Eric Prydz has established an insurmountable reign over progressive house this year. Following an immensely successful Generate tour and the resounding impact of his classically-inspired track “Opus,” the latter half of 2015 has seen a switch of focus to his Pryda alias and namesake label. This is of course because Pryda Recordings is celebrating a decade with Pryda 10. The third EP concludes three beautiful months in which volumes I & II saw consecutive releases.

It’s hard to believe Prydz introduced Pryda to the dance world already a over decade ago. Within that time span, both the alias and the label have risen to prominence as a premier source of cutting-edge progressive, with Pryda Recordings earning the title as one of the most profitable labels of its genre on Beatport. This is hardly a shocking fact — every Pryda song is carefully constructed, diverse, and carries a certain complexity that takes several listens to grasp. Therefore, the first adjective that comes to mind when thinking about the Swedish maverick and the cult of followers he’s developed under Pryda is “revolutionary.”

“Enigmatic” is another accurate descriptor for Eric Prydz. For every released track under one of his aliases, there’s an even greater amount of unreleased IDs that may only be heard once every few years live. He menaces fans on a constant basis with set lists composed entirely of titles that read “Pryda ID 01” or “Prydz UMF 2014 ID.” Luckily for Pryda fans, relief can finally be felt as Pryda 10 Vol III brings 12 new tracks to light, making for a total of 22 new across the EP trilogy.

Prydz once commented that certain fans may gravitate toward Volumes I or II in particular, but Vol III would unite them all. He’s correct in this respect; where the first volume employed gritty synth melodies and Vol II aired on a more delicate and technical side, the third combined both aspects while adding a melodic edge the other two lacked. A shining example of this phenomenon presents itself in the first track “One Day,” whose light, high-pitched synths exude joy and freedom. On a similar note, the 2009 ID now titled “INOX” uses the same melodic technique to spur nostalgia and memories of music festivals like the one in France it’s named after.

Pryda 10 Vol III is as much a journey through time as it is through sound. Most of the EP’s tracks are over a year in age including the tingly “Seadweller,” which initially premiered back in 2005, and “SOL” which has been on the radar since 2012. “Arpe,” with its subtle transitions and intricate layers, has also been in high demand for quite some time. Hearing a long-awaited Pryda track after years of it being just an ID is one of the most gratifying feelings in the world, and to experience it with such magnitude as this EP is almost surreal. That’s not to say the newer tracks of the album aren’t equally brilliant. Artistry runs abound in “Bytagag,” which features a hypnotic riff and perfectly-timed chimes that intoxicate the listener.

By the end of the EP, all we can really do is thank Prydz, or Pryda in this case, for finally unleashing these precious pieces of music to the public.

Pryda 10 VOL III Track list
One Day
SOL
Bussen
Border Control
Bytatag
INOX
Crossings
Seadweller
The Truth
Arpe
Frost
Night Breed

Purchase: Beatport

 

Tags: eric prydz, pryda, Pryda 10, Pryda Recordings

Categories: Music