Any artist under the Pretty Lights label is going to be hard-pressed to shock their audiences expectations, and, for the most part, Gramatik is no exception. Anyone familiar with Pretty Lights is aware that this music is about as unselfish as it gets -- it asks NOTHING from you. It doesn't allow you to sing along, it will never drag you on the dance floor unwillingly (although you can get down to any of it), it doesn't even demand your full attention. While Pretty Lights themselves may be the ultimate party background noise, they knew exactly what they were doing when they signed Gramatik. His arrangements are home to every influence from Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk, Classical, Blues, which sometimes make you wonder what some tracks sounded like before he began administering them a heavy dose of steroids in the form of live layering and attractively clever samples. 

This song, "Good Evening Mr. Hitchcock," released on Gramatik's first album Beatz & Pieces Vol. 1, is one of my favorite music videos of all time. Not only is the song catchy, unique, dark and light, but the video is so outrageously perfect that I honestly wonder A) Who produced? and B) What was the budget, and where in the world did they get the funds to pull this off? 

So again, MTV, I extend to you my most heart-felt jeers for letting this gem slip through the Top-40 cracks, and remind you readers that you're lucky we here at the Puget Playlist are indeed Picking Up The Slack.

Enjoy!