Making the Album: Pretty Lights’ Revolutionary A.C.M.O.T.S. [Video]

The album’s concept is that Derek Smith AKA Pretty Lights assembled a group of musicians to rehearse, perform, and track live guitar, drums, bass, etc. to be pressed to vinyl – only to be sampled back into the electronic realm and re-synthesized for the creation of the record.

Essentially, it’s an EDM record made from original tracks that were conducted and recorded by Pretty Lights himself. It’s something that’s rarely if ever done, and it’s a completely fresh and unique take on electronic music production.

It’s an unnerving take on electronic music, and a huge undertaking, but the results speak for themselves.

A Color Map of the Sun has a timbre and tone that stands out from the pack of other Pretty Lights albums. Each record has its own unique character, and A.C.M.O.T.S.’s is dark and ominous – scratching and clawing for a depth of feeling that’s traditionally reserved for R&B, soul, and blues classics.

The album was released as a double disc so one can get the feel for the scope of the project by listening to the Reel Breaks (the original recordings) and the finished product. It’s one-of-a-kind experience that you’ll find few places if anywhere else in the EDM world.

Check out documentary detailing the making of Pretty Lights’ revolutionary album A Color Map of the Sun below.