A combination of an intricate arrangement of sounds and exuberant lights is expected at an electronic music show, but beneath the excitement lies a frequently unappreciated art form.

Curt Heiny, or Archnemesis, is a South Carolina artist who strays from the overused samples and bass drops of popular electronic dance music.

Archnemesis will perform at 10 p.m. on Saturday at Hangar 9, ending a six-month tour.  The show will include Medusa as an opening act.

Heiny is a classically trained musician who played cello throughout high school, adopting a passion for jazz theory and composition while attending the University of North Carolina.   

He segued into electronic music after picking up electric bass and gaining a better understanding of music production software, Heiny said.

“You’d be surprised how many electronic musicians, in general, have some sort of classical or music theory and composition background,” he said.

When learning more about production, he gained a new appreciation for music while listening to technical aspects of modern pop for inspiration, he said.

“I feel like a lot of the time … there’s a striving for the best production you can get, which has been lost in the electronic music scene,” he said. “Now, it’s more about just banging out tracks that all sound the same and pushing out as much music as possible.”

Archnemesis released the Diamonds and Glass EP in 2010, a fan favorite, which gave the world a rough introduction to his signature sound. 

He said he describes his sound as funky electronic music with hip-hop beats, sampling early funk tracks and including various live instrumentals.

“When Archnemesis started … there was no one else doing it,” he said. “There were none of these artists that people refer to as ‘electric soul’ now.”

During the last five years, his sound has remained true to his original vision, but his production has improved, allowing him to venture to try new things, he said.

He said he likes to keep things fresh by remixing popular tracks, like Fetty Wap’s hit single, “Trap Queen.”

Like with most musicians, a sound change resonates with some fans, but turns others away, like a group at a Colorado show who left the venue after hearing new music.

“Unfortunately, they can’t accept me as an artist in trying to do new things and they decided to leave the show, but for the most part [the response] has been overly positive,” he said.

Despite a select few critics, his recent material has been well received by fans, he said.

He said he will work on several singles and collaborations during the next few months after finishing his tour on Saturday.

This will be Archnemesis’ third visit to Carbondale, a scene that has welcomed him with open arms. He said Carbondale’s receptive crowd allows him the freedom to experiment with new music in comfort. 

“Everywhere I go, there are different crowds and different scenes and I always feel like when I go to Carbondale, people are there for the music and to have a good time,” he said.