Studio Artist Spotlight: Savant

There was a time when electronic music was underground. This is obviously no longer the case; with artists like Avicii, David Guetta, and Calvin Harris tearing it up on the main stages of major festivals, and songs like #SELFIE by the Chainsmokers breaching 170 million views on Youtube, it's easy to see that EDM (electronic dance music) has blown up big time.

As with any genre, there are going to be major acts (see: the artists that I've already talked about), but there will also be smaller acts: artists who disregard what's trending in the music industry and continue to do whatever the hell they want.

Meet Savant.

Aleksander Vinter, also known as Savant, is a genius. Diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism that often encourages the tendency to be incredibly skilled in one area, Savant has clearly found that his forte is music. At the age of 27, Savant has produced over 10,000 tracks. In an interview with UKF (a company that shares electronic music with the world), Savant explains that he has an entire library of melodies arranged in his head, sorted into categories based on tempo (the speed of the song) and key. A master of FL Studio, a popular music production program, Savant is able to complete a track, from start to finish, in about three hours. His style is unique, often combining elements of dubstep, electrohouse, video game music, and unusual instruments, such as the harpsichord. The result is hard-hitting, melodic, bassy glory.

With all this being said, I will leave you with five Savant songs that myself and other users in The Studio feel best showcase his talent, his production style, and how much fun electronic music can really be.

Savant- Pirate Bay: Starting off our song picks is one of my all-time favorite Savant songs, Pirate Bay. Featuring appropriately-themed accordions and incredible bass, this song is a prime example of how Savant can switch styles and instruments at the drop of a hat. Additionally, the choppy vocal sample in the second drop is absolutely stunning.

- Chosen by Evir
Savant- Starfish: Starfish, one of Savant's most popular songs from the album ISM, released in September of 2012, takes on the challenge of mixing various styles of electro into one song. Though technically electro, the song varies from 8-bit sounds to more modern synths, and being set to 100 BPM, the song is classified as glitch hop. Savant's trademark is a high pitched lead synth in most of his tracks, which is showcased here generously. What makes Savant lead synth so unique is how "sharp" it is modulated, making an easy flow in the melody. This is reminiscent through Savant's entire career so far, and we hope he continues to make our feet move with his upcoming album, Protos.

- Chosen by Charles Carmichael
Savant- Mother Earth: As you can see, my choice for this article is Mother Earth. Starting off this song, the beginning starts off quite mellowly with a bit of harpsichord playing, accompanied by a flute and some very minor bass drum beats. The song then completely shifts and heads into a more EDM-focused direction with incredibly strong bass along with a female vocalist that follows along suit quite nicely. After that, the drops that build up with the bass are amazingly intense. The song then starts to simmer down a bit, just enough to be melodic, and then puts you right back into the action. This song is certainly one of my favourite Savant songs, due to its choice of unique instruments and its use of pounding bass to keep you engaged the entire time.

- Chosen by MrMagicBuzz
Savant- How I Roll: How I Roll, released in early December of 2013 as a part of the album Orakel, combines a vast variety of Savant's techniques into one song. Classified as electrohouse, this particular song manages to also incorporate Aleksander Vinter's voice to continue to capture the imagination of the listeners. The beginning/build-up of the song is ultimately the most captivating section of it, using an 8-bit melody to eventually lead to both drops.

- Chosen by Lilly
Savant- Vario: Closing this article is a classic Savant track, Vario. Vario is one of the best examples of Savant's harpsichord hooks; he has a lot of them. Juxtaposed with more soaring 8-bit synthesizer sounds, the soundscape is, as the sample explains, "fucking scary". The drop hits hard, as deep, buzzing bass comes into play. Chiptune fans and harpsichord enthusiasts alike will not be disappointed by Vario.

- Chosen by Evir

That's all for now! Thanks for reading, and hopefully we'll be seeing you in The Studio very soon. Next month's article will focus on the ins and outs of the room. Look forward to it! :)

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