Listen to Artwork providing a fitting tribute to Prince on Rinse FM.
There has been an outpouring of grief for the death of Prince. His legacy utterly undeniable affecting musicians, politicians and actors alike. Within the electronic community, however, there seems to be a genuine sense that this pioneer of sound was taken from us too early.
Artists including Skream, Eats Everything, Tiga and Artwork all tweeted their thoughts on Prince’s untimely death within minutes of the news breaking. Admiration for his legacy was being thrown to and forth between the artists each sharing their favourite songs, moments or stories. As an artist it could be said that Prince is a detachment from some of the world class DJ’s we have today, however, it isn’t in the grandeur of the spectacle where they meet – but more in their deep love for music. Prince, whose talent and skill didn’t seem to elude any artist, was an obsessive; every part of his sound was honed and prepared in meticulous fashion. It is this love for the industry he moulded that has been passed down through the generations, influencing and inspiring some of the most important electronic artists in the world today. Stalwarts of electronic music such as Basement Jaxx and Frankie Knuckles clearly heavily influenced by Prince’s sexual, dangerous lyricism and versatile sound.
Prince switched between genres, his sense of timing impeccable. A clear example of this was on ‘1999’, his production teasing the movement towards technology within dance music and its oxymoronic message of an apocalyptic dance floor. Perhaps the most telling moment of the past 24 hours lie in Minnesota, where fans came together not to mourn, but to dance. Minnesota’s First Avenue was electric, much like the mans sound. An excited and vibrant crowd danced to Prince’s hits into the early hours. Rinse FM also provided a similar tribute with Artwork running a special show of “Prince – All Night Long’, listen to the show now using the player below: