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Canadian bass producer REZZ is gifting fans with a long sought-after ID, ‘Contorted’ out now via HypnoVizion. Along with this long awaited release, Rezz is reflecting on her artistic evolution over the last decade. Initially a SoundCloud-only release, ‘Contorted’ surges with the midtempo pulse that carved Rezz’s early signature and has since cultivated a cult-like fanbase. Widely recognized for its spiraling melodies, eerie textures and bone-rattling low-end, ‘Contorted’ has been reimagined with upgraded sound design that sharpens its original edge without losing its raw essence. Listen here. Over the years, ‘Contorted’ has become a cornerstone of her live shows. The track was a centerpiece in her new audio-visual show PORTAL, which debuted to a sold-out crowd in the Bay Area last month. The show’s mesmerizing visuals synced in real-time with the track’s hypnotic rhythms, heightening its immersive atmosphere and reinforcing its legacy as a can’t-miss moment in her sets. “This is a remake of an old song that only all the OG fans would know existed! This was a staple in my sets and never got a full release. This version is revamped and soooo much sharper! This song is part of a bigger future project but I wanted to give this to the fans asap.” — REZZ ‘Contorted’ arrives ahead of Rezz’s annual return to The Brooklyn Mirage and festival appearances at EDC Las Vegas, Shamhala, Elements and more. PORTAL will make its second stop at Washington’s Tacoma Dome this September ahead of REZZ ROCKS VII at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre in October. The post REZZ Releases ‘Contorted’ From The Vault appeared first on EDMTunes.

Producer legend Roy Thomas Baker – perhaps best known for his work on Queen’s magnum opus Bohemian Rhapsody – has died at the age of 78. While no cause of death has been announced, a statement from his publicist has confirmed that Baker passed away on 12 April. Baker’s work was pivotal throughout the 1970s and ‘80s, with Bohemian Rhapsody having gone down in history, and Rolling Stone ranking it among the best songs of all time and the Guinness Book of World Records naming it the most streamed song from the 20th century. READ MORE: JKriv: “A finished track is better than a perfect track, every single time” Fifty years on from Bohemian Rhapsody’s 1975 release, it continues to inspire modern artists and rouse huge crowd sing-alongs. Yet, back in 2005, Baker told the New York Times that he was shocked by the track’s legacy. “I thought it was going to be a hit,” he said. “But we didn’t know it was going to be quite that big. I didn’t realise it was still going to be talked about 30 years later.” Baker also had an illustrious career elsewhere, working with the likes of Alice Cooper, David Bowie, The Cars, Guns N’ Roses, Ozzy Osbourne, the Smashing Pumpkins and more. He also went on to serve as an Elektra A&R executive, helping sign such names as Metallica, Simply Red and 10,000 Maniacs. Born in Hampstead in 1946, Baker kickstarted his venture into the music industry at the age of 14. His first job was at Decca Records, where he worked as a second engineer. Baker assisted on tracks from The Rolling Stones to Dusty Springfield, building up a strong portfolio of hits. His work also spanned from T. Rex, to Free’s All Right Now in 1970, before eventually moving up to Trident Studios. Working as the Soho studio’s in-house engineer, Baker would soon meet Queen – and history would be made. Following his work on the band’s 1973 debut, he went on to produce Queen’s first four records – including 1975’s A Night At The Opera, which featured the track that made him a legend. Baker reflected on Bohemian Rhapsody in conversation with Sound On Sound in 1995. “We were going out to dinner one night and I met Freddie [Mercury] at his apartment in Kensington,” he said. “He sat down at his piano and said, ‘I’d like to play you a song that I’m working on at the moment.’” “He played the first part… [then] he played a bit further through the song and then stopped suddenly, saying, ‘This is where the opera section comes in,’” he remembered. “We both just burst out laughing. I had worked with the D’Oyly Carte Opera Company at Decca where I learned a lot about vocals and the way vocals are stressed, so I was probably one of the few people in the whole world who knew exactly what he was talking about.” “[Bohemian Rhapsody] was the first time that an opera section had been incorporated into a pop record, let alone a Number One. It was obviously very unusual and we originally planned to have just a couple of ‘Galileos’. But things often have a habit of evolving differently once you’re inside the studio. It did get longer and bigger.” While Mercury clearly knew that Baker had a dynamic skillset, The Cars’ Ric Ocasek also praised him back in 2016. “He was an electronics whizz,” he told Magnet Magazine. “A sound guy with a classical background for mic-ing the room’s sound. He got harmony. And he took things in stride – a very upbeat, elegant man. Spontaneous, too.” Queen’s Roger Taylor has also noted his respect of Baker: “I think he brought a certain amount of discipline, a lot of cynicism and a passion for fattening desserts. He liked his food, Roy. He was very disciplined and very strict in the beginning . . . he would always get it right. The take had to be right.” [via Variety] The post Roy Thomas Baker, producer of Bohemian Rhapsody, dies at 78 appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

