Hundreds of articles into my career at Xpress, it takes a special story to stand out for me. "The Body Electric" is that one for this past year. It's actually a three-part feature covering various aspects of the local electronica scene, and I was joined in the effort by writers Jake Frankel and Gabe Chess (an editorial intern at the time).
Working as part of a team was a fantastic experience; so was broadening my own horizons. The idea came out of a Facebook comment chain in which a number of local electronica artists were discussing the lack of press coverage they received. It made me want to educate myself about electronic music (it's a super-dense and expansive field with endless iterations and possibilities) and write about it. Funny to think that, back in March, my knowledge was fairly limited. Since then, a number of electronic/analog bands have become favorites on my playlist and I went from scratching the surface of the local scene to interviewing international electronica heavy-hitters like Pretty Lights and Hot Chip prior to Moogfest.
Oh yeah — a mere seven months after "The Body Electric" published, three-day electronica extravaganza Moogfest debuted in Asheville. Coincidence? Great minds thinking alike? A concept whose time has come? Why not! — Alli Marshall, A&E reporter, fashion editor
“At first glance it might seem that Asheville is stacked in favor of roots music, what with a guitarist on every corner and an Americana band in every bar. But there's also much to suggest Asheville as an electronica hot bed, despite that scene's apparent underground status.
• Asheville's sound: Dubstep's been coming out of here for a solid amount of time. Psytrance, real loose, less aggressive, maybe. When I close my eyes and think about it I think liquid-y, dripping around the edges. Less edgy, more fluid, more. .. I don't want to be generic and say it, but more organic electronica. —Dave Hamilton (local electronic musician, Creative Director of the Moog Foundation)”
To view the full story, visit http://avl.mx/19
