Smith's music relies heavily on digital sampling and crosses many genres, forming a combination of "glitchy hip-hop beats, buzzing synth lines, and vintage funk and soul samples.". Pretty Lights' sound is generated by manipulating samples and organic beats using the Novation X-Station, monome and the Akai MPD32. Smith uses these digital controllers to program the music production software Ableton Live 8. When performing live, Smith uses two Macbook Pros running Ableton Live 8 and two Akai MPD32s. Smith usually considers his music as "Electro Hip-Hop Soul", a mix between elements of electronic based music, and beats from hip-hop and soul music.
Pretty Lights released A Color Map of the Sun on July 2, which is Grammy nominated for the Best Dance/Electronic Album . The two-CD collection contain the 13-song album A Color Map of the Sun plus a second album, Live Studio Sessions From A Color Map of the Sun.
A Color Map of the Sun builds on the original Pretty Lights sound and style that Smith pioneered. He spent a year composing and recording music and vocals that emulated genres and time periods that spanned the last century, then pressed it to vinyl. He used that vinyl along with a custom built analog modular synth to create A Color Map of the Sun. The resulting album is analog electronica – soulful, electro hip-hop that pays respect to music’s immense power to touch listeners emotionally, kinetically and inspirationally.
For more information and to download all Pretty Lights albums at no cost, visit http://www.prettylightsmusic.com.
Flitting between moody downtempo and upbeat, densely layered material geared for club play, Colorado's Pretty Lights was the project of Derek Vincent Smith. Smith spent his high school years making hip-hop and ultimately dropped out of his freshman year at the University of Colorado at Boulder to focus on his music. He made his recorded debut as Pretty Lights in 2006 with the full-length Taking Up Your Precious Time, which he supported with gigs for acts including STS9, the Disco Biscuits, and Widespread Panic. From there, he kept up a busy release schedule for the rest of the 2000s, issuing the double album Filling Up the City Skies in 2008 and another full-length, Passing by Behind Your Eyes, the following year. In 2010, Pretty Lights went on an extensive North American tour, playing that year's Coachella, Ultra, Movement, and Electric Zoo festivals, among other stops. Smith continued touring into 2011 and also developed his Pretty Lights Music imprint, releasing albums by Michal Menert, Gramatik, and Eliot Lipp. In 2012, Smith appeared in the music documentary Re:GENERATION Music Project and began work on Pretty Lights' fourth album. Instead of sampling existing recordings, Smith worked with longtime drummer Adam Deitch, Soulive's Eric Krasno, the Harlem Gospel Choir, and members of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the Treme Brass Band to create vintage-sounding original music that he then refashioned into the Pretty Lights sound. The results were 2013's A Color Map of the Sun, which became the first Pretty Lights album to be released physically and digitally at the same time. ~ Heather Phares & Andy Kellman, Rovi
Lost and Found
Pretty Lights Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can not see
In the dark
That hides from me
That hides from me
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
What is this
I can not see
in the dark
That hides from me
That hides from me
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
What is this
In the dark...
The lyrics to Pretty Lights's "Lost and Found" are open to interpretation, as with many electronic tracks where the lyrics serve as more of a soundscape than a cohesive narrative. However, the recurring phrase "Livin' like there's no tomorrow" suggests an immediate, animalistic desire for freedom, for the dismissal of all cares and responsibilities. The line "What is this I can not see in the dark That hides from me" is a metaphor for the darkness that shrouds our uncertainties and fears, amplifying our desires for liberation further. The repetition of these lines throughout the duration of the song, coupled with the consistent beat and electronic melody, creates a hypnotic effect that serves to enhance the song's message.
The song's chanted vocals, reminiscent of gospel calls to prayer, echo throughout the track, creating a sense of communal ties and shared experiences. The fact that the lyrics are repetitive suggests that they do not have singular importance: the words function as a vehicle for rhythm and groove, rather than narrative storytelling. The theme of living in the moment, doing as one pleases, and not worrying about the future is reminiscent of rave culture, which emphasizes the rapturous spontaneity of dance and music.
Some possible interpretations of the lyrics could include a call to embrace the unknown by stepping out of our comfort zones, or a desire to satisfy impulses in spite of society's norms and conventions. Ultimately, however, the track's evocative electronic sounds and repetitive lyrics invite the listener to lose themselves in the music, letting go of everyday fears and anxieties and to feel a sense of liberation.
Line by Line Meaning
What is this
The singer expresses confusion about something unknown.
I can not see
The singer is unable to perceive whatever is causing confusion.
In the dark
The unknown thing is hidden from view and unknown.
That hides from me
The unknown thing is intentionally concealed.
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
The artist is living recklessly, without regard for the future.
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
The singer repeats the line to emphasize their reckless lifestyle.
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
The singer repeats the line to emphasize their reckless lifestyle.
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
The artist repeats the line to emphasize their reckless lifestyle.
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
The artist repeats the line to emphasize their reckless lifestyle.
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
The artist repeats the line to emphasize their reckless lifestyle.
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
The singer repeats the line to emphasize their reckless lifestyle.
Livin' like there's no tomorrow
The artist repeats the line to emphasize their reckless lifestyle.
What is this
The singer repeats the first stanza to emphasize their confusion and frustration.
I can not see
The singer repeats the second line to emphasize their inability to perceive whatever is hidden.
in the dark
The singer repeats the third line to describe the unknown thing as hidden and unknown.
That hides from me
The artist repeats the fourth line to emphasize that whatever is hidden is intentionally concealed from them.
Contributed by Ellie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Caroline Dule
I feel like I lost and found this song! Forgot about it for a few years and now it’s on repeat 😍
Ashley Dudley
I got this artist tattooed on me for a reason. His music is so beautiful, it speaks directly to my soul. Pure genius!
Caitlyn Brew
so did i <3
Connor McReynolds
To Derek
Been listening to your music forever, since your early works. I remember I was in high school lol anyways,saw you at the life is beautiful festival in Vegas. Went with some friends and you were the main act I went to see. You blew my mind man!! You've without a doubt been my favorite artist since I first heard you and man, your newest album straight blew me away haha anyway, thanks for the good times. Just wanted to let you know your music has affected my life in a beautiful positive way. Come play in southern California sometime soon!
Matt Williams
Reading these comments makes me super emotional. You know when your in the right place, experiencing Pretty Lights is that feeling, always.
?????????????
Awww man this song is good on sooo many levels! What an awesome creation :)
Jordi Wessam
I never get tired of this !!!
Cody Hanson
Color Map was my favorite project by you yet Derek but this seriously just, is awing. You never cease to amaze. You are constantly breaking ground. Your music is nothing short of inspiring. Truly beautiful.
yessikaaa
Fantastic, You literally get me evertime Derek, keep doing what you do
yessikaaa
everytime*