It’s now common practice for music-makers to capture their creative sparks and ideas with their smartphones. Many voice notes and quick recordings become the guidepost for fully realised records later on. Your phone may be the only microphone you’ll ever need for your next song, but you might find that the recording itself is full of noise, plosives, and generally feels unfit for a final track. Thankfully, there are a few production techniques you can use to clean up your smartphone recordings and make them sound professional. Let’s get into it. READ MORE: Clive From Accounts: “Give me a phone and I’ll happily make you tunes all day” The recording process I’m recording a single vocal performance straight into my Apple iPhone 13 Pro and mixing it into a track. I’m using BandLab so I can type the lyrics into the project file, but you can use any recording app on your phone, like Voice Memos on an iPhone. If you decide to record into the Voice Memos app, make sure that the Audio Quality is set to Lossless. You can find this option on your iPhone under Settings > Apps > Voice Memos > Audio Quality. I’ll be recording in a place that doesn’t cause too many reflections, so I can have more control over the mix. Singing close to my phone’s built-in microphone leads to a cleaner, more focused recording. However, it also generates harsh plosives — the louder moments in my performance are nearly clipping, for example. It’s important to find an ideal distance between your mouth and the phone, which will take some trial and error. Now that your phone is a handheld microphone, try singing without too much movement so that the microphone doesn’t pick up additional noise. Exporting, importing After recording a take I’m happy with, I export the audio file out of BandLab and import it into a new session in Ableton Live 12 — you can use your DAW of choice. Since I had recorded my performance in free tempo, I’ll switch off the Warp and Snap to Grid functions. If you already have a tempo-locked track you want to pair your vocal with, feel free to keep these features on in your DAW. Editing and cleaning Ideally, a vocal recording will be clean so you can manipulate it to fit your song. However, recording with your smartphone, not in a studio, might mean your vocal take will need some cleaning up. Your first goal is to eliminate any hiss, rumbling sounds, excessive sibilance, and mouth clicks from the recording. Insert a parametric EQ plugin and cut all frequencies below 100Hz — this will quickly address any issues in the sub range. Next, cut and remove silent sections of the recording and insert fades for a seamless edit. You can also insert large fade-ins to control the volume of the breaths and cut the sibilant and plosive moments into separate clips to reduce their gain. Next, insert a gate plugin on your chain — I’m using FabFilter Pro-G. After selecting the Smooth Vocal MTK preset, I tweak the threshold, attack, and release parameters. Aim to minimise environmental sounds while preserving the integrity of your performance. iZotope’s RX Voice De-noise plugin is particularly useful for me. The Dialogue and Surgical settings work best for my recording, but I turn down the reduction amount to establish a gentle denoising balance. Another iZotope plugin that comes in handy is the RX Mouth De-click. With it, I can clean up most of the undesirable mouth sounds automatically. Tuning In my recording, there are a couple of moments where I sounded slightly flat or sharp, so I’ll use the Antares Autotune Pro effect in Auto Mode. I select E minor as the key and turn the Retune Speed down to 50 for subtle tuning. You might want to try a similar pitch correction process if any parts of your performance sound a little off. Shaping the dynamics and tone To even out the volume fluctuations in my performance, try applying a double compression strategy. The first compressor has a fast attack and release setting to keep transients under control. The second compressor is much gentler in comparison, with a built-in de-esser and EQ panel — you can use this to shape the tone. After adding harmonic excitement with a saturation plugin, Soundtoys Decapitator, insert another EQ to reduce the volume of low and low-mid frequencies. Adding reverb and delay Time to create an ethereal space for your vocals to resonate in. By keeping each reverb and delay plugin in separate return channels, you can make low-cut and high-shelf EQ adjustments as needed. The first time-based effect I’m using is the free reverb plugin, Valhalla Supermassive. Start with the SeaBeams preset but tweak the mix, feedback, and EQ parameters to your liking. Next up is Soundtoys EchoBoy. Keeping it in default mode, tweak the low-cut, high cut, feedback, and echo time knobs. You should be aiming to add dimension without drawing attention away from the vocal. To infuse my vocal mix with immediate and short reflections, I choose the Vocal Gloss preset in FabFilter Pro-R. The last plugin in the chain is Ableton Live’s Hybrid Reverb — you can replicate this step with similar reverbs. Set the Algorithm to Shimmer and set the Pitch to +12 semitones to hear your vocals reverberate an octave higher than their original pitch. Under Convolution IR, select Textures and Chains, and add some grit with the Vintage mode in Subtle. By this point, you should barely be able to tell that this vocal performance was recorded with a phone. Learn more music production tips in our MusicTech tutorials. The post How to record vocals on your phone and mix them to perfection appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

On April 21, 2014, Tremor was released. At the time, Martin Garrix was riding the success of Animals, while Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike were already established names in the festival circuit. This collaboration brought together their strengths, resulting in a song that quickly became a staple in big room house sets. The track was first introduced during the DJ Mag Top 100 DJ party in Amsterdam in October 2013. Its inclusion in the TomorrowWorld 2013 Aftermovie further amplified anticipation. By the time of its official release, Tremor had already garnered significant attention from fans and DJs alike. How Tremor Made an Impact Upon release, Tremor debuted at number 30 on the UK Singles Chart and reached number 10 on the UK Dance Chart. It also charted in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. The song was designated as the official anthem for Sensation 2014, solidifying its presence in the festival scene. The accompanying music video, released on April 22, 2014, featured live performance footage interspersed with thematic visuals, capturing the energy and atmosphere associated with the track. Where It Stands 11 Years Later Eleven years later, Tremor remains a recognizable piece in the big room house genre. While the EDM landscape has evolved, the song continues to be played at events and revisited by fans, serving as a reminder of a particular era in dance music history. Some songs capture a moment in time. Tremor is one of them.

REZZ has reimagined one of her earliest fan-favorites, "Contorted," a dark and hypnotic dive back into the shadowy depths of her signature sound. Originally a SoundCloud-only release, “Contorted” resurfaces with sharpened production that updates its gritty edge without losing the raw, midtempo pulse that first defined REZZ's sound. The track spirals inward and outward with eerie energy, layering ghostly synths, pulsing percussion and menacing bass. It’s ominous but also electric, like stepping into one of her live sets and immediately getting swept into her portal. The track's bass drags you deeper and deeper into its orbit with every loop until you're locked into its rhythm, like the trippy visuals for which Rezz is beloved. Now officially on streaming platforms via Rezz's own HypnoVizion Records, "Contorted" proves it still holds weight a decade later. It’s not a throwback, but a testament to how far the producer has come and how her sound continues to push boundaries without letting go of what made her so magnetic in the first place. Listen to "Contorted" below and find the new single on streaming platforms here. Follow Rezz:X: x.com/officialrezz TikTok: tiktok.com/@officialrezz Instagram: instagram.com/officialrezz Facebook: facebook.com/officialrezz Spotify: spoti.fi/32DV4IY

On April 21, 2009, When Love Takes Over came out. David Guetta had been producing electronic music for years and was known across clubs in Europe, but this was the first time his work reached a mainstream global audience. Kelly Rowland had already built her career with Destiny’s Child and had released solo music, but this collaboration took her in a different direction. The song had a piano melody that was immediately recognizable and a vocal that gave it warmth and urgency. Nothing about it felt forced. It just worked. The original version was an instrumental Guetta had been playing during his live sets. Rowland happened to be in the audience at one of his shows in the south of France in 2008. She asked for the file and began writing with Miriam and Olivia Nervo. Her vocal was recorded in London and then sent back to David Guetta, who built the final version around it. It became the lead single from his album One Love. How When Love Takes Over Made an Impact The song premiered at Ultra Music Festival in Miami in March 2009. It was officially released on April 21. In the UK, it entered the Singles Chart at No. 1 and stayed there for two weeks. It also reached the top position in Ireland, Italy, and Switzerland, and placed in the top ten across Europe and Australia. In the US, it became one of the earliest dance-pop songs to cross over from club culture to mainstream radio. It sold over five million copies worldwide and received platinum certifications in several countries. What made it memorable wasn’t just how far it went. It changed the way people looked at collaborations between DJs and vocalists. Before this, vocal-led dance music rarely left Europe. After this song came out, producers started working with pop artists more deliberately and releasing music that connected with a wider audience. David Guetta followed up with songs featuring Sia, Usher, Akon, and Nicki Minaj. It became normal to see a DJ’s name at the front of a pop single. For Kelly Rowland, it brought a new chapter. Her voice didn’t just support the production. It carried the emotion of the song. It reminded people of what she was capable of beyond Destiny’s Child and gave her one of the biggest solo moments of her career. Where It Stands 16 Years Later Sixteen years later, When Love Takes Over still holds up. People associate it with specific memories, whether it was the summer it came out or the first time they heard it at a party. Even though the sound of dance music has evolved, this song still plays in clubs, at festivals, and on streaming platforms. David Guetta continues to include it in his live sets, and it never feels out of place. For both David and Kelly, this wasn’t just another collaboration. It became a reference point. It marked the beginning of something much bigger, both in their own careers and in the direction music was heading. Some songs peak for a few months. Others stay around because people keep returning to them. This one belongs in the second group.

