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Native Instruments has launched its Summer of Sound sale, and over at Plugin Boutique until 30 June, you can get up to 74 percent off a huge range of NI products. Most notable, perhaps, is Massive, which you can get for just £24.50… For those new to the music production game or simply needing a refresher, Massive is widely regarded as one of the go-to soft synths on the market, alongside the likes of Serum 2, which was launched earlier this year. READ MORE: IK Multimedia Total Studio 5 review: Almost a must-have — with a few must-fix Normally priced at £89, Massive comes loaded with over 1300 sounds crafted by leading artists and sound designers, including the full libraries from former products Massive Expansion 1 and 2, Urban Arsenal 1 and 2, and Massive Threat. Add this to a host of wavetable oscillators, filters and effects, and the options for sonic exploration are truly endless. [deals ids=”2h7uJHhD1xcsp6NrzUma6i”] Other products included in the Summer of Sound sale include Session Strings 2, a collection of string samples – four violins, three violas, two cellos and two double basses – all recorded by professional session musicians before being packaged for digital use. Get it now at 50% off for just £45. [deals ids=”1QgkXnE6u7zwhuAVdTZ8sg”] For the producers out there who want the full package, KOMPLETE 15 Collector’s Edition is part of the sale as well for £1,079.40. Given the original price of £1,619.00, that’s almost $600 off. It is certainly a big purchase, but it includes 165 instruments and effects, over 125 sound packs, and more than 150,000 sounds. This includes everything from classical instruments to revered soft synths like Reaktor 6 and Kontour to drums and percussion. [deals ids=”10TqXLHrw8T4PnkTUbu5SC”] For those who would prefer not to dive that deep just yet, there are more scaled-back versions of KOMPLETE 15 at a more affordable price. Head to Plugin Boutique to see the full range of products and deals in the Summer of Sound Sale. The post Get Massive for £24.50 in Native Instruments’ Summer of Sound sale – yes, we’re serious appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Marking a bold new chapter in their enduring legacy, Café del Mar sets to release its first-ever artist-led album ‘Journey Within’ crafted by electronic heavyweights Pig&Dan. Released on June 13th, 2025, the album represents an exciting genre shift for both artist and label, fusing Pig&Dan’s signature techno-edged soundtrack with the icon, laid-back, immersive ethos of Café del Mar’s chillout heritage. Globally recognised for defining the chillout and Balearic sound, Café del Mar is renowned for curating captivating sunset experiences and compilations, shaping decades of musical culture far beyond the Balearics where it was born. Now celebrating their 45th anniversary, the revered Ibiza brand embraces a forward-thinking persona, expanding on their formative roots. This new format sets to elevate their legacy through a collaborative vision, starting with Pig&Dan’s‘ Journey Within’. This milestone sets a precedent for artist-led projects under Café del Mar Music, pushing boundaries whilst still honouring its sunset heritage. Café del Mar’s resident DJ & Music Curator, Ken Fan, echoes the release’s sentiment “Pig&Dan sent me this unsigned album last year, and after testing the tracks in my daily sets, the crowd’s reaction said it all. Every time I included them in a mix, people were asking what they were, and Shazaming with no results. It’s a brilliant start to our first artist release at Café del Mar, with more to come. Watch this space.” For Pig&Dan, Journey Within marks an artistic evolution. Broadly known for their high-energy Techno sets on worldwide stages that include Tomorrowland and Awakenings, the creative duo pivots into a more reflective side of their identity with this compilation. The album roots itself into earthy dub textures, featuring warm psychedelia and downtempo soundscapes that create an expansive reimagining of chillout music, anchored with raw depth and emotion. Pig&Dan share their insights and inspiration “We wanted to explore the deeper, more emotive side of our musical identity, stepping away from the club energy to create something that reaches a bit deeper. This album is a journey into our minds, reflecting the influences and organic sounds that have always been part of our creative DNA.” The album is both evolutionary and explorative in equal measure. With a well-curated mix of tracks and emotions, listeners will be drawn into a journey that amplifies the Ibiza vibe. The first track is a prime example, ‘Can’t Do It On My Own’ instantly sets the album’s soul-searching tone. Built upon rich, layered instrumentation, the track weaves emotive strings and atmospheric synths before breaking into an expressive vocal, elevating the track’s introspective feel. It’s a standout production that bridges Pig&Dan’s underground credibility with Café del Mar’s resilient and emotive storytelling. This milestone release not only honours Café del Mar’s Balearic heritage, synonymous with chillout and Ibiza’s golden-hour spirit, but also signals a visionary future for the label. With stunning cover art by David Robles, Journey Within captures a deeply personal and forward-thinking sound, setting the tone for a new era of artist-led storytelling under Café del Mar Music. Journey Within will be available June 13th, 2025, on all major streaming platforms. Presave: https://li.sten.to/journeywithin Find Out More & Follow Café del Mar Instagram | Website | YouTube Pig & Dan Instagram | Bio | Spotify The post Café del Mar Launches First Artist Album With Legendary Electronic Duo Pig&Dan appeared first on Electric Mode.

BIIA drops her second self-released single of 2025, “Daisy Chain” – a raw, euphoric cut lifted from her upcoming EP Human Skin. Daisy Chain is a striking evolution of BIIA’s signature sound – an emotionally charged, high-impact track that fuses nostalgia with intensity, and vulnerability with power. Marking her second release of her upcoming EP, the track continues to cement BIIA’s status within the underground electronic scene. Over the past year, BIIA has carved out her space as one of the most compelling rising artists in the global scene. She’s already completed tours across Australia and the US in 2025, performed a standout Boiler Room set, and turned heads with a bold B2B at Neopop Festival alongside Victoria De Angelis of rock band Måneskin. Her sets and productions are known for blending raw, industrial sonics with hypnotic textures and an emotional undercurrent that connects deeply with audiences. On Daisy Chain, that vision crystallises: overdriven drums meet acid-tinged synths, euphoric trance stabs, and a punishing low-end, all threaded together by glitchy, futuristic vocals that echo with emotional weight. Beneath the chaos lies something intimate and human – a sense of yearning, memory, and catharsis that makes the track as reflective as it is explosive. The track offers a glimpse into her forthcoming EP Human Skin and further stakes her claim as one of the most exciting and emotionally resonant producers working in music today. Daisy Chain is available now on all major platforms. Spotify I Instagram I Soundcloud BUY / STREAM: BIIA – ‘DAISY CHAIN’ HERE The post BIIA’s “Daisy Chain” Is a Raw, Acid-Drenched Journey Through Emotion, Part of Her Upcoming Human Skin EP appeared first on Electric Mode.

Polish music tech company Polyend has reached 10 years in business, and to honour the occasion, is putting out a 10th anniversary edition of its Tracker Mini handheld groovebox. While the original Tracker Mini sports a sleek black enclosure, this new limited-edition model features a silver aluminium frame and newly designed buttons, alongside its distinctive high-resolution glass display. It also comes in a newly designed black enclosure, if desired. READ MORE: Polyend’s Tracker Mini is a portable, standalone audio workstation Meanwhile, the unit’s celebrated functions for sampling, sequencing and synth replication remain unchanged, and all are delivered in stereo audio via USB. The 10th Anniversary Tracker Mini is built to order at Polyend’s headquarters in Olsztyn, Poland, and only a limited number will be manufactured. The unit can be reserved from now until 1 August with a deposit of $199. The remaining $799 will be charged to complete the sale upon shipping, with units expected to be sent out in November 2025. Along with the Tracker Mini, buyers will receive $199 worth of Polyend Palettes, the brand’s in-house sample packs. Those will be delivered upon reservation to get the creativity flowing before the new Tracker Mini arrives. “We are very happy with where the Tracker Mini is today. We’ve kept improving it with regular updates, adding features our users have asked for, like synth engines and note input mode,” says Piotr Raczyński, founder and CEO of Polyend. “But for our 10th anniversary, we wanted to do something special that reflects our roots. “We revisited the core of our design philosophy and are creating a small batch of refined, all-aluminium instruments, without the compromises that come with large-scale production. It’s a reflection of what we’ve learned in the past 10 years, made to order for the people who’ve supported us through this journey.” Earlier this year, Polyend also introduced the Step, the “first fully programmable drum machine in guitar pedal form.” To learn more about the 10th Anniversary Tracker Mini – and to order yours – head to Polyend. The post Polyend celebrates 10 years in business with sleek limited-edition Tracker Mini – here’s how to get yours appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Rhodes has added a new instrument to its virtual arsenal: the Wurli. It’s modelled on the Wurlitzer, a historic electric piano which generates sound from hammers striking metal reeds. This plugin is specifically based on the 200A, a variation of the Wurlitzer which has been used in classic songs like What’d I Say by Ray Charles, I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye, and You’re My Best Friend by Queen. READ MORE: Can Linux really replace Windows and macOS for music production? “As part of our ever-expanding library of classic instruments, we’re proud to share our own take on the iconic reed-based electric piano,” says Dan Goldman, Chief Product Officer at Rhodes. “Sampled by the same expert team behind the Rhodes V8 and Anthology plugins, the Rhodes Wurli brings the 200A to a whole new level of musicality and playability. Paired with Anthology’s powerful sound-shaping tools, effects, and intuitive interface, the result is something truly special — raw, warm, and beautifully expressive.” The Rhodes Wurli utilises the same engine that powers Rhodes Anthology, which features virtual editions of four classic instruments:  Rhodes MK1 Stage 73 (1976), Sparkletop 73 (1965), Rhodes MKV 73 (1984), and Rhodes MK7 73 (2010). With this pre-existing framework, the new addition includes an interface that accurately reflects the original Wurlitzer, complete with rotary dials and retro LEDs. Other than standard effects like delay, chorus, and reverb, the interface also offers unique options for sound manipulation. Apply Timbre Shift to move through different eras of the instrument’s aural quality, and a Vibrato function is designed to capture the same warmth as the classic hardware circuit. The Rhodes Wurli is available now in VST, AU and AAX formats from the Rhodes Music online store. Additionally, you can pick it up for a short time at a 30 percent discount until 30 June. Standard Pricing: GBP: £89.95 EUR: €99.95 USD: $129.95 Introductory Offer – 30 percent off through June 30, 2025: GBP: £62.97 EUR: €69.97 USD: $90.97 There’s also a 14-day free trial available, too. For more information, head to Rhodes. The post “Our own take on the iconic reed-based electric piano”: Rhodes packs the classic Wurlitzer into plugin form appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Klon is taking Behringer‘s parent company Music Tribe to court over what it describes as a “blatant counterfeit” of its prized Centaur pedal. The lawsuit accuses Music Tribe of trademark infringement and misleading consumers, claiming the company’s actions go “far beyond the line of permissible inspiration versus unlawful copying”. Klon founder Bill Finnegan confirmed the suit in a statement posted to the company’s official Instagram, writing: “I have never been consulted in any way about this pedal, it has never been authorised by me, and I have never had any involvement whatsoever in its design, production, or marketing.” READ MORE: “My goal is to make synthesizers for $9.90 so we can make them accessible to kids in poor countries”: Behringer’s synths are cheap – but it wants to go further At the centre of the dispute is Behringer’s Centaur Overdrive, released in November 2024 and priced at just $69. It’s one of many low-cost options inspired by the Klon Centaur, a legendary overdrive pedal that often commands thousands of dollars on the resale market. According to the complaint, Behringer’s product mirrors key visual elements of the original: a gold metal casing, a nearly identical centaur logo, and a prominent “CENTAUR” wordmark styled in the same font and colour. Notably, the pedal also omits the company’s own branding from the faceplate (unlike most of Behringer’s releases) – a move Klon claims was intentional to mislead consumers. Behringer’s Centaur Overdrive promo video on YouTube has also been accused of using Finnegan’s name and likeness “in a manner to suggest his involvement, endorsement, or approval”. Per court documents, “consumers expressed extensive actual confusion (that went deliberately unabated by Defendants), with many rushing to purchase Defendants’ counterfeit pedal believing Defendants are delivering on a mass scale a discounted product licensed or endorsed by Plaintiffs.” The suit also points out that Behringer and Music Tribe “have long had a reputation for creating cheap and inferior copies (often using plastic enclosures) of other manufacturers’ guitar pedals and other musical products, and selling such items under the ‘Behringer’ brand as well as other brands.” In his statement, Finnegan says that he will not be publicly commenting on the dispute while litigation is pending. Those interested in buying an “authentic Centaur pedal” though, can keep an eye out for eBay auctions by Klon LLC (under the seller ID “klondirectsales”). He also reveals his plans to continue hand-building and selling new Centaur pedals through Klon’s eBay sales channel. Renowned for creating budget-friendly music products inspired by vintage gear, Behringer has long faced criticism for blurring the line between inspiration and imitation. Many of its past releases have emulated popular designs from competitors – drawing praise for affordability, but often stirring controversy over originality and build quality. Earlier this year, Musitronics seemingly called out Behringer for “copying” its Mu-Tron products. The firm wrote in a scathing Facebook post: “So a $2 billion German company has decided to copy a 3rd Mu-Tron product. It is being distributed, sight unseen, six month pre-order through a $31 billion investment firm which owns the largest online music store in the world. The pedal is most likely entirely made in China and will sell for less than the cost of what it takes us to produce here in the USA.” The post Behringer’s parent company Music Tribe accused of “blatant counterfeiting” in lawsuit over Klon Centaur clone appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Ad feature with SoundFlow Modern DAWs offer incredible power, but that power often comes at the cost of speed and focus. Setting up sessions, diving through menus, and performing multiple mouse clicks on tiny buttons can pull you out of the creative flow. SoundFlow, a workflow automation platform, has set out to change how musicians, composers, producers, and audio engineers create with their DAW of choice. With support for Elgato Stream Decks, iOS and Android devices, custom keyboard shortcuts, and a powerful macro automation platform, SoundFlow puts your most-used commands right under your fingertips so that you can stay focused on the creative process. Already boasting purpose-built integrations for Avid’s Pro Tools, Apple’s Logic Pro, and iZotope’s RX, SoundFlow has just launched a new integration with Ableton Live, now available in public beta. Like SoundFlow’s other integrations, the SoundFlow Ableton Live integration is feature-packed. The public beta launches with over 850 ready-to-use commands and over 40 decks that can be shown on Stream Decks or mobile devices. Creators across all skill levels can take advantage of this deep integration with Live and unprecedented hands-on control. “This integration is about more than shortcuts, we’re giving Ableton users a toolkit to automate entire workflows—creating, coloring and routing tracks, swapping MIDI Instruments and adding multiple audio effects at once, generating and transforming MIDI—with the push of a button. It’s a new era of creative efficiency” – Chad Wahlbrink, developer at SoundFlow Users can map custom keyboard shortcuts to any command in SoundFlow or create custom decks of commands to centralize their most-used actions. Even more powerful, with SoundFlows’ built-in macro editor, users can sequence multiple commands to be run from a single button. Imagine creating a new track, adding your favorite plug-ins, coloring, and routing that track with one click. While in public beta, SoundFlow hopes Ableton users will make their voices heard on its active and supportive community forum. The forum allows users to share workflow ideas, get help setting up, and learn from other creators. SoundFlow plans to use the forum to gather feedback, fill in gaps in the current featureset, and expand the capabilities of the Ableton Live integration. While many users control SoundFlow via iOS and Android Devices, MIDI controllers, or simple keyboard shortcuts, the Elgato Stream Deck is a crowd favorite. These compact, affordable control surfaces feature backlit LCD buttons, which can change to reflect your current control set. Connect one or multiple Stream Decks to SoundFlow and put your favorite actions right in front of you. The Ableton integration includes the “Ableton – Main Deck,” a pre-configured collection of commands that allows users quick access to common actions like loading instruments and audio effects or creating and controlling tracks. These actions greatly reduce the need for manually clicking through menus or relying on the computer keyboard to control Ableton Live. So, who will get the most out of it? Every Live user can benefit from SoundFlow’s automation capabilities, especially when combined with a Stream Deck, iOS, or Android device, putting enhanced DAW control within reach. For beginners, SoundFlow provides users instant, visual access to Ableton Live without requiring them to learn keyboard shortcuts or know which menu to click. Power users can explore extensive options for creating macros and scripts. These custom commands can be built visually with SoundFlow’s easy-to-use macro editor or coded with JavaScript. This offers all users a near-infinite set of possible automation and control. SoundFlow can be as complicated or simple as you need to suit your creative process. MusicTech readers can join the public beta today with a free 30-day trial of SoundFlow Cloud Pro. The trial gives you access to all SoundFlow Cloud Pro features, the SoundFlow community forum, plus SoundFlow’s other included integrations to take your workflow to the next level. Whether you use Ableton Live to make beats, produce music, score movies, or record bands, you’ll love the powerful way that SoundFlow’s Ableton Live integration opens up control of the DAW like never before. Combining Stream Deck, iOS, Android devices, custom keyboard shortcuts, and a powerful macro automation platform puts your most-used commands right where you need them so that you can stay focused on the creative process. Sign up here today: www.soundflow.org. System Requirements: SoundFlow 5.10.5+ and an active SoundFlow Cloud Pro trial or subscription, macOS 10.15+, Ableton Live 12.1+ The post Stop clicking, start creating: SoundFlow for Ableton Live has landed — here’s what you need to know appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

As the music industry wrestles with the impact of generative AI, Spotify appears to be taking a measured – and some might say, permissive – approach. The streaming giant hosted an ‘Open House’ event for journalists at its Stockholm headquarters last week, where executives fielded questions about the platform’s evolving strategy surrounding artificial intelligence. While some of its rivals, such as Deezer, have been purging AI-generated songs from their platforms, Spotify’s tone was noticeably less adversarial. READ MORE: Spotify’s AI DJ now takes requests “This is the early days of creativity [with AI’s help],” says CEO Daniel Ek [via Music Ally]. “We want more humans to make it as artists and creators, but what is creativity in the future with AI? I don’t know. What is music anyway?” The executive compares the rise of generative audio tools to new developments in AI-generated video, referencing Google’s recently announced Veo model. “You can now generate full-on videos entirely like that. But can’t you express a vision like that and create a really cool animated series? And does that mean you’re a lesser artist than someone who hand-drew all of these things yourself?” Ek questions, adding that society at large will “have to wrestle with these types of issues”. On the business side, Spotify’s head of artist and industry partnerships Bryan Johnson suggests that the impact of AI-generated tracks on payouts to human artists is minimal. “[There is] infinitely small consumption of fully AI-generated tracks on Spotify”, Johnson says, insisting that “there is no dilution of the royalty pool by AI music.” Speaking instead about the opportunities AI offers, CPO and co-president Gustav Söderström says, “We’re excited about GenAI because it gives us English language input for the first time… It’s now not just clicks on streams.” He goes on to predict a future where AI-powered prompts and spoken requests will be the primary way users find and consume music. Last week’s event also sees Spotify addressing questions about a potential subscription price hike. On this, Christian Luiga, Spotify’s Chief Financial Officer says, “The day we start to compromise on the value-to-price ratio… then we are going in a totally different direction. We don’t even want to think about that day, because that’s not part of our DNA.” “Increasing prices, then losing 10% of subscribers is not worth it for us, because that’s not our strategy. We don’t even discuss those things in our management team.” The post Spotify executive says “there is no dilution of the royalty pool by AI music” appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

Once the preserve of specialists, hobbyists and geeks, Linux is nowadays a wholly viable solution for everyday desktop computing. Moreover, and for various reasons, Linux tends to be less demanding of system resources than Windows and macOS, and so can give a new lease of life to older hardware that would otherwise be added to the burgeoning e-waste mountain. The big question for us music production types, then, is ‘Can we use Linux for audio production?’ The answer is a resounding ‘Yes!’. I’d even argue it’s better than Windows and macOS. But there are caveats — so let’s dig a bit deeper. READ MORE: What is granular synthesis, and how do I use it? What actually is Linux? The first thing to get straight about Linux is that it isn’t an operating system (OS). Rather, it’s a kernel — the core of an OS that’s loaded into memory at runtime, and that handles all of the essential low-level operations and communications between hardware and software. The Linux kernel is free and open source software (FOSS), and so anybody can use it and modify it without paying licensing fees. This has led to an entire ecosystem of OS’s being built on the Linux kernel, these being referred to as ‘distros’ (short for ‘distributions’). And with most distros themselves being FOSS, developers are free to adapt and customise distros to their heart’s content, and build new distros based on another. This gives us lineages of related OS’s that share certain core features and compatibilities whilst being specialised in other areas. Adding to this multifariousness are desktop environments, which are separate from distros. In simple terms, the desktop environment is responsible for providing the interface through which users interact with the computer, but it can include other tools and functionality too. Most distros come preconfigured with a specific desktop environment, and others are offered in multiple versions differentiated by the desktop environment employed. It’s also possible to replace the desktop with a preferred option, or even to run elements of one desktop on top of another to provide compatibility for software that requires that different desktop. This may all seem rather confusing, especially if you’re new to the world of Linux, but what should be clear is that Linux’s open source ethos allows a depth of freedom and choice that’s unheard of — and being increasingly curtailed — in Windows and macOS. Linux developers embrace this open ethos, and take full advantage of the freedom to create OS’s and apps that suit almost every use case… and yes, this includes music production. Which Linux distro is best for music producers? One of the most popular Linux distros for general-purpose use is Ubuntu. It provides a modern, attractive and easy-to-use OS for work and play, and benefits from being based on Debian, one of the longest-established and best supported distros there is. Therefore, Ubuntu, or a derivative like the highly efficient and popular Linux Mint, will provide a solid platform to configure a music-making rig. But why bother doing this yourself when there’s a member of the Ubuntu family that’s done all of this for you? Ubuntu Studio comes pre-loaded with DAWs, plugins and many other audio tools. For the non-music production tasks we have to (or like to) do, there are photo editors and librarians, graphics editing, video editing and streaming, 3D modelling and animation, and more. Plus, it’s got all the day-to-day productivity apps you may need, such as a web browser, email client, office suite, media players, and such. Best of all, all these preinstalled apps and tools are FOSS and so don’t cost you a penny. I’m not saying Ubuntu Studio is the only game in town, but it’s a high-quality, ready-to-roll solution that doesn’t demand previous Linux experience or know-how to get started with, and is therefore my recommendation as a kick-off point for a Linux-based music production rig. Will my audio and controller hardware work with Linux? Hardware compatibility in Linux can be problematic because it requires manufacturers to produce Linux-compatible drivers — many don’t. Or, it means relying on members of the Linux development community who feel suitably motivated to write a custom driver. Thankfully, audio and MIDI hardware compatibility is quite reliable, because ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture), which underpins audio and MIDI I/O in most distros, fully supports the USB Class Compliant standard; any relatively modern USB2 audio and/or MIDI interface should work just fine. Additionally, you may find custom drivers for older USB and PCI devices, and there’s a sub-system that supports a range of Firewire interfaces, so you may be able to dust off an old I/O box that’s lurking in the back of a cupboard, or pick up something inexpensive on the second-hand market. But what about controllers – keyboards, pad controllers, mix controllers and the like? Many of these use trusty old MIDI messages for communications, and so, at the very least, any controller that has standard MIDI connectors will work via a USB Class Compliant MIDI interface. Controllers that connect directly via USB and that adhere to the Class Compliant standard will also work, although some features may rely on proprietary communications that run alongside the standard MIDI messages, and such features may not work as expected (or at all). It’s important to keep in mind that many interfaces and controllers require a software control panel to access their full functionality, and rarely do manufacturers release Linux-native versions of such software (Bitwig’s Connect 4/12 being a notable recent exception). Is this a problem? That depends on how much setup can be performed directly from the hardware itself, but even if the software control panel is essential, all is not lost because you may be able to run the Windows version in Linux… I’ll come back to this in a moment. Ultimately, a cursory look at manufacturers’ websites should reveal details about how well your hardware will work with Linux. What music software can I run on Linux? Although many of the most popular and familiar DAWs aren’t available for Linux, the platform is nonetheless very well served on this front. The best FOSS option is probably Ardour, a professional and powerful DAW that’s not dissimilar to the likes of Cubase, Pro Tools and Logic Pro. Ardour is also available for Windows and macOS, so you can easily give it a try without needing a Linux setup. Another good cross-platform FOSS option, especially for those who enjoy FL Studio’s way of working, is LMMS. On the commercial side are the familiar names of Bitwig Studio, Reaper and Tracktion Waveform Pro. Whilst not FOSS, all are available in Linux-native versions, and work exactly as they do on Windows and macOS. When it comes to plugins, there are three widely used formats: LADSPA, DSSI and LV2, the latter being the most modern, capable and prevalent. There’s also a Linux-native version of Steinberg’s open VST format, which allows plugins to be compiled from the same source code as Windows and macOS VSTs. And the same trick that allows some Windows hardware control panels to run in Linux can also be used with some Windows VST plugins (patience — I’m getting there!). As for the plugins themselves, on the FOSS front, there’s a huge choice of reverbs, dynamics processors, delays, modulation effects, and all of the other standard types of effects and processors. Some are excellent, some are good, some not-so-much, but there’s nothing lost if a free plugin turns out to be a bit lame! There are also many excellent instruments available, including the familiar and popular Vital, VCV Rack’s free edition, and Decent Sampler. Commercial plugin options are fewer and further between. U-he supports Linux across all of its instruments and effects, and many developers working within the Tracktion ecosphere also support the platform, giving us, for example, a Linux-native version of the powerful and innovative MOK Waverazer synth. There are others, so be sure to do a quick search to see what’s available. You keep mentioning Windows software running on Linux…? I have touched on the possibility of running Windows versions of hardware control panel software and plugins within Linux. The same trick can also work with some Windows apps, and is made possible by a tool called Wine. Wine is a compatibility layer, not an emulator or virtual machine, translating back and forth between Windows API calls and the POSIX commands used by Linux. This jiggery-pokery allows Windows apps and plugins to run on Linux, although it isn’t a magic bullet because some apps — in particular those with elaborate license enforcement — won’t succumb to Wine’s charms. Nevertheless, Wine can fix some otherwise intractable compatibility problems. To see what can run via Wine, check out the Wine HQ app database. What makes Linux so good for audio? Another thing I mentioned earlier is that Linux is arguably better for audio production than Windows or macOS. If that sounds hard to believe, then you don’t know JACK! JACK is the Linux equivalent of ASIO in Windows and CoreAudio in macOS, providing support for low-latency, high sample rate audio streams for apps and audio I/O hardware. Practically all Linux audio apps (and many other creativity apps) support JACK, and those that don’t can still have their audio ins and outs piped through the JACK system. It’s possible to leave JACK in the background to do its thing, much as you would with ASIO or CoreAudio, but that’s a big waste of its talents. You see, the apps you’re running and the I/O hardware connected to your computer create nodes within JACK, and, with the aid of an app such as Catarina, you can freely patch and route signals between these nodes. Throw in a plugin host such as Carla, and you can easily combine DAWs, standalone instruments, other apps, and processing chains into a JACK patch — Carla will even act as a master transport control for the entire patch. So, for example, you could take the output of Mixxx (a FOSS DJ app) and SooperLooper (a FOSS live looper/sampler), and route these through some effects before mixing them directly to a track in your DAW. As another example, you could take the output of your DAW, mix in a live mic feed and some instruments hosted in Carla, and route these into OBS Studio to stream to the internet. JACK gives Linux phenomenal power as an OS for making music. Where Windows and macOS present as platforms on which DAWs can run, JACK turns the entire OS into a DAW, and your actual DAW is just one set of nodes within that larger system. In some ways, it’s a subtle difference, but in others, it’s utterly game-changing. Ok, you’ve convinced me… what now? The jump from the cosseted worlds of Windows and macOS to the wide open vistas of Linux can seem daunting, and there’s much to learn and adapt to. It isn’t rocket science, though, and there’s loads of help and advice available online. So if you’re someone who doesn’t mind getting their IT hands dirty with a bit of OS installation, disk formatting and the like, then you should do just fine. Of course, the best way of seeing if Linux is for you is to try it out. You have until October for Windows 10 to reach its end-of-life, and probably 10 minutes before Apple drops its next macOS update, so there’s never been a better moment to dig out an older machine, or look into setting up a dual-boot system, and giving Linux a go. You’ll be surprised at just how good it is. The post Can Linux really replace Windows and macOS for music production? appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

On the night of May 30, 2025, the island of Ibiza shifted on its axis as a UNVRS within a universe officially opened its doors on the White Isle. A UFO sculpture crashed through the front gates of [UNVRS], thousands of clubbers followed in its cosmic trail, and a new landmark in global nightlife was born. There have been countless opening nights in Ibiza’s storied history—but none quite like this. From Concept to Cosmos: A New Vision from The Night League The idea behind [UNVRS] wasn’t just to build a new Ibiza club—it was to redefine what a club could be. Conceived by The Night League, the same team behind Ushuaïa and Hï Ibiza, and helmed by Yann Pissenem, [UNVRS] is part nightlife playground, part architectural experiment, part living mythology. The structure takes cues from traditional Ibizan fincas, echoing the island’s past with whitewashed walls and natural stone, but launches itself into the future with layered, kinetic, sci-fi theatricality. “From the beginning, our goal was to contribute something new and meaningful to Ibiza’s clubbing legacy,” Pissenem shared. “A space that celebrates the island’s spirit while looking boldly to the future.” At the entrance, a colossal UFO sculpture sets the tone—hinting that this isn’t merely a venue, but an interstellar portal. Guests descend into the main room by way of a cinematic staircase that opens into an expansive space defined by massive LED-mapped walls, a custom-built L-Acoustics sound system, and a production setup that rivals festivals. At UNVRS Every Space Tells a New Ibiza Story [UNVRS] doesn’t have rooms—it has universes. Indoor and outdoor spaces flow into one another, designed with seamless, surreal precision. One moment you’re in the Gravity Garden, surrounded by lush flora under the stars. The next, you’re in the Sky Deck, with sweeping views of Formentera. The interior corridors pulse with energy, textures, and mirror effects that disorient and delight. But perhaps the most surprising feature is also its most playful: The Wild Comet, a fully-operational club hidden inside the venue’s toilets. Outfitted with a functioning DJ booth, acoustic wall treatments, and sound-reactive lighting, it’s an architectural joke turned full-scale raving reality. VIP is reimagined as a floating, inverted-U shaped balcony that stretches across the room. From there, guests view the entire spectacle unfold—a cinematic and sonic sculpture in constant transformation. And when hunger strikes, clubbers can experience the world’s first burger club inside a nightclub, thanks to a daring collaboration with VICIO. The standout menu item? €80 Chicken tenders topped with caviar.. While the internet has mixed reactions on this, we think it embodies the venue’s ethos: bold, unexpected, and indulgent. Opening Night Was an Odyssey With expectations high and thousands waiting at the gates, [UNVRS] delivered a launch event of legendary proportions. Production duties were handled by High Scream, led by Romain Pissenem, who transformed the venue into a multi-sensory odyssey of lights, lasers, and kinetic visuals. Acrobats sliced through light beams suspended mid-air, LED structures emerged like otherworldly temples, and laserblades carved dynamic shapes above the crowd with unprecedented visual fluency. Smoke jets erupted in bursts timed with sub-bass pulses, creating an immersive simulation of lift-off. It wasn’t just a party—it was a narrative of sound, light, and emotion. The music matched the moment. Dutch DJ Carista christened the venue with Tornado Wallace’s “Bitter Suite (Symphony Mix)”, a track that oozed atmosphere and reverence. Ahmed Spins and Adam Ten b2b Mita Gami followed, layering energy and groove before Michael Bibi ignited the room with his signature underground charge. And then came the giants. Joseph Capriati and The Martinez Brothers went back-to-back for a thunderous two-hour session of house and techno. Following them, Carl Cox and Jamie Jones took command, delivering a marathon finale that ended with a rapturous dancefloor-wide singalong to Bizarre Inc’s “Playing With Knives.” Over in Wild Comet, the energy never dipped. Sets from Pascal Moscheni b2b Frankybeats, Salomé Le Chat, S.A.M, and KOKO kept the hidden rave alive. As the sun broke over the Balearics, Paul Reynolds closed with a euphoric sunrise set that was as spiritual as it was sonic. UNVRS Shows Us What’s New and Next For Ibiza Nightlife [UNVRS] isn’t just a new Ibiza club. It’s redefining the playbook. Born out of viral campaigns, UFO sightings, and even a surprise Will Smith appearance, the venue exists as both performance space and dreamworld. It can transform nightly—modular, adaptive, and ready for both underground heroes and global icons. Its summer schedule proves that point. UNVRS Ibiza Summer Lineup 2025 Eric Prydz Holosphere 2.0 on Mondays (June 2 – September 1) Anyma on Tuesdays (July 8 – August 26) Jamie Jones presents Paradise: Sands of Solaris on Wednesdays (June 18 – October 1) FISHER on Thursdays (June 5 – September 25) David Guetta’s Galactic Circus on Fridays (June 13 – October 3) elrow on Saturdays (June 7 – October 4) Carl Cox Sundays (June 22 – September 21) One-off shows by ANOTR (June 15) and Sara Landry (September 29) Every night promises a different story, a new sonic dimension, and a fresh interpretation of what it means to party in Ibiza. What makes [UNVRS] different isn’t just the scale or sound—it’s the commitment to storytelling. From the moment guests enter to the final beat, the experience is curated with precision and imagination. The goal isn’t to just dance, but to journey, to feel, and to discover. As the world’s clubbing elite arrive this summer, [UNVRS] is no longer a rumor, a teaser, or a viral post. It is a living, breathing universe—and it has only just begun. Tickets are available via www.unvrs.com. The post UNVRS Opens In Ibiza With A New Nightlife Invasion appeared first on EDMNOMAD. View the full article

Photo Credit: TC Restaurant Group (Post Malone) Post Malone has partnered with TC Restaurant Group to open a Nashville entertainment venue under his name. The new venue will be designed around honky tonk grit and country soul with 26,000 square feet featuring six bars, three stages, and a full-service dining room and rooftop. The venue will be located at 305 Broadway, right down the road from Morgan Wallen’s This Tennessee Bar & Kitchen (also a TC Restaurant Group property). Right now the building is undergoing construction to remaster the spaces, while preserving historical architecture and combining them into one cohesive experience. Posty’s venue will be Broadway’s largest ground floor blueprint. “We’ve created a space where everyone can come together and kick some ass,” Post Malone said about the announcement. “Nashville has really become a second home for me so I can’t wait to invite y’all over to my house.” “Post Malone is one of the most influential and gravitational artists of our time, and we’re thrilled to partner with him on this exciting concept,” adds Adam Hesler, President & CEO of TC Restaurant Group. “We’re honored to work with someone as dynamic as he is and create a venue that embodies his spirit and brings a new experience to Nashville’s Entertainment District.” “There’s only one reason we would consider expanding our artist partnerships. That’s to have the ability to partner with someone of this caliber, innovation, and authenticity as Post. His talent and ability to transcend multiple genres is one of a kind, and we look forward to creating a venue that resonates with his global fanbase.” TC Restaurant Group is well known across the United States for its successful management and operations of celebrity branded restaurant venues. Those include Morgan Wallen’s This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen, Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar, Luke Combs’ 32 Bridge, Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa, and Lainey Wilson’s Bell Bottoms Up. Most recently, Post Malone released his debut country album F-1 Trillion, which landed at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This spring, Posty headlined Coachella before hitting the road on his ‘Big Ass Stadium’ tour, following his record-breaking F-1 Trillion Tour last fall. View the full article

A unique collaboration between music production companies and a geography-based gaming platform is offering aspiring producers an epic prize package including an official release with UMG, the world's largest music company. The aptly-titled "Legendary Remix Challenge," launched by Audeobox in partnership with GeoGuessr and FL Studio, invites music creators worldwide to rework "Legendary," the official anthem of the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championships. The original track, performed by Mapei and written by Niki & the Dove with production by YARO, serves as the soundtrack for GeoGuessr's annual competition. The online game, which challenges players to identify real-world locations using Google Street View imagery, has attracted over 90 million players since its 2013 launch. Winners of the massive remix contest will see their work officially released by UMG and receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Denmark for the championship finals. The GeoGuessr World Championships are scheduled for August 29-30 in Copenhagen. "GeoGuessr has always been more than just a game—it’s a global culture powered by an incredibly creative community," said Mikael Falgard, Head of Esports at GeoGuessr. "By partnering with Audeobox, we’re inviting remixers worldwide to put their own spin on our anthem and become part of this championship moment. We’re excited to hear the sounds our community creates." Participants can download the song's official stems through Audeobox, a platform that connects music producers globally, and submit remixes with a deadline of June 18th. A month-long public voting period follows and a winner will be announced July 22nd. For Audeobox, which bills itself as "the world's only online beat battle platform," the collaboration offers participants crucial exposure to international audiences. "This is your shot to flip it, flip the script, and make a name for yourself on the global stage," said Young Fyre, Audeobox's co-founder and CEO. Here's how to enter the "Legendary Remix Challenge": Create a free Audeobox account at audeobox.com/geoguessrDownload the official "Legendary" remix stems Submit your remix via the official GeoGuessr Challenge page Submit your music by June 18th, 2025

Photo Credit: Cottonbro Studios When it comes to Shamrock Capital’s Taylor Swift recorded catalog acquisition, let’s be honest: it didn’t even seem like a good idea at the time. But is there more frothy fallout ahead when it comes to music IP? Dialing back to late 2020, the collective head-scratching elevated when Shamrock Capital swooped in to buy Taylor Swift’s first six album masters for $300 million. The seller was none other than Scooter Braun’s Ithaca Holdings, who dropped the sullied asset after just 16 months of migraine-inducing ownership. Of course, it’s always fun to buy the most sizzling catalog on the block. But to say there were red flags around this IP acquisition would be a drastic understatement. For starters, Swift herself was already stream-rolling forward with her now-vast catalog of Taylor’s Version remakes, complete with a fight-the-industry-oppressor narrative to fuel the Swiftie mob. Beyond the juicy targets of Scooter Braun and Scott Borchetta, Big Machine staffers were getting harassed and wild claims accepted as truth — and woe to any music company or investment house caught in those crosshairs. Hence Scooter’s EJECT button — or at least part of the explanation for it. Enter Shamrock, which quickly found itself battling duplicate recorded music versions and a hostile artist. That’s tricky enough to manage, but given the edge-case nature of this calamity, building longer-term revenue projections seemed downright devilish. It was all unfortunately unprecedented, particularly for an IP asset of that size. Then again, investment firms will put up with almost any level of pain for the right return. This one – involving IP from one of the biggest musicians in history – apparently wasn’t worth it. The bad math and endless headaches might explain the quick reversion sale – which may have also carried a boulder-off-shoulder post-signing high. Braun got out after 16 months — and now, Shamrock is bowing out after four-and-a-half years. None of that screams long-term portfolio jewel, but hey – now Taylor’s the proud owner of her own original recordings. That’s great news for Taylor, but is Shamrock’s dump-off the latest episode in a protracted frothy fallout? Hipgnosis was its own slow-motion train wreck, with execs accusing Massarsky n’ Merc of juicing up the valuations of catalogs into the stratosphere. But what about the rest of the multi-billion dollar music IP ecosystem? That’s a tricky one, particularly in the daily rollercoaster of America’s economy du jour. Indeed, complementing the stomach-turning stock market is an ‘everything bubble’ terrain replete with endless possible ‘pops’ – including potential crashes in crypto, real estate, bonds, and maybe even music IP. That has industry players feeling a bit nervous, according to our latest off-the-record convos. There’s still lots of money ready to be deployed on catalogs, and specialized plays involving smaller catalogs and distinct rights tranches continue to emerge. But is a bigger correction ahead for music IP? One problem outlined to DMN: even catalogs from storied artists like Dylan (whose total publishing+recording catalog sold for as much as $600 million) only have so many recognizable hits – and sync-able tracks. Indeed, b-sides blow up and get placed all the time (see Connie Francis’ ‘Pretty Little Baby’ and the Pointer Sisters ‘Hot Together’ for the latest exhibits). But how many people care about the hundreds of lesser-known tracks from legendary artists like Dylan? In that context, perhaps the Taylor sale speaks volumes – particularly after such a short carriage period by Shamrock. Not to harsh anyone’s mellow, though perhaps a measured cooldown is the best outcome in this terrain. Indeed, a soft landing might be the luckiest outcome we can get. Meanwhile, music IP and other hot-button music+money concepts are on tap for next week’s Music Investor Conference, or MIC, in New York, where dealmakers will rub elbows and prognosticate on what’s next. That will be complemented by A2IM’s Indie Week confab in Times Square – with IP sure to receive healthy discussion time at both. See ya there. View the full article

