One of my all-time favorite musical experiences is going to see a show for one artist, then being unexpectedly blown away by a different artist on the bill. Cash back! This scenario happened recently at the intimate Brooklyn venue Baby’s All Right, where I went to catch a set by Donzii, a band I’d previously seen open for New Order in their native Miami. Donzii was part of a bill put on by vaporwave label 100% Electronica, and before they hit the stage, I was treated to an unforgettable set by 100% Electronica artist FM Skyline.
FM Skyline, aka Richmond, VA-based musician Pete Curry, played a dreamy and mesmerizing suite of tunes on his electric keyboard. Halfway through the set, I leaned over to my concert companion and whispered that I felt like I was in a beautiful shopping mall in Japan in the early 1990s. It was gorgeous music that took me to a mental space uncluttered by the world’s current problems—a real sonic miracle these days, if we are being honest. I simply needed to know more about the method behind FM Skyline’s music, so I talked to Pete for a new episode of The Alternative’s music talk show Get Involved.
We chatted about the punk rock ethos of making big music on a small amount of equipment, the anti-anxiety effect of watching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and the crucial distinction between vaporwave and other kinds of synth music. It was a great interview, and if you’re reading these words, you should definitely click the video play button and check it out.
Check out the FM Skyline experience here. And subscribe to our YouTube channel, if you would like.
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