Tech-house, but make it funky. Sictric and Mingo Marrero bring out the Brazilian heat to dancefloors with their new single, ‘Sexy AF.’ Featuring native percussion instruments, the track is a weapon that gets everyone in the club going. The track delivers a profound experience, blending deep grooves with catchy rhythms, heating up the atmosphere of every venue. Adding to the well-polished instrumental are the vocals, which combine two musical worlds, hip-hop and EDM. Its repetitive drop keeps the song groovy, and focuses on the essence of the track, with tribal drums and indigenous instruments. The bass that ‘Sexy AF’ holds is punchy, offering a powerful and dominant vibe over crowds, as well as pleasing the ears of listeners that enjoy the song on rich sound systems. ‘Sexy AF’ is another entry of Sictric and Mingo Marrero on LVLD Music, a label which has released various singles of the two artists, including one of their biggest collaborations, ‘Losing My Religion.’ The track is now available on all streaming platforms, but can also be bought Beatport and Traxsource. Stream ‘Sexy AF’ on Spotify, below.

DAVID BLK is back on LVLD Music with a brand new mainstage anthem. ‘Feel Alive’ is all about energy and good vibes, featuring a clean production with melodic leads and captivating vocals. The title of the record perfectly captures its essence, providing a joyful experience to every listener. The break after the first drop creates intensity, and the build-up adds great anticipation for what is to follow, a powerful second drop with bass that takes the sound of the track to a whole new level. Speaking about his newest release, DAVID BLK explains: “Feel Alive came together after performing a local takeover at the profound Pyrsm Nightclub in Chicago IL.” Packed with energy and festival arpeggios, this track brought to life an idea DAVID BLK had been wanting to achieve for some time. DAVID BLK and What Is To ComeThroughout early May, DAVID BLK will have two additional releases and multiple performances in Chicago, the city he is based in. Starting with a performance at Gold Room Chicago on 25th April, the artist will then debut his first Chicago Boiler Room event series on 14th June. Finally, DAVID BLK mentions: “Super excited for everyone to hear this new tune and get involved with these upcoming events!”

This past Sunday, April 20th, a fraternity in Arizona hosted a party that kicked off with The Chainsmokers. Everyone at the party looked excited for the DJ duo to throw down in the video The Chainsmokers posted online. Tough to tell if everyone was there for the fun or to just get footage, because you see more phones than faces surrounding the DJ booth. Unfortunately, neither option lasted long, since the police showed up 45 seconds into the first song being played. Everything came to a halt as the police officer instructed on the microphone, “Listen up if you are under the age of 21, I’m gonna tell you to leave right now or I’m gonna start writing tickets and start arresting folks”. Alex Pall, one member of The Chainsmokers, said in a clip while chuckling, “But we are paying the fine, we’re gonna get another 15 minutes.” The video jumps to a clip of the entire crowd cheering with the words on the screen explaining ‘everyone cheering for Alex’s bank account.’ Needing to work quickly, due to the predicament they were in, the DJ duo decided to play all the classics. Igniting the party back up with their most successful banger from 2017, ‘Closer‘, along with some surprising new remixes. The video concludes with Pall asking what one of the attendees has in a milk carton, in which he explains it’s vodka, mio, water, and liquid IV to complete his concoction. The post Chainsmokers Frat Party Set Shut Down By Police & They Pay The Fines For The Fraternity appeared first on EDMTunes.

For some time now, it has been eagerly anticipated in this music blog that Ukrainian pop sensation Max Barskih would fulfill his promise of releasing an English-speaking album. Despite numerous challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, exciting developments are finally emerging. With the recent release of the captivating track “Stomach Butterflies” and the equally impressive new song “Someone New,” it’s clear that the long-awaited album project is back on track. Nevertheless, a statement reveals this album is still a work in progress. And further states that the project crafted from a wealth of musical material Max has gathered over recent years. Furthermore, he is collaborating with an array of talented producers and musicians from all corners of the globe. Thus, meaning each new track will significantly enrich his artistic transformation. Above all, this ongoing creative journey underscores his dedication to delivering an album that not only showcases his evolution as an artist but undoubtedly will resonate powerfully with audiences everywhere. “Someone New” serves as the emotional counterpoint to the recent single “Stomach Butterflies,” revealing hidden aspects and desires of the human soul. “It’s about that moment after a breakup when emotions come crashing in waves: first love, then anger, disappointment, and finally the cutting truth. You’ve been betrayed. You’ve given your heart to the wrong person. But this song isn’t about pain for pain’s sake—it’s about acceptance, letting go, and moving forward. I want listeners to see themselves in this story because we’ve all been there,” explains the singer about the premiere. Max’s latest electrifying electro-pop release, “Someone New,” boldly confronts the bittersweet aftermath of love’s demise. With raw honesty and emotional depth, the track resonates powerfully with listeners, tapping into feelings that many have experienced. It beautifully encapsulates the struggle of navigating the remnants of a fading romance, ultimately transforming pain into a journey of enlightenment and growth. This compelling exploration invites audiences to reflect on their own heartaches, making it not just a song, but a universal anthem of resilience and moving forward. Get ready for an unforgettable experience! Much to the excitement of fans around the globe, Max will embark on an exhilarating tour later this year. The USA and Canada leg kicks off in October, promising electrifying performances that you won’t want to miss. The European and UK tour will follow in November. And culminates in a highly anticipated stop at the Clapham Grand in London on November 21st. Secure your tickets now to be part of this incredible journey! Ticket information HERE. Connect with Max Barskih Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MaxBarskihOfficialPage X: https://x.com/MaxBarskih Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/max_barskih/ The post Watch “Someone New” by Max Barskih appeared first on EQ Music Blog. View the full article

Frye Festival 2 has gone about as well as one might expect – following a court psychologist deeming founder Billy McFarland “mentally ill”, the upcoming second iteration of the infamous festival has been officially postponed – with no concrete date for the future. But there’s now hopes that a Fyre streaming service could continue profiting off of the brand. According to Deadline, Shawn Rech, co-founder of streaming service TruBlu, has acquired some Fyre IP – including two trademarks. The freshly acquired IP could allow Rech to start up the new streaming service. READ MORE: Former Fyre Festival investor warns of “red flags” for Billy McFarland’s 2025 reboot: “He knows how to pull people in” “Music networks are all just programming now and I have no interest in watching people slip on bananas,” Rech tells Deadline. “It has nothing to do with music. I needed a big name that people would remember, even if it’s attached to infamy, so that’s why I bought these [trademarks] to start the streaming network.” Fyre Festival 2, which was originally set to take place in Mexico between the 30 May to 2 June, was officially postponed last week. The move could be a way of keeping the brand alive – but Rech insists his focus is on spreading the “power of music”. “This isn’t about festivals or hype,” he insists. “It’s about putting the power of music discovery back in the hands of the fans. We’re building something authentic and lasting.” Considering Fyre Festival has a reputation of being neither “authentic” or “lasting”, it’s an interesting choice of branding. However, Rech’s plans for a user-submitted, fan-curated streaming service could shift the public’s perception of what Fyre represents. Rech says the streaming platform will have FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television) networks, primarily featuring pop and hip hop, and will later expand into other genres. It will also include a video-on-demand platform, and is apparently set to launch around Thanksgiving in November. While Rech plans to run the platform, founder Billy McFarland is expected to have some presence on the network. Deadline also reports that McFarland is still searching for a new location for Fyre Festival 2. The news of the festival being postponed was confirmed by ABC News after punters received an email stating: “The event has been postponed. A new date will be announced. We have issued you a refund. Once the new date is announced, at that time, you can repurchase if it works for your schedule.” The post “I needed a big name people would remember, even if it’s attached to infamy”: Someone’s bought some Fyre IP – and plans to launch a streaming service later this year appeared first on MusicTech. View the full article

This is a PSA. Hold onto your hats, Skrimor is on the block. A nu metal archangel turned benevolent neurofunk master, the dedicated producer defies all expectations of the genre, flexing a decades worth of quietly devastating production prowess with just plain fun; experimenting with far flung influences in his heavy hitting releases, putting the fun, funk and punk, back into neurofunk. Beginning his journey long ago in the heart of Poland, music appears part of the trailblazer’s DNA; combining years of punk, dubstep and production mastery within his work that bridges genres, eras and rulebooks, earning him the respect of the scene’s finest. With his esteemed production excellence finding well-deserved homes on Eatbrain, Blackout, Neosignal, Neuropunk Records, the next installment arrives this week on Evolution Chamber. The upcoming ‘Red Shift’ collaboration with legendary heavyweight Receptor rolls us all the way down the hill – hard, in a glorious melding of acid-y riffs and bass, fast breaks and mesmeric vocals. Bearing all the hallmarks of a classic Skrimor release; expectant of the unexpected, merciless energy in a gleeful cackle of the sound design skill, the grinning talent delivers another ‘banger’ with a slight nod and a smile. Another exciting talent to come of the European woodwork over the last five years, Skrimor brings the glimmering promise of more for neurofunk’s evolution, breathing new life into an already expansive and encompassing genre. We needed to know, where did this wizard spring from? What exactly is the thought process behind the coruscating crazy? We caught up on this turning point in his creative journey, producing in the small hours, family life and dance battle metal. It’s release week! Tell us, how did the Red Shift idea evolve? Working with Receptor is crazy, he’s released so many tunes that have inspired a lot of producers. For me, it was something special to make this with him. It was a real label collab, Evolution Chamber shared some demos with me and I picked this one that stood out to me. The job was raw, but I felt that there was something there. I’ve found myself really inspired by the hypnotic and progressive trance qualities lately and thought this could be an interesting ingredient here. I wanted to find a balance between trance and drum and bass. Keeping it main stage friendly of course haha. I think it’s also about musical diversity. It’s good to be inspired by other genres. We love genre crossover. Let’s take it back, Skrimor is relatively new for you but you’re no stranger to music… Yeah it was a long trip! 2014 I fell in love with drum and bass. Before then I was playing guitar in a punk rock band, Nova Prospect, leading the band and composing our music. The name was a chapter in my favourite computer game. Eleven years ago I realised, I’m getting old! And I don’t have people around me who are reliable. I wanted to become a producer and bring to life the concepts I was writing about in the band. The Prodigy was my first ever reference when I was looking for some new sound and I found an interview of Liam Howlett talking about drum and bass, being inspired by drum and bass because there are lots of fresh ideas. And I took it really serious, I was already feeling the same because I’d started listening to a lot of UK music in general. I found the Neuropunk podcasts and as I could understand Russian language, I understood what these guys were saying, that’s where I connected to the neurofunk concept. 2018 I was at my first Let It Roll Festival, and I watched Eatbrain League closing the stage. That was it, I gave up on other genres and just zoned in on neurofunk. Origins! What attracts you to neurofunk? Neurofunk can absorb every other genre, and you can be inspired from hip hop, grunge, nu metal or something. In my case, I could imagine how Dua Lipa could sound in an arrangement. Because I’ve got this Prodigy background, I think back to their tunes back in the day – they were so complex in comparison to other music, because there were lots of genres in one tune, a lot of samples from everywhere. This complexity formula stuck with me, I loved the pursuit of this kind of balance between complexity and simplicity. 100%. We love this take. How would you describe neurofunk to a newbie? Dance battle metal on steroids. With melody – sometimes. Massive and unstoppable. Controlled chaos! What do you love about the European neurofunk scene? The crowd. It’s not massive like the techno movement, but these people love neurofunk drum and bass. Honestly I don’t play in Warsaw too much so I think I don’t have a right to describe it, but as a raver I can say there are several crews here who are doing an amazing job bringing headliners in. But I feel myself being closer to the Czech Republic scene, I feel it’s becoming a new home for me. They love neurofunk, they live for it, you hear it from almost everywhere even in really small towns! You can throw a party for 100 people and all of them would be crazy about drum and bass yet their ages would be varied; kids, teenagers, even older guys who have left kids at home. I’m biased of course! But the European neurofunk scene is the best. And I promise I will do anything to keep it alive. This is family in my opinion. I treat it like a big family. Oh this brings a tear to our eye! Shoutout to the European scene! Tell us, what’s the goal of Skrimor? What’s the story behind the man and the mission? I’m an old skool kind of guy, I would like to build on the work of the greats; State of Mind, Neonlight, Black Sun Empire. My favorite era of neurofunk is actually just before COVID times, 2018, 2019. For me, it’s about evolving the old skool style, asking myself how we can refresh it and make it relevant to our time. I have a lot more responsibility these days, especially with a young family. Ten years ago, I told myself I would hate myself if I didn’t try to become the producer I felt I could be and create something amazing and this challenge has driven me to this very point. Where I am now, I need to find new challenges for myself, this is part of the creative process. You find these small challenges to push yourself further. You’re taking small inspirations from everywhere. Right now I’m allowing myself to get inspired, I’m setting new challenges for myself. And I think doing this drives me further and gives me motivation and power to keep going on my journey. Also I meet people at parties sometimes who will tell me they loved a tune and see what you wanted to achieve with this. When that happens, I think, wow somebody cared about that and understood what I wanted to do, I can’t believe it! The goal is to keep pushing forward and bring the music to more people. We love those moments in music. Big responsibilities there, it is indeed a journey. What does ‘Skrimor’ mean? Haha, I started with 200 variations of this and eventually settled on this one. It’s neologism and I wouldn’t say what it means. I prefer that everyone would interpret this name in their own way. I know what it means for me, but I want to let the music tell the story of what Skrimor is. Brilliant – very fitting for the ever-evolving genre. Does the same go for defining the signature Skrimor sound? Yes! It’s difficult to describe the sound anyway. I think it should be described by itself, like, you know when you hear it. But I would say it’s the quintessence of everything that has come before. Influences from Korn, Ramstein, Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine, Chemical Brothers. Then after 2000 when I discovered dubstep, also Caspa & Rusko. Yeah I fell in love with these bass cultures at that time, it was what I was looking for – the balance between all of that sound. Funky, dirty, heavy, loud. Yes! Bass beef bourguignon. Delicious. Do your family like drum and bass? They are so small! My eldest daughter is only two but she likes drum and bass music, we were playing Waeys and she was twisting around, squatting, jumping haha. I hope they will like what I do, I really hope so. I would love to teach them production some day. Haha! Mini Skrimor, we’ll wait for her productions in 10 years time or so. Can you tell us a strange production habit of yours? Three years ago when I became Skrimor, I started producing at 5am because I realised again that I am getting old and I have no time! My days are full of responsibilities. So the only option for me is to produce early in the morning before everything kicks off and everyone is awake. It’s a magical hour where I can focus on the ideas, on the sound, even in the ears, the brain hears differently in the morning as we’re more alert. So if you listen to the same tune when you wake up vs in the middle of the day and at midnight, you will hear it differently each time. I keep my tools minimal too. I’m not using a lot of plugins and stuff. My challenge is to stay minimal and I love challenging myself in this other way. Seeing a theme here… We salute you! We’re not quite there with 5am but we believe you! I sacrifice all my time, soul, heart and my body, everything to this. Yeah, this is my only extreme really. I used to play computer games and my field of, let’s say, interest was really wide but I reprioritised because I realised I needed to stay focused on this production thing. Now it’s growing and I literally have no time because I have to take care of my family and my project! We’re not crying, you are. This is extremely heartfelt thank you. What effect has music had on your life? How does it go? ‘Last night a DJ saved my life’ right? Yeah, I’m a human being and music is a place where I can feel confident and safe. And sometimes I would like to share it. Sometimes I would like to keep it just for me. It’s like a shelter or something, you know, safety. Sometimes I wonder what a parallel universe with no music would be like… Luckily we’re in this reality where bass music thrives. That’s a beautiful insight. What do you want to achieve in 2025? Right now it’s about performing. A DJ set is more than just one tune into the next. It’s a journey. And if you’re mixing two different tunes together, you can achieve some unpredictable, unexpected result and use it as a really powerful tool. So I’m investing some time into improving my mixing. I’ve tried so hard to become a better producer that I think right now is the perfect time to, you know, to focus on this. But I also want to use this gap to find out which sonic direction I would like to go further into and collect some fresh ideas. DJing is an art form. Tell us, what should we look out for from you this year? My Fortunes EP will be released in May! So please lookout for this. There are some other projects I can’t talk about just yet but they’re coming…. I will be playing at Audioriver Festival in Poland in July. This is one of the biggest festivals of electronic music in Poland. The name comes from it used to having been really close to the river, but yes lots of events all over Europe coming up this summer! Stunning. What’s your message to the headz? For the young producers who might read this interview with me, I would say that you have to be beginners and the young producers. Don’t be afraid of being a beginner, just keep going, keep trying. Also, try to stay fresh and come out with your own ideas and work more on your sound identity. When you find it, everybody will see this. Don’t try to be someone else, you’ll be far more successful being your authentic self. Let’s bring back the funk, the fun and the originality. Buy/Stream Red Shift

Taken from forthcoming album ‘Alpha Omega’, the track features guest vocals from revered UK music legend Cleveland Watkiss MBE, sampled from a recording of Goldie’s 1993 set at legendary London club, The Blue Note. Goldie says: “Going back through some of the cassettes — as I do — going back to the caveats of what those DATs were about… I thought, “Some of these cassettes look pretty good.” I remember hearing Cleveland on a session I was DJing at — at the Blue Note — I heard the crowd and Cleveland says : “Make some noise for the Goldikus!” I thought, wouldn’t it be great to sample yourself? I love what [New album] ‘Alpha Omega’ does — it’s like one of those Nolan movies, where it just keeps coming back on itself. The rawness of Goldikus — having Cleveland’s voice sampled off a cassette tape with me DJing at Blue Note, having a little bit of the crowd in the background, a real, rootsy b-line, and a real simple, effective, classic break that has been repurposed and replayed with Betts and Blease. Betts particularly smashed this one, and I love that. If the music can do anything, I think my purpose is for it to feel nostalgic and take you back to that moment. A lot of the older heads who’ve heard Goldikus before have said, “Man, it takes me back to Blue Note.” Well… that’s job done. That’s what it’s supposed to do.” ‘Goldikus’ gives a taste of what’s to come on his forthcoming Rufige Kru album: an unfiltered, underground roller with breaks and a bassline that are made for the dance floor. New album ‘Alpha Omega’ consists of twelve groundbreaking new tracks which bring together Goldie’s unerring dancefloor suss and the impeccable technical prowess of Submotive (real name James Davidson). It is Rufige Kru’s deepest outing so far – a reminder of exactly why drum and bass remains the most exhilarating, groundbreaking and electrifying music on the planet. The album will also include ‘Still The Same’, the single produced collaboratively by Goldie and SubMotive which features a guest appearance from the peerless grime MC and UK rap artist CASISDEAD, after years of requests by his fans to rap over a DnB track. In fact, it is rare for CASISDEAD to feature on tracks with other artists – such is the significance of this collaboration and it is his first new material since his critically acclaimed 2023 album ‘Famous Last Words’ and being awarded Best Hip Hop/Grime/Rap Act at the 2024 BRIT Awards. Of the new album, Goldie says: “It’s a reinvention. We’ve gone back to the source and extrapolated from there. I wanted to create something that absolutely represents what this music is all about … and where it’s going next.” Full album tracklisting for Goldie presents: Rufige Kru – ‘Alpha Omega’ is as follows: Alpha Omega Goldikus feat. Cleveland Watkiss Virgil Express Your Soul Sandcastles Still The Same feat. CASISDEAD Mercury Siamese Ghost Secret Handshake Spirits People and Places The Guardianz Goldie will be on tour throughout the year, including two dates at London’s Ronnie Scott’s and another show at Village Underground in April. Then in May, Goldie will feature as Artist in Residence at Detroit’s Movement Festival 2025, before bringing his live show to UK festivals this summer. Full live dates below: Goldie with live band tour: 17th April – Fine Line – Minneapolis 18th April – Metro – Chicago 19th April – Elsewhere – New York 22nd April – Ronnie Scott’s – London 23rd April – Ronnie Scott’s – London 24th April – The Waterfront – Norwich 25th April – Joshua Brooks – Manchester (DJ) 26th April – Bristol Beacon – Bristol 27th April – Castle & Falcon – Birmingham 28th April – The Wardrobe – Leeds 29th April – Village Underground – London 16th May – Cervantes Masterpiece, Denver 17th May – Metalheadz Residency at Paragon, NYC The post Rufige Kru – Goldie’s alter ego with Submotive – have released brand new single ‘Goldikus’ appeared first on Decoded Magazine.

Mawimbi EP by Kareem Ali After the pandemic, the world paused, giving rise to a new creative freedom, and Kareem Ali emerged as one of the shining talents. Praised by Boiler Room, Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, his new EP Mawimbi with Noire & Blanche Records captures the essence of aerial deep house. Ali’s unique blend of Afrofuturism and his cosmic vision shape this project, drawing from Miles Davis’ jazz and the influence of legends like Sun Ra. Mawimbi is a stunning exploration of sound, perfect for a new era of artistic expression. Kareem Ali’s upcoming EP, Mawimbi, set to be released on May 23rd on Noire & Blanche via here The post Kareem Ali drops smooth deep house Mawimbi EP appeared first on Decoded Magazine.

Waiting for the Silhouette by Mattheis Calling Mattheis a pillar of Nous’klaer Audio would be an understatement. Founded in 2013, the label was at the time solely created to put out Mattheis’ Isms EP. Now, twelve years on, we present his latest album: Waiting for the Silhouette. The forty minute LP full of dreamy techno bliss explorations starts out, and is glued throughout, with ethereal modulating synths. Dreamscapes fuse into scattered drums and shifting patterns briefly usher in changing phases. It’s in these moments when the unworldly contours take form and are built upon by other emerging elements. Waiting for the silhouette is a record about things coming to life, outlines that start to appear and shapes evoking memories that could as well be premonitions. Minimalism and maximalism become indistinguishable on this album, through the trip in between. Available via here The post Nous’klaer Audio just released Waiting for the Silhouette by Mattheis appeared first on Decoded Magazine.

Gottwax / Gottwood · Gottwood Mix #68 – Ralph Lawson x EXIT PLANET EARTH This week we land our Mix of the Week with one of our all-time favourite artists and label owner of 20/20 Vision Recordings – Ralp Lawson with this epic live mix from Gottwood “Staring out across the absolutely packed Lawn of Gottwood Festival 2024 as the sun shone through the trees on Crazy P dropping ‘Heartbreaker’ I knew I had a mission to pull off. And that was to first attempt to keep the crowd and second take it from 120bpm disco and drop it off somewhere around 135 bpm electro ready for Freakenstein to come on in full swing. Not the easiest job in the world but one I felt confident to pull off knowing the Gottwood crowd, Crazy P and the Freaky one so well after being a part of all their lives for many years. It was also a rare opportunity for me to mix up everything from balearic beats, disco and deep house as ralph lawson before passing the headphones over to my alter ego EXIT PLANET EARTH to take over the controls for electro funk LIFT OFF!’ – Ralph Lawson Ralph Lawson is best known for his highly acclaimed 20/20 Vision record label and productions. Alongside 20/20 Vision he was a co-founding resident DJ at the legendary back-to-basics club in Leeds, where he played the very first record in November 1991. Lawson has helped the club win 5 major industry awards so far (DMC, Muzik, DJ Magazine) for Best Club and has been personally nominated for Best Breakthrough, Best DJ and Lifetime Contribution by DJ Magazine. Lawson learnt his trade as a true resident DJ, playing every week at back to basics. He became musical director at the club, bringing many of the most important electronic music artists in the world to Leeds for the first time. These included Daft Punk, Basement Jaxx, Danny Tenaglia, Francois Kervorkian, Derrick Carter, Derrick May, DJ Harvey, Chez Damier & Ron Trent, Stacey Pullen and many others. Playing long sets alongside the greats helped Lawson learn and develop his own DJ skills. Ralph’s reputation spread from his Basics residency with guest appearances at the legendary Hacienda, Sub Club, Flying, Full Circle, Venus and Shindig as well as early excursions around Europe. Ralph became one of the first UK DJs with a residency in Barcelona at The Moog club and began playing in Ibiza at Ku, Space and Amnesia from the mid-nineties. Touring started to extend across the world, to Australia, Argentina, and Japan. The USA became a firm favourite with shows at Red Dog and Smart Bar in Chicago, The End Up in San Francisco and The Sound Factory Bar, Limelight, Tunnel, Cielo and Studio B in New York. In NYC Lawson was invited to open for Danny Tenaglia at his ‘Be Yourself’ parties and even ended up producing music for the ‘De La Guarda’ show on Broadway. Alongside long-term production partner Carl Finlow, the pair produced a series of respected releases including the classic ‘Raptures of The Deep’. 20/20 Productions forged ahead with notable remixes for David Bowie, Arthur Baker, Josh Wink, Felix Da Housecat. They also started a long running series of remixes for Blaze, most notably ‘Lovelee Dae’, ‘Funky People’ and ‘Wishing You Were Here’. Lawson also produced alongside Chez Damier as Chuggles on Prescription Underground and further projects included work for Soma, Pagan and Get Physical. Lawson founded 20/20 Vision Recordings in 1994, which has gone on to become a highly influential and pioneering record label. The record label roster grew to include a wealth of international artists including; Maya Jane Coles, Crazy P, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Audiojack and Paul Woolford. In 2003 Lawson started the live electronic band 2020Soundsystem. The band successfully toured the world for the following decade, releasing the albums ‘No Order’ and ‘Falling’ and ‘Live at Sonar’ in the process. 2020Soundsystem became firm festival favourites with appearances at Sonar, Glastonbury, Exit, Lovebox, The Garden Festival, Creamfields, Kendall Calling, Beatherder, Rockness, T in the Park, Camp Bisco and many more. Throughout these times, Lawson always continued to be first and foremost a DJ, adding long running residencies at We Love Space Ibiza, The Loft in Barcelona, alongside the ever-faithful back-to-basics. Lawson released several mix albums, including Fabric 33 for the famous London club, having been a regular guest since the club’s inception. The album was warmly received and Lawson found himself back on major festival stages at Sonar, Love International, Electric Elephant, Hideout, Festival No.6, Eastern Electrics, Gottwood and many others. After playing at Burning Man festival in 2012, he was invited to headline Robot Heart in New York City. The same year Lawson played for the first time at Circo Loco at DC10 in Ibiza and continued the relationship the following year on the terrace. In 2014 the 20th anniversary of 20/20 Vision was celebrated with the album ‘Content’ featuring a DJ Mix including exclusive tracks from Herbert and Maya Jane Coles and a series of international tour dates. The next project created was ‘Lost in Time’ featuring a return to collaborating with original production partners Chez Damier, Carl Finlow and Tuccillo. Spanning over three years the project featured 10 singles including ‘Hold Over Me’ licensed to Art Department’s No19 record label and ‘Lost in The Storm’ which enjoyed heavy support from DJ Harvey, Seth Troxler and Ben UFO. In 2018 Lawson continued his output with a compilation series celebrating 25 years of his residency at back to basics. The ‘rare classics’ compilation featured a selection of hard-to-find tracks from the club’s history and included artwork from Jamie Reid, the graphic artist who defined the punk era with his album covers for the Sex Pistols. A truly timeless project created by a DJ who has lasted the test of time. Also in 2018 Lawson co-founded Inner City Electronic Festival in Leeds, continuing his work as a musical director and curator. The festival has been greeted with universal acclaim and hosted international heavyweight artists including Floating Points, Peggy Gou, Nina Kraviz, Octave One, KiNK, DJ Stingray, among many others in it’s opening editions. Looking forward 2020 will be a big year for the label and Lawson with a new album and a series of events called Exit Planet Earth. The post Mix of the Week – Ralph Lawson appeared first on Decoded Magazine.

Photo Credit: Otherbrick Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against the operator of a website he claims is selling counterfeit merchandise. A company belonging to Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, David Gilmour Music Ltd., is filing suit against the owner of Otherbrick.com, alleging trademark infringement and counterfeiting. The lawsuit, filed in Illinois on Monday, April 21, states it was created to “combat online counterfeiters who trade upon [Gilmour’s] reputation and goodwill by selling and/or offering for sale products in connection with” his “David Gilmour Trademark,” US Trademark Registration No. 3,756,468. According to the website’s about page, it is the “ultimate destination for Pink Floyd-inspired merchandise,” such as t-shirts, accessories, and home decor, that “reflect the spirit of this iconic band.” Most importantly, the website features David Gilmour-related merchandise, which Gilmour and his company claim are being sold without his permission. “[David Gilmour Music Ltd.] is in the business of developing, marketing, selling, distributing, and retailing high-quality concert merchandise […] under the federally registered ‘David Gilmour’ Trademark,” the lawsuit reads. The suit claims that Otherbrick’s “sales of counterfeit products [are] in violation of [Gilmour’s] intellectual property rights, [and] are irreparably damaging [David Gilmour Music Ltd.]” Further, it asserts that Gilmour and his company “remain active,” and an “official source of authentic David Gilmour products.” Since David Gilmour’s trademark has been “continuously used and never abandoned,” the filing says products bearing his name and trademark are “widely recognized and exclusively associated by consumers, the public, and the trade as being products sourced from [Gilmour].” “[Otherbrick] is using a fake online storefront designed to appear to be selling genuine [Gilmour] products, while selling inferior imitations of [Gilmour] products,” says the filing, further asserting that the owner of Otherbrick has “intentionally concealed [their] identity and the full scope of its counterfeiting operations in an effort to deter [Gilmour] from learning [the owner’s] true identity.” Gilmour is seeking a permanent injunction to stop the unauthorized use of his trademark and future sales, transfer of the domain name to Gilmour’s company, removal of the site from search results, as well as substantial damages and attorneys’ fees. View the full article

Photo Credit: HBO The latest episode of HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ has caused a 1,005% streaming spike for the Ashley Johnson & Chris Rondinella song “Through the Valley.” Hit shows integrating classic or lesser-known songs into pivotal scenes can often result in a sync explosion—with the song finding a new audience from the feature. With massive increases in streaming numbers and chart positions for the songs, many of these hits find new cultural relevance among an entirely new generation. HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ has been a driving force for music discovery among those who watch the show. Last season, Depeche Mode’s “Never Let Me Down Again” experienced a more than 520% increase in global streams after being featured in the show’s first episode. Linda Ronstadt’s “Long Long Time” saw a whopping 4,900% spike in US streams alone within an hour of its appearance in episode three—quickly climbing to #5 on the iTunes Top 100 chart. Other songs such as Pearl Jam’s “All or None” and Etta James’ “I Got You Babe” all saw streaming increases (5,000% and 440% respectively) from their featured spots in those first season episodes. Now that the second season has arrived, ‘The Last of Us’ is proving its value as a sync explosion machine for artists who are featured. Originally written and performed by Shawn James, the song “Through the Valley” was relatively obscure until it was featured in the first trailer for The Last of Us Part II in 2016. That trailer feature turned the song into James’ most popular song overnight and now the TV show is continuing that success. In the TV adaptation of this popular video game, the song appears again in Season 2, Episode 2. This time the song is performed by Ashley Johnson, the original voice of Ellie from the games. The song plays during an emotional moment during this episode that I won’t spoil, but once again “Through the Valley” is having a sync explosion moment. Just hours after airing, the song saw a 1,005% streaming spike on Spotify. Fans and new viewers alike are seeking out both the Shawn James version and the new Ashley Johnson cover. View the full article

Coachella, one of the world's most iconic music festivals, has been curating "you had to be there" moments for nearly three decades. But behind these Instagram-worthy moments lies a troubling new reality: for the majority of attendees, the experience is only attainable through monthly installments. According to a recent Billboard report, a staggering 60% of general admission ticket-holders used payment plans to help fund their Coachella trip in Indio, California this year. Attending Coachella has always come with a hefty price tag, but it has soared in recent years. General admission passes started at $599 in 2025, not including additional expenses for basic human needs such as lodging, transportation and food, all of which have faced inflationary price hikes. Mark Owens To alleviate the financial burden, monthly payment plans allowed prospective attendees to reserve tickets with a down payment as low as $49.99. The only fee incurred for utilizing this service is a flat $41 as opposed to facing the looming interest rate from your credit card. The program launched back in 2009, aiming to make Coachella more accessible to a broader audience. However, this year's dubiously record-breaking number of payment plans reflects broader cultural and economic trends with regards to the swelling cost of music festivals. While short-term loan services like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) provide financial relief up front, they have the potential to stretch budgets, encourage irresponsible spending and compound debt. "[Coachella's] vibe, FOMO-driven, culturally iconic, pushes fans to prioritize experiences over savings, a mindset amplified by social media's flex culture," wrote Forbes' Jack Kelly. Approximately 80,000 to 100,000 fans reportedly opted for payment plans to attend this year's festival in SoCal. Coachella is now scheduled to return to its longtime home at the Empire Polo Club over two 2026 weekends: April 10-12 and April 17-19.

