up the City Skies (two fully stuffed CDs worth of material, 2008), and Passing by Behind Your Eyes (2009). He took his work on the road with assistance from fellow musicians like Cory Eberhard and Adam Deitch, and performed at the Coachella and Movement festivals in 2010. Smith also operated Pretty Lights Music, a label that released his albums, as well as those from Paper Diamond, Break Science, and Michael Menert. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi