It’s been far too long since Colorado bass pioneer Pretty Lights A.K.A. Derek Vincent Smith released new music. As rumors of the DJ/producer’s heroin addiction only circulated further when he bombed last year’s Pretty Lights Red Rocks performances, his sparse releases made fans fear the worst – but his new track, “Only Yesterday,” ought to at least quell some of the electronic music community’s concerns.
What’s more, Smith has released an official music video for the track that features themes as nostalgic as its title. A series of nature and crowd shots taken in Telluride, Colorado are montaged together with effects intended to mimick the patina of an old film reel, effectively capturing the laid-back ethos of Colorado bass.
As far as “Only Yesterday” itself is concerned, though, Smith has set too high of a bar with his previous releases for it to stand out as memorable work. Tracks from albums like Color Map of the Sun and Filling Up the City Skies married old soul and hip-hop samples with glitch-hop production elements so elegantly that Colorado bass became a highly sought-after sound, meaning that the tenured Pretty Lights fan is unlikely to be all that impressed with what he’s delivered for his new track.
Nevertheless, it’s a start. If “Only Yesterday” is a sign that Pretty Lights is on the up and up, then we look forward to hearing more from the musical genius – if for no other reason than because he must still have so much to contribute to the world of music.
