On Deck is a column dedicated to giving artists some room to talk about what they’re currently listening to and to explore some of their favorite and most influential records.
Marrying elastic synths to kinetic beats and running the entire concoction through his own twisted pop aesthetic, LOVESKILLS sole member, Richard Spitzer, seems determined to hardwire the bubbling electronic currents that zip through his brain directly into his recording equipment. Having shared the stage with artists like The Rapture, Drake, and Teengirl Fantasy, Spitzer draws on multiple avenues on musical influence to approach his own low frequency pop compounds. His previous experience under the Nite Club, Vinyl Life, and Little Star Dweller monikers have kept him active and participatory in a scene that’s just as likely to jettison its innovators as it is to embrace them. But it’s this sense of restless creativity that pushes Spitzer to incorporate aspects of synth-pop, minimalist R&B and hip-hop, and his own honest affection for these influences into an oddly personal homebrew version of electronic music. His upcoming album Mulitiplicity comes out February 14th via No Shame. Taking time out of his schedule leading up to the album’s release, Spitzer wrote about some of the artists who have influenced him and some of his favorite songs by those artists. Enjoy his choices in our latest installment of On Deck.
Slayer – “Praise of Death”
One of the greatest American band’s with so much fury and energy they serve me a wake up call every time I listen. Thrash harder! I often feel our generation has a tendency to cross reference itself too much with aesthetics. This band is so far removed from the current epicenter of style that it sounds pure like an untapped breath of fresh air.
Mary J. Blige – “Don’t Mind”
Basically every time Mary sings, I cry. She has a way of making the music weep with sincerity and power and her latest single his been on my repeat. I’ve been a fan of her work for years and the hits still keep coming! She’s a testament to the powerhouses of R&B like R.Kelly, Keyshia Cole, The-Dream. Mary once said “I can see the music, I know what it looks like,” enough said.
Squarepusher – “Angel Integer” (live)
Recently saw Tom Jenkinson one of my all time heroes perform in NY just after Hurricane Sandy hit. It was an inspirational show that displayed his skill in carving musical trends of his own instead of following the roads paved by others. I got into him as a teen raver that loved jazz fusion so his music was customized for me. I’ve evolved in my tastes over the years and so has he releasing LP’s with much varying style and tempo. Now here we both are back to square 1 where it all begins. Jungle, bass, and the musical madness!
Queen Latifah – “Just Another Day” (chopped and screwed)
This is a chopped and screwed edit meaning it’s a pitched down slowed and re-edited by a fan. I always loved the original but this version puts me in a “flava trance” when I walk the streets. I recently had a youtube listening session with friends using an altered bit rate on the computer making the music play faster and pitched up. This might be the future one day, if we ever run out of melody re-pitching might be useful….
Philip Glass – “Two Pages (for Steve Reich)”
Another fan made work , this is an interpretation of Glass’s dedication to minimalist composer Steve Reich. Glass’s work sounds like a insane blending of all the craziest drugs you can find. Besides the ghostly reverb which echoes the changes in melodic colour, this version also gives us the exact notation of the piece so we can experience the science of the work which evolves over time . I remember having a composition class with him at school and thought it was funny that other kids were just asking him what it was like working with Aphex Twin. haha. Philip Glass might be NY’s greatest living composer…. Genius.
Be sure to head over to LOVESKILLS website for updated information concerning tour dates and details about his forthcoming debut Mulitplicity out February 14th via No Shame.
