Newly-minted, LA-based producer a.k.a. skips is sticking true to his artistic vision.
Over the past decade, the artist (formerly known as Ducky) made a name for himself with a refined, hyper-rave sound spanning the gauntlet of electronic genres, which led to collaborations with artists such as Jauz and MUST DIE!; performances at festivals such as Ultra Music Festival, EDC Las Vegas, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza; tours alongside heavy-hitters like Anna Lunoe, Mija, Kayzo, and NGHTMRE; and releases on vaunted labels such as Deadbeats, Astralwerks, Dim Mak, Activia Benz, Spinnin, NEST (OWSLA sister label), and more.
Now, two years removed from retiring the Ducky alias and following his transition as a transgender man, a.k.a. skips is using his new project to pursue long-vaulted creative aspirations – sonic and visual explorations he couldn’t initiate from within the confines of his past alias. Free from past constraints, his new artistic ventures (which include painting, photography, and tattooing) revolve around highly-visible and unapologetic queer aesthetics, resulting in sounds and styles that break from contemporary commercial norms.
Last month, a.k.a. skips put this new creative approach on full display with the mesmerizing, 90s-inspired warehouse rave banger “F.T.N.U.” – his debut single under the new alias. Filled to the brim with vintage club synth chord progressions, scintillating high-hats, and swirling vocals, “F.T.N.U.” (which stands for “Fuck The Night Up”) is a classic-sounding dance track that embodies a punk ethos: an incendiary electronic cut doubling as queer rebellion, two modes that align with the a.k.a. skips brand.
Today, a.k.a. skips unveils “My Only Mistake,” a brooding, hard-hitting rave track that acutely evokes the underground nightclub experience. With its heart-pumping synths, unconventional structure, and propulsive, tantalizing beat, “My Only Mistake” showcases its producer’s original, infectious dance music perspective.
“My Only Mistake” kicks off with deep rolling basslines and spacious claps. The track then slowly builds over its first three minutes, bringing in high-hats and risers before transitioning into a section filled only with repeated, hypnotic vocal samples. Next, the song brings in its central, blazing synth chord progression before building once again into its bruising, electrifying drop.
With its boundary-pushing structure and harrowing presentation, “My Only Mistake” speaks to a.k.a. skips personal experience through a commitment to unconventionality. By intertwining queerness with destruction of normative dance music values, the track acts as a reclamation of the producer’s artistic identity and redefines for him what it means to be an electronic music artist.
Listeners will be able to hear “My Only Mistake” and other rave bangers when a.k.a. skips makes his debut performance under the new alias at San Francisco’s Record Bar for a Pride event alongside Cakes Da Killa, Uffie and Jasmine Infiniti on Saturday, June 24.
Art gallery La Luz De Jesus has also accepted a painting by CK Neiman (a.k.a. skips full name) for its renowned group show Everything But The Kitchen Sink, which opens July 15.
