10 iconic Eric Prydz moments

As one of the most versatile producers in the music industry, Eric Prydz has continued to innovate with dance music whether it be with progressive house, raw techno, pop-leaning electronic music or anthemic trance. He’s released more music than most producers within the community, he owns and operates three distinct labels and his live performances go above and beyond what many know to be possible, utilizing 3d and holograms to captivate his crowd. His artistry seemingly knows no bounds and although he’s been a prominent figure for over 16 years, he’s still very much in his prime.

Now with his immersive EPIC 5.0 audiovisual performance set to debut in London at Victoria Park this weekend, the latest in his groundbreaking event series, Mixmag dives deep into the past history of Prydz to showcase some of his most iconic moments.

From the early days producing rave focused material, as well as pop, to sold out stadium performances, these are the moments that outline the scope of Eric Prydz.

April 2, 2011 Eric Prydz takes to the O2 Academy Brixton to perform his first EPIC live show. At the time, this was a major step further into superstar territory, having already achieved great success with chart topping releases. Today it’s easy to see how influential and important this inaugural event in London was, but at the time nobody could have predicted how the EPIC event series would become one of the world’s leading performances pushing the limits of live dance music and technology. 3D visuals were far from the norm and still are rare in today’s industry, but the first EPIC provided a glimpse of Prydz’s vision and got the world excited for what was possible.

Released on New Religion in 2001, Eric Prydz made his solo 12” debut with a two track release titled ‘By Your Side/Mr. Jingles’. Each side featured a funky and intoxicating house cut, ‘Mr. Jingles’ highlighted by a strong bassline while ‘By Your Side’ delivered shimmering melodies and subtle guitar riffs. At this point the journey had just begun, but this initial release proves that his roots are firmly planted in innovating with sound textures and invigorating rhythms. Pure grooves aimed directly at the dancefloor.

It might not be the favorite among his more techno-leaning fans, but ‘Call On Me’ launched Eric Prydz into the spotlight during his early years in 2004 and he’s been a major player in the industry ever since. It was released on Data Records, Ministry of Sound and Ultra, and features Steve Winwood singing a vocal hook from his track ‘Valerie’. What more needs to be said other than its catchy vocals, feel-good melody and driving beat made mainstream headlines. It topped charts in numerous markets around the world, including both singles and dance charts in the UK, earning the fourth slot on the top tracks of the year. It’s also paired with a music video that’s not easily forgotten, with women and a man in aerobics class repeatedly pumping in a sexual manner. It was an interesting idea from the label to say the least.

Nobody really knows who the first person to use the “Pryda Snare” was. It was likely used in dance music well before Prydz brought it into the spotlight. That said, the reason why it’s called what it is, is because he sparked the trend that continues to be used today. The distinct, compressed and atmospheric snare that has been dubbed the “Pryda Snare” first found its way into Prydz’s music around the late 2000s. Tracks like ‘Pjanoo’ served as a precursor due to the sound profile, but ‘Miami To Atlanta’ delivered it for the first time. It added an infectious touch to his music that caught the attention of dance music fans and producers around the world and would have a strong influence on the future of EDM.

It was clear early on that Prydz had a lot of music to share. Within the span of just a few years during the mid-2000s he launched three label, Pryda, Pryda Friends and Mouseville, the latter imprint becoming the home for his techno-focused material as Cirez D. The label was launched in 2004 and would cement his place within underground dance music, even while his other moniker was soaring through the mainstream spotlight. Arguably, more of his current fans are drawn to his raw and edgy techno tracks. There seems to be more of a gritty essence to his recently released material and his latest offerings on the Mouseville imprint standout above the rest. With that, Mouseville is one massive iconic moment for Prydz, showcasing versatility throughout his career.

Of course ‘Call On Me’ was the first breakthrough track for Prydz, but in order to not be a one hit wonder, and he is anything but, he followed it up with ‘Pjanoo’ in 2008. Although there were many releases in between, ‘Pjanoo’ was another boost to his popularity, reaching the top of UK charts once again. The widespread appeal allowed the track to get picked up and repurposed by various media and sports teams, growing in popularity at a rapid pace. It’s still easily recognizable today, more proof of his smart productions and bringing dance music into the spotlight.

As this wasn’t the first time Prydz brought his EPIC show to NYC, having had 2.0 at Hammerstein the year before, the market was ready for something big for EPIC 3.0 and it doesn’t get much bigger than Madison Square Garden. By now it was expected that EPIC would deliver a groundbreaking audiovisual show, and In September 2014 he pushed the boundaries even further by showcasing hologram visuals. He also debuted a stack of new and unreleased material, much of which would find it’s way on his second album ‘Opus’. Now with EPIC 5.0 approaching it’s anybody’s guess what more he will bring to the table. As was previously announced expect it to be 30% larger than ever before.

The debut album from Eric Prydz titled ‘Pryda’ was released in 2012 and served as the culmination of his career spanning nearly a decade at the time. He had veered into the mainstream and also released numerous underground tracks that ruled over dancefloors around the world as Cirez D. So he went big and the 'Pryda' album was packed with material, delivering a catchy and melodic motif with the dancefloor in mind on an album’s worth of new tracks. But he didn’t stop there. He also released two more discs, revisiting classics with re-edits and mixes. In a way, it's like a great hits album, except with new tracks as well.

An early Pryda release, ‘Frankfurt’ showcased his affinity for synth variations that would become his calling card in years to come. Released in 2006, the track had a retro, 80s feel, with steady rhythms laying the foundation for delicate and atmospheric synths. There’s a cosmic essence present that he would continue to expand upon, but during the early years ‘Frankfurt’ was thee tune to inject emotion and energy onto the dancefloor and the track stands the test of time as a shining and anthemic production.

It had been four years since Eric Prydz presents 'Pryda’ had been released and it was time to bring his persona into the future by revisiting the studio album format. He didn’t necessarily take a hiatus, but previously he only released a pair of Pryda EPs within the span of 3 years. When Prydz released ‘Opus’ in 2016 the industry and his fans were blown away, as it climbed to number one on both the UK and US Dance Albums charts. The title track alone seemed to become an instant classic, with a progressive and anthemic essence that captivated the industry. Plus Four Tet offered up a remix that broadened its reach immensely as one of the biggest tracks of the year on the club circuit. This album proved that contemporary Prydz is as strong as ever and his career is far from over.