aaamusic | On 21, Jun 2011

Acclaimed electronic act Pretty Lights will be opening for Pendulum at their Eden Session on June 25 (Thursday).

Pretty Lights is the alter-ego of Colorado-based producer and DJ Derek Vincent Smith. Smith uses samples and synthesisers to create an ambient mixture of electronica, hip-hop, soul and funk.

The act releases its music as a free download from its website (www.prettylightsmusic.com) with the option of an added donation, similar to Radiohead’s 2007 release of In Rainbows. Its six albums have been downloaded more than 1.4 million times.

Last autumn, Pretty Lights sold out their North American tour and also played two sold-out shows in Chicago for New Year’s Eve.

Pendulum, the headliner for the evening, released their third studio album Immersion in 2010 and saw it hit the top of the UK charts, following the upward trend started by their acclaimed 2005 debut Hold Your Colour and their 2008 platinum follow-up In Silico.
The Pendulum sound has evolved since the band’s formation in Western Australia nine years ago and, from drum ‘n’ bass origins, now combines electronic beats and synthesisers with more traditional rock instruments.

Pendulum have established themselves as one of the most exciting live acts around, having played headline tours and festivals around the world. This year has seen them opening for US superstars Linkin Park on their A Thousand Suns US tour, complete their own North American headline tour and headline Future Music Festival in Australia, all before the end of March.

The Eden Sessions headliners for 2011 are Primal Scream (June 23), Pendulum (June 25), The Flaming Lips (June 30), Fleet Foxes (July 1) and Brandon Flowers (July 12).

This year’s Eden Sessions will see a plethora of great acts playing throughout the day on each of the dates. As well as Pendulum and Pretty Lights, Sessions-goers on June 25 will be treated to Gary and the Minefield, Kakuzi, Auction for the Promise Club, Personal Space Invaders, Sandfire Siren, The Sum Of, the Dub-Step Drummer, Jamie Crowe and more. Bands will be playing across three stages from midday on each Sessions date.

Highlights on the other dates include Badly Drawn Boy, Seth Lakeman, Robyn Hitchcock, Martin Carthy, Green Gartside, Ruarri Joseph, Crowns, Thomas J. Speight and many more.