VNYL’s Nick Alt and Emily Muhoberac, who have signed on as CEO and COO of Vinyl Me, Please, respectively. Photo Credit: Virginia Harold Less than one month after entering liquidation, Vinyl Me, Please (VMP) has officially found a new owner and relaunched with a “remastered mission.” The Denver-based vinyl-subscription club formally revealed the change of hands today. Now, Vinyl Me, Please is poised to keep on operating – albeit as a subsidiary of VNYL Inc., which operates a namesake vinyl subscription of its own. Headquartered in Saint Louis and founded in 2014, VNYL curates records for its subscribers on a monthly basis. And while one vinyl-subscription service buying another seems like a solid fit, it’s also worth noting that VNYL counts Someday Capital partner Nick Alt as its founder. Alt has signed on as CEO of VMP, with VNYL president Emily Muhoberac beginning as president and COO. As to where the just-purchased company goes from here, both execs underscored plans to start “rebuilding trust with longtime subscribers,” many of whom remain vocal about their unfulfilled orders. “This isn’t about reinventing Vinyl Me, Please,” spelled out Alt, previously a Vimeo and Stem exec. “It’s about restoring its true form as the ‘Best Damn Record Club.’” “Vinyl customers deserve a white glove experience and that’s far from what they’ve gotten recently,” added Muhoberac, who doubles as a partner at vinyl-focused lender Vinyl Capital Partners. “We intend to do that by getting back to the fundamentals of VMP with a great customer experience.” Longer term, the higher-ups touched on plans to integrate VMP into their broader vinyl portfolio – with various subsidiaries zeroing in on particular consumer segments. VMP will cater to collectors “seeking premium audio experiences,” for instance, with the VinylBox unit selling to “millennials balancing aesthetic and specific collection needs.” VNYL proper, for its part, will dial in on “Gen Z / Alpha seeking affordable curated vinyl for new turntables.” “Our philosophy is simple: not every collector is the same,” Alt summarized of the approach. “Some customers want a Blue Note Anthology box set. Others are counting the days until the new Reneé Rapp LP drops. We’re building different clubs to serve different types of listeners—with pricing and curation that actually match their needs.” Time will tell how the more carefully tailored model performs. Overall, despite vinyl’s years-running commercial resurgence, recent data has pointed to a possible growth slowdown. Though it probably goes without saying, this potential slowdown is having a comparatively significant impact on smaller players like VMP and Qrates, to name a couple. The latter is still out of commission “due to unforeseen financial difficulties,” the relevant website shows. View the full article

Photo Credit: Fyre Hotels Convicted frauster Billy McFarland’s Fyre Festival do-over failed after local officials revealed the ‘festival’ did not have the required permits. Now McFarland is trying again with a newly dubbed ‘Fyre Coral View Pop-Up’ on Utila—a small island in Honduras. This new event is slated for September 3 – 10, 2025 and appears to follow the same setup as Fyre Festival 2. This attempt is being marketing as an ‘adventure-infused’ island getaway. That was supposedly the same appeal of Fyre Festival 2, which was supposed to be held on Isla Mujeres off the cost of Cancún, Mexico. But local Isla Mujeres officials took to social media to deny any involvement in the festival as advertised. Organizers then shifted the event to Playa del Carmen, another well-known Mexican resort spot. Authorities from Playa del Carmen also publicly denied that Fyre Festival 2 could be held there, based on a lack of records for permits for such a festival. Organizers posted photos of the supposed permits, but those ‘proof’ photos were just permits granted to local hotels for small gatherings of up to 300 people—not the massive destination festival that was being advertised. This latest attempt at resurrecting the failed Fyre name comes as a collaboration between McFarland and Heath Miller, a former New York concert promoter. Miller is the current owner of the Coral Villa Utila resort in Honduras. However, marketing for this pop-up event appears to be more in line with what Fyre Festival 2 actually would have been if it went through. It’s positioned as a pop-up and ‘low-key experience’ for 300 to 400 guests. Fyre Festival 2 ticket holders are not guaranteed entry. Room rates for this pop-up event appear to start at $198 per night for singles and up to $449 for a four-person room with access to the event during booking. Miller has stressed that the pop-up event will not feature a star-studded line-up and at the time of writing, no artists have been confirmed to be on board. The focus is on bringing global attention to this ‘off the map gem’ of an island rather than creating a massive destination music festival. Skepticism around anything Fyre related remains high after the 2017 debacle that resulted in McFarland going to prison. Whether this pop-up will deliver on an event that is worth talking about remains to be seen. So far, the marketing seems to be more honest than previous attempts—acknowledging the small-scale resort focus rather than massive weekend to attract big dollar ticket buyers. View the full article

Photo Credit: Extra TV Sean “Diddy” Combs paid a hotel security officer $100K to hand over surveillance footage showing the hip-hop mogul attacking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, the officer testified at Combs’ federal trial. Eddy Garcia, who worked as a security officer at an Intercontinental hotel, told jurors that Diddy bribed him to hand over surveillance footage showing the star brutally attacking then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Garcia testified on Tuesday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing federal sex trafficking trial, which is now in its fourth week. “He was concerned that this video would get out and that it would ruin his career,” said Garcia, who was granted immunity to secure his testimony. Garcia said shortly after the incident occurred, Combs contacted him, telling Garcia he would “take care” of him if he handed over the footage. Garcia relayed Combs’ message about the video to his boss, who said he would give Combs the footage for $50,000. The next day, Garcia said he saw his boss enter the room that hosted servers for the surveillance cameras. He testified that his boss gave him a USB drive, which Garcia gave to Combs, who later returned with a brown bag and a cash counter. Garcia said Combs ran the cash through the counter, which displayed $100,000. Combs then returned the money to the bag and handed it over to Garcia. Jurors had previously been shown footage of the surveillance video, dated March 2016, which took place in the hallway of the Intercontinental hotel in Los Angeles. There, Combs, wearing only a towel, is seen throwing Ventura to the ground, kicking her, and dragging her back to their room. Combs’ attorneys have admitted the star has, at times, been abusive in his domestic relationships. However, they argue that the so-called “Freak Offs” were consensual sexual encounters. Ventura testified earlier in the trial that the incident shown in the surveillance video took place after Combs had given her a black eye during a “Freak Off.” Prosecutors say that such encounters took place over two decades, in which Combs coerced women such as Ventura to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. According to the prosecution, bribery is among the racketeering acts that either Combs or his employees used to facilitate the “Freak Off” encounters and prevent word of his abuse from getting out. If convicted on all counts in the federal trial, Combs could face life in prison. View the full article

