starmonster.org
Star Monster wearing a dark hooded coat in a geometric alleyway
Star Monster wants to give back, with a free concert.
Madison-based artist Phil Parhamovich has made a name for himself as Star Monster in both the local and national EDM communities. He’s played tours across North America thanks to his cutting-edge blend of music and visual design, and brought his music to popular festivals like Burning Man, Electric Forest and Toxic Summer. Parhamovich is also a multi-instrumentalist, working as a guitarist, singer and songwriter for country-rock band Dirt Brothers. On Nov. 12 he will perform a free show in Madison at The Annex at The Red Zone (9 p.m.) to celebrate the release of his new EP, Butterscotch Candy.
“I want to give back to the city of Madison, which has been very good to me,” says Parmahovich.
The first track on Butterscotch Candy, “Check the Flow,” takes the listener through layers of beats to arrive at dimension-shattering drops. The song carries a positive pump-up vibe as the listener enters the world of the self-proclaimed “interstellar bass wizard.”
“The Mirror Dimension” nods to Marvel’s Spider Man: No Way Home, using soundbites to accent a feeling of interdimensional travel.
The track “Butterscotch Candy” also uses pop culture references, this time from the movie Grudge Match. A conversation about butterscotch jelly beans becomes a clever way for Parhamovich to assert that people can’t get enough of his EP. His confidence in his own ability shines through — as if he knows he has his audience hooked and isn’t afraid to illustrate it. It’s this combination of dubstep, rap and pop culture that launch the listener into the Star Monster soundscape.
The EP ends with a simple yet effective reminder that the trip isn’t over. “Let Go of Your Mind” tells fans they can use music and art to find themselves or just get lost in the rhythm. It’s a party, it’s a trip and it’s an escape.
“My goal was to take you on a mystical and self-reflective journey while creating a feeling of discovery and bliss in your hearts, minds and booties,” says Star Monster.
Butterscotch Candy follows a line of growth from its predecessors. Star Monster combines original and sampled soundbites with his smooth blend of pump-up beats. Themes for his work include space, spooks and spirituality; earlier single songs like “Milky Way” and “Floating in Space” mimic Star Monster’s imagination of traveling through galaxies and the ethereal experience that comes with it. Mixtape projects such as Spooky Tunes Vol, 2, however, is an eerie experience for listeners. His work has gotten many views on the popular YouTube dubstep/drum & bass music channel The Dub Rebellion.
Star Monster prides himself on his stage performance and show visuals. A prominent feature of his shows is his VJ, or visual jockey, display, usually focusing on bright, psychedelic patterns and a story that focuses on Jethro, a fictional character from space.
Along with using his hypnotic screens in his upcoming tour, “Superstition,” Parhamovich also plans to launch “Star Monster Show.” The video will be a 20-minute, fully animated cartoon featuring Jethro on a mind-bending trip through space. The short film will incorporate all new and original music, and will continue Parhamovich’s mission to perfect his visual performance.
