It isn't easy straddling commercial success and underground credibility in the world of electronic dance music. But Swedish superstar DJ-producer Eric Prydz makes it seem effortless.
Whether he's topping the charts with feel-good dance pop under his own name or challenging even the most seasoned prog house and techno heads as Pryda or Cirez D, his music always exemplifies uncompromising production quality.
"Because my taste in music is so broad, having aliases like this is the perfect setup for me, really," Prydz explains.
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"With Pryda and Cirez D, I always had the opportunity to step aside from the Eric Prydz chart-topping stuff and go in a more experimental direction with the music.
"I never really planned for it to be like this, as all the music I make really is Eric Prydz music," he adds. "But due to a record deal I had before, the only music released under my real name was the potential crossovers. [Yet] the creative process in making music for all my aliases is pretty much the same. It depends on what mood I am in that day in the studio."
Now it really wouldn't be Winter Music Conference without Eric Prydz in town, which is why we can count on various appearances throughout the month of March, including both weekends at Ultra Music Festival, his Pryda Friends Terrace party at Space, and the Hotflush label showcase at Electric Pickle.
"All my sets for these shows will be very different," he promises. "I will bring tons of new music with me to Miami and I can't wait to play them all out!"
Prydz's appearance as Cirez D for the Hotflush label showcase has to be the most surprising booking of any WMC 2013 party. By association with Hotflush, it places Cirez D among some of the most cutting-edge artists of future bass and techno. It speaks volumes about Prydz's artistic commitment to sonic innovation and the underground, even while he's playing to commercial big rooms on other nights.
"I'm extra excited about the Cirez D set, as it's not something I do very often," he says. "I'm a big fan of Scuba and his Hotflush label. So when the idea of me doing this with them in Miami came up, I got really excited.
"It will def be one on the 2013 Miami highlights for me!"
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