Photo Credit: RCA Records Rick Astley’s 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” has reached a new milestone—surpassing one billion streams on Spotify. The achievement comes nearly four decades after the track’s original release and is propelled by the internet phenomenon known as ‘rick rolling.’ “Never Gonna Give You Up” now joins the exclusive Spotify Billions Club playlist, a feat achieved by fewer than 1,000 tracks so far. Astley, 59, expressed his thanks to the public for the feat. “So who would’ve believed after all these years ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ has had a billion streams on Spotify. How amazing. Thank you for listening and lots of love and I’ll see you all soon.” Originally released as part of Astley’s debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody, the song topped charts in over 20 countries. It became a defining song of the late 1980s, with an infectious melody and upbeat lyrics. But that initial run of fame was short-lived compared to the new life the song found as an internet meme. In the late 2000s, the “Never Gonna Give You Up” YouTube video became a prank. Known as ‘rick rolling,’ early internet users would post a link to YouTube (before previews were common) and say the link was something else. The bait-and-switch then tricked unsuspecting users into watching the song’s music video. This rick rolling phenomenon was central to the song’s enduring popularity in the internet zeitgeist—where memes can become old after a few months’ use. The official music video on YouTube has amassed over 1.6 billion views on YouTube, far surpassing Spotify’s total. But achieving the Spotify Billions Club honor is a testament to the enduring nature of the song beyond its use as a meme—many people simply love the track and its optimism. Spotify users are intentionally seeking out the song to listen, while the YouTube video may be shared simply to engage in a now decades-old internet prank. When asked about the internet prank, Astley says he only views it in a positive light. He says he appreciates how internet users have kept the song relevant over the years while introducing it to new generations. View the full article

Lizzo, who’s once again firing back against a harassment lawsuit from her former touring dancers. Photo Credit: Raph_PH Lizzo is firing back against the marathon sexual harassment lawsuit she’s facing from several former touring dancers, maintaining that the conduct in question is protected speech. That interesting position came to light in a new appeal from Team Lizzo, which is specifically challenging a prior decision allowing some of the dancers’ claims to proceed. By now, most are at least generally aware of the years-old allegations against the singer, who’s looking to ride a comeback out of the cancellation waters. Not helping the effort are the ongoing sexual harassment claims and a distinct case spearheaded by another ex-tour employee. It’s worth clarifying that fashion designer Asha Daniels submitted the latter suit to a federal court in September 2023. We promptly covered the action – alleging sexual harassment, racial harassment, assault, and more. In the complaint, Daniels also said she’d witnessed tour employees mistreating dancers while on the road with Lizzo. And long story short, this federal suit, despite a partial dismissal in December 2024 and a subsequent lack of media coverage, is still in motion. The December order tossed the complaint against a payroll-company defendant – which wound up causing the case to be “erroneously closed” with regard to all defendants. In mid-April, the court acknowledged the administrative misstep, underscored that the claims against Lizzo’s Big Grrrl Big Touring “remained unresolved and pending,” and tentatively teed up a December 1st jury trial. Bearing the details in mind, the dancers themselves first sued Lizzo in 2023, and their state-level action, likewise partially dismissed last year, is currently making its way through the Los Angeles County Superior Court. We’ve already broken down their claims – chief among them allegations of sexual harassment. This refers in large part to an alleged episode wherein Lizzo purportedly pressured her dancer employees to attend a strip-club afterparty of sorts in Amsterdam. There, the team members were allegedly exposed to and compelled to participate in a series of decidedly work-inappropriate activities, we reported nearly two years ago. Enter Lizzo’s initially mentioned First Amendment defense and push to dismiss the case. As quoted by Billboard, the artist’s legal team is arguing that the suit represents “‘an attack on Lizzo’s First Amendment right to perform her music and advocate for body positivity,’” with the above-described strip-club shenanigans allegedly constituting components of “‘Lizzo’s creative process.’” “‘There’s no disagreement that Lizzo held these outings as a necessary part of her creative process,’” the dismissal motion reportedly spells out. It probably doesn’t need reiterating, but there’s plenty of distance between the plaintiffs’ position (the outing was both extremely inappropriate and not quite optional) and Lizzo’s stance. As to where things go from here, the presiding judge has scheduled a status conference for July 16th. Regardless of how the legal battles play out, it’s safe to say they aren’t exactly benefiting Lizzo’s comeback, including reported plans for a fresh album later in 2025. View the full article

It’s already time to begin planning for EDC Las Vegas 2026, as today, Insomniac dropped official dates and details for the return of Hotel EDC next year. The powerhouse festival promoter will again team up with music-led destination experience company Vibee to offer the exclusive resort-stay experience during the week of its sold-out flagship Electric Daisy Carnival event, which returns to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway from May 15-17, 2026. After debuting at the off-strip resort last month, Hotel EDC will return to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas for next year’s festival. Located just a 10-minute drive from Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Airport, the hotel will host exclusive DJ sets, official pool parties, activations, photo-ops, glam stations, wellness sessions, and other surprises throughout the property from May 15-18, 2026. Hotel EDC guests can customize their three-night stay at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, with an optional Thursday night add-on, and choose between a king, two-queen room, or suite for up to four guests. All rooms are decked out in EDC decorations, and each guest receives a “Headliner Party Pack” with exclusive Hotel EDC merch, while Vibee is on-site to run a dedicated concierge all weekend long. Guests also receive daily food and beverage credits to use at select resort restaurants with EDC-inspired menu items and drink specials. With the 2026 festival already sold out to the general public, Hotel EDC packages also offer a last-ditch chance to grab GA+ or VIP festival passes, which are available as a booking add-on alongside amenities like late checkout, shuttles, and private car service to the speedway. Pre-sale registration for Hotel EDC 2026 is now open here. Past hotel package purchasers will have first access to the pre-sale, beginning this Thursday, June 5, at 12PM PT. Pre-sale access for new registrations will open on Friday, June 6, at 10AM PT. General on-sale will follow on the same date at 12PM PT. For more information, visit lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com/hotel-edc. Featured image courtesy: Insomniac Events. The post Insomniac Confirms Dates & Details For Hotel EDC 2026 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

It’s already time to begin planning for EDC Las Vegas 2026, as today, Insomniac dropped official dates and details for the return of Hotel EDC next year. The powerhouse festival promoter will again team up with music-led destination experience company Vibee to offer the exclusive resort-stay experience during the week of its sold-out flagship Electric Daisy Carnival event, which returns to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway from May 15-17, 2026. After debuting at the off-strip resort last month, Hotel EDC will return to Virgin Hotels Las Vegas for next year’s festival. Located just a 10-minute drive from Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Airport, the hotel will host exclusive DJ sets, official pool parties, activations, photo-ops, glam stations, wellness sessions, and other surprises throughout the property from May 15-18, 2026. Hotel EDC guests can customize their three-night stay at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, with an optional Thursday night add-on, and choose between a king, two-queen room, or suite for up to four guests. All rooms are decked out in EDC decorations, and each guest receives a “Headliner Party Pack” with exclusive Hotel EDC merch, while Vibee is on-site to run a dedicated concierge all weekend long. Guests also receive daily food and beverage credits to use at select resort restaurants with EDC-inspired menu items and drink specials. With the 2026 festival already sold out to the general public, Hotel EDC packages also offer a last-ditch chance to grab GA+ or VIP festival passes, which are available as a booking add-on alongside amenities like late checkout, shuttles, and private car service to the speedway. Pre-sale registration for Hotel EDC 2026 is now open here. Past hotel package purchasers will have first access to the pre-sale, beginning this Thursday, June 5, at 12PM PT. Pre-sale access for new registrations will open on Friday, June 6, at 10AM PT. General on-sale will follow on the same date at 12PM PT. For more information, visit lasvegas.electricdaisycarnival.com/hotel-edc. Featured image courtesy: Insomniac Events. The post Insomniac Confirms Dates & Details For Hotel EDC 2026 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Adventure Club is turning back the clock to melodic dubstep’s heyday with a special throwback tour for fall 2025. After teasing the run on social media over the past week, the Montreal duo—whose cinematic remixes and original bass productions helped define the surging genre in the first half of the 2010s—announced today that a long-awaited “Adventure Club Throwback Tour” will kick off in Houston on August 8. Quelling high demand across North America, members Leighton James and Christian Srigley will then criss-cross the continent for 30 more headline dates, touching down in cities such as Washington, D.C., Santa Ana, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Tampa, and more through December 26. Check out the full list of tour dates below. More will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can expect Adventure Club to revisit plenty of classic tunes from their catalog, earmarked by scene-shaping remixes of Flight Facilities’ “Crave You” and Yuna’s “Lullabies,” and hit originals of the era like “Gold” and “Crash 2.0.” They’ll be joined by a bevy of special guests, totaling nineteen different acts throughout the tour. Support lineups, which vary by date, are set to be announced tomorrow. Pre-sale registration for Adventure Club’s 2025 throwback tour is now open here. Pre-sale ticket access will begin this Thursday, June 5. General on-sale will follow on Friday, June 6. For more information, visit Adventure Club’s Instagram page. Featured image courtesy: Adventure Club. The post Adventure Club Announce Awaited Throwback Tour For Fall 2025 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Photo Credit: Rod Stewart by Joe Bielawa / CC by 2.0 Rod Stewart postpones his performance at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace four hours before showtime due to an unnamed illness. Sir Rod Stewart called in sick just four hours before he was scheduled to hit the stage at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Sunday night. The 80-year-old rock and roll legend posted to his Instagram Stories to give fans the news, while Caesars Palace also confirmed the postponement. “I am sorry to inform you that I’m not feeling well and my show tonight at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace is being rescheduled to June 10,” wrote Stewart. “Your tickets will be valid for the new date.” Later this month, the legendary artist is slated to perform at Glastonbury as one of the oldest artists to play the UK festival. He has confirmed the show will feature a Faces reunion with Ronnie Wood. Throughout the summer, Stewart will also perform more shows across North America for his One Last Time World Tour, and will continue with his 200-show residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace through the fall. Stewart was forced to cancel a few shows in Las Vegas last summer due to a combination of strep throat and COVID. Last week, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 American Music Awards. “I love what I do, and I do what I love,” Stewart said in an Instagram post last year. “I’m fit, have a full head of hair, and can run 100 meters in 18 seconds at the jolly old age of 79.” “This will be the end of large-scale world tours for me, but I have no desire to retire,” he said, speaking on his One Last Time farewell tour. “I’d like to move onto a Great American Songbook, Swing Fever tour the year after next—smaller venues and more intimacy,” Stewart explained. “But then again, I may not.” View the full article

Fans around the world can tune into live coverage of the Vans Warped Tour next weekend. With the iconic punk-rock festival back for a special 30th anniversary tour this summer, Vans Warped Tour has announced that its sold-out stop at the RFK Festival Grounds in Washington, D.C., on June 14-15 will be broadcast live via Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music’s Twitch channel, running from 5PM to 2AM local time on both dates. The lineup for this year’s historic tour opener in D.C. features more than 90 bands spanning rock, punk-rock, alternative, pop-punk, emo, and more. Livestream-confirmed artists include Bowling for Soup, Hawthorne Heights, Mayday Parade, mgk, Sublime, and more. Promising to bring Warped Tour’s “spirit of punk and alternative rock directly to the fans,” according to a press release, the stream will be hosted by musician and social media personality Lilith Czar and Amazon Music’s Andy Harms, with the duo set to preview performances and chat with artists backstage while a field correspondent reports from the crowd. Other anticipated performances throughout Warped Tour’s weekend in D.C. include Avril Lavigne, Beauty School Dropout, Simple Plan, All Time Low, 3OH!3, and many more. Check out the full lineup here. Fans can also listen to REDISCOVER Vans Warped Tour, the event’s official playlist on Amazon Music, featuring music from this year’s tour, as well as commentary from artists and tour founder Kevin Lyman. Now three decades on from its launch in 1995, Warped Tour 2025 will continue with dates at the Shoreline Waterfront in Long Beach, California, on July 26-27 and at the Camping World Stadium campus in Orlando, Florida, on November 15-16. New for this year, the festival is presented, in-part, by Insomniac Events, after the powerhouse rave promoter unveiled an official partnership between the two scene-leading brands last October. For more information or to tune into the Vans Warped Tour D.C. livestream, visit music.amazon.com. Featured image courtesy: Vans Warped Tour. The post Vans Warped Tour D.C. Comeback To Stream Live On Amazon Prime Video appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Fans around the world can tune into live coverage of the Vans Warped Tour next weekend. With the iconic punk-rock festival back for a special 30th anniversary tour this summer, Vans Warped Tour has announced that its sold-out stop at the RFK Festival Grounds in Washington, D.C., on June 14-15 will be broadcast live via Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music’s Twitch channel, running from 5PM to 2AM local time on both dates. The lineup for this year’s historic tour opener in D.C. features more than 90 bands spanning rock, punk-rock, alternative, pop-punk, emo, and more. Livestream-confirmed artists include Bowling for Soup, Hawthorne Heights, Mayday Parade, mgk, Sublime, and more. Promising to bring Warped Tour’s “spirit of punk and alternative rock directly to the fans,” according to a press release, the stream will be hosted by musician and social media personality Lilith Czar and Amazon Music’s Andy Harms, with the duo set to preview performances and chat with artists backstage while a field correspondent reports from the crowd. Other anticipated performances throughout Warped Tour’s weekend in D.C. include Avril Lavigne, Beauty School Dropout, Simple Plan, All Time Low, 3OH!3, and many more. Check out the full lineup here. Fans can also listen to REDISCOVER Vans Warped Tour, the event’s official playlist on Amazon Music, featuring music from this year’s tour, as well as commentary from artists and tour founder Kevin Lyman. Now three decades on from its launch in 1995, Warped Tour 2025 will continue with dates at the Shoreline Waterfront in Long Beach, California, on July 26-27 and at the Camping World Stadium campus in Orlando, Florida, on November 15-16. New for this year, the festival is presented, in-part, by Insomniac Events, after the powerhouse rave promoter unveiled an official partnership between the two scene-leading brands last October. For more information or to tune into the Vans Warped Tour D.C. livestream, visit music.amazon.com. Featured image courtesy: Vans Warped Tour. The post Vans Warped Tour D.C. Comeback To Stream Live On Amazon Prime Video appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Making another surprise move into uncharted dance territories, world renowned Grammy Award-winning artist David Guetta has remixed one of this year’s most acclaimed club tunes ‘A Gira‘ by up-and-coming Brazilian artist unfazed. It’s a record that already breathed strong Brazilian vibes in its original guise, featuring warm percussion and feverish, sun-drenched vocals. Now, the French maestro reworked this early 2025 anthem with some powerful hooks, providing the initial afro house and Latin atmosphere with a solid dose of Future Rave excitement, making it the dream anthem for the current festival season, out now on Spinnin’ Deep. With the Brazilian dance scene continuously making new moves, young DJ/producer, unfazed, has made similar progress himself. Building a profile with his characteristic production style, he’s crafted an organic house sound on the wings of afro house, latin vibes and warm, melodic rhythms. His 2024 debut releases ‘Me Tienes‘ and ‘Keep Falling‘ immediately struck a chord with the international club scene, receiving widespread DJ support, followed by this year’s hit tune ‘A Gira,’ a hot-blooded club gem picked up by Spinnin’ Deep. By now, unfazed’s music has received support from some of the industry’s leading names, including &ME, Rampa, Adam Port, Keinemusik, Agoria and Marten Lou. Now, none other than David Guetta can be added to this list. The renowned French DJ/producer was already known for his diverse resume, having created numerous dance anthems throughout the years, covering both pop, R&B, uplifting festival tunes and deep club music in his ever evolving production style, but makes a surprising move yet again as he dives into unfazed’s widely praised afro house style. Stay tuned for more news! The post David Guetta Remixes Brazilian Anthem ‘A Gira’ to Festival Heights appeared first on EDMTunes.