The heated debate over the controversial Spotify stream minimum is showing few signs of resolving. Photo Credit: Shutter Speed Let the debate over Spotify’s 1,000-stream royalties threshold continue: A distribution exec is firing back against the service’s defense of the controversial minimum. As many know, that much-criticized model went into effect at the behest of the majors last year. Now, audio uploads must rack up 1,000 annual streams on Spotify in order to accrue recording royalties. Long story short, the vast majority of uploaded tracks aren’t generating any royalties at all under the system. Far from having a negative effect on the majors’ catalogs, the revamped payout approach is in practice redistributing compensation that would have otherwise reached indie and unsigned professionals. Meanwhile, the minimum-stream wheels (and different measures designed to boost the majors at the expense of indies) are reportedly in motion at other services yet. Against this backdrop, Disc Makers CEO Tony van Veen calculated the ballpark royalties impact of Spotify’s 1,000-stream minimum during 2024. Last year, the exec estimated, emerging talent missed out on about $47 million in would-be recording royalties. (Though sizable, the sum resulted from a conservative approach to calculating, van Veen explained. Thus, the actual figure might be even larger.) On cue, Spotify fired back – including by arguing in more words that the affected tracks receive a small amount of fan interest and (owing mainly to withdrawal minimums) wouldn’t see their recording royalties reach artists in any event. (In December 2023, DMN Pro broke down the hard numbers behind Spotify’s stream threshold. As part of the same analysis, guest author Jeff Price refuted the idea that the reallocated royalties, owing to distributors’ minimum payments, simply wouldn’t have made it to their intended recipients.) Now, van Veen has offered a rebuttal to Spotify’s response – and the streaming platform’s alleged “patently unfair practice of demonetizing tracks with under 1,000 streams.” After indicating that indie distributors also find the system unfair but are “afraid to speak up” owing to their reliance on Spotify, van Veen criticized the stream-volume descriptions as “immaterial” to the minimum-payments conversation. Running with the point, van Veen called out Spotify’s “spun” contention that 99.5% of streams hit works with at least 1,000 annual plays apiece. The remaining 0.5% of streams aren’t necessarily massive from a volume perspective, but they pertain to a substantial number of tracks. “Because, dear artist, it is those $47 million in royalties that used to monetize for you, which are now redirected to more popular artists who don’t need your royalties! They have enough fans of their own! They make enough of their own royalties!” van Veen retorted in a video. Similarly, van Veen took aim at Spotify’s representation that the system “targets” tens of millions of tracks earning (at least previously) an average of $0.02 per month in recording royalties. “Again, spinning data to make it sound convincing doesn’t make it right. In fact, Spotify’s own data shows that of the 202 million tracks on the platform, over 175 million are now demonetized because they don’t reach the 1,000-stream annual threshold. Somehow 175 million feels like a lot more than ‘tens of millions.’ “And at just two cents per track per month, that still represents (in Spotify’s own calculation) over three and a half million [dollars] in royalties from small emerging artists that they are diverting to the big guys,” the exec proceeded. Circling back to distributors’ above-mentioned minimum payments, van Veen lambasted Spotify’s position as a “blatant lie.” “And this blatant lie about distributors’ minimum payments making it impractical to pay royalties to small artists – come on, man! You know that’s just not true. How can I be so sure? “Because I was CEO of CD Baby’s parent company [AVL Digital] from 2008 to 2019. Those small monthly artist royalty payments just keep gradually growing in each artist’s account until they amount to 50, 100, 300 dollars. And then the artists withdraw them. Implying that an artist wants to withdraw $2 and needs to pay a fee of a dollar for that is just disingenuous.” Furthermore, far from making those “micro-payments” to each artist, Spotify was simply forwarding slightly reduced royalties to the likes of CD Baby, TuneCore, and DistroKid, van Veen drove home. Here’s the full 10-minute video response from van Veen, who also addressed Universal Music’s role in spurring the overarching “artist-centric” recalibration, the fact that Spotify must track and pay compositional royalties on all streams in any event, and more. View the full article

Miami's homegrown music disruptor is back, and they're not pulling any punches. The organizers of III Points have unveiled the first wave of the festival's 2025 lineup, returning to its longtime home at Mana Wynwood from October 17–18. The 11th edition is stacked with artists that span the genre spectrum, from acid-fueled techno and nu-disco to leftfield hip-hop. III Points 2025 will feature performances by Peggy Gou, Michael Bibi, Nina Kraviz, Barry Can't Swim, ANOTR and EDM.com Class of 2023 inductee Indira Paganotto, among other electronic music stars. Today's lineup reveal is rounded out by 2hollis, Ca7riel & Paco, Amoroso, Darkside, Denzel Curry, L’Impératrice, Mk.gee, Sean Paul and Turnstile. "It is not easy navigating a forward-thinking, multi-genre festival in the North American music landscape nowadays, but I believe our commitment to our Miami music community has been the guiding force for us," said III Points co-founder David Sinopoli. That sense of local devotion and cultural pride has long defined III Points. Since 2013, the festival has served as both a launchpad for emerging underground artists and a laboratory for experimental vanguards. This year's billing keeps that spirit alive, and if past is prologue, we can expect even deeper layers of weirdness and wonder in the lineup's next phases. Beyond the music, III Points remains one of North America's most thoughtfully curated music fests. Its location in the Wynwood Arts District, a technicolor playground of street art and post-industrial vibes, sets the tone for a surrealist festival experience. Tickets for III Points go on sale this Thursday, April 24th at 1:11pm ET. You can purchase passes and find out more here. c/o Press Follow III Points:X: x.com/iiipoints Instagram: instagram.com/iiipoints TikTok: tiktok.com/@iiipoints Facebook: facebook.com/iiipoints

Insomniac has unveiled the lineup for the 2025 edition of Day Trip Festival. Once a Sunday afternoon party at Academy LA, Day Trip Festival is now known as one of the West Coast’s premier house and techno events, returning to the coastline of the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, California, this June 21-22. Leading this year’s roster of global icons and underground heroes are UK hit-makers Gorgon City, renowned house producer Duke Dumont, and industry titan Tiësto. They’ll be joined by gritty tech house star Chris Lorenzo, new-school techno favorite Layton Giordani, and acclaimed Italian techno selector Joseph Capriati. Also on the bill are iconic collaborative pairings like legends Armand Van Helden B2B Mark Knight, a sunset performance from LP Giobbi B2B HoneyLuv, and high-energy groovers East End Dubs B2B Max Dean, as well as global stars Vintage Culture, Eli Brown, Patrick Mason, San Pacho, Matroda, Anfisa Letyago, Wax Motif, Hannah Laing, Fleur Shore, and Skream. Check out the official announcement below. Day Trip has also announced a special indoor-outdoor pre-party taking place on the bow of the adjacent docked Queen Mary Ocean Liner on Friday, June 20. The party and performances from its secret lineup are exclusive to guests staying on board the ship, for which weekend hotel stays can be booked here. Non-exclusive festival afterparties will also be held nightly on board the Queen Mary, running until 4AM. Lineups for Day Trip’s official Queen Mary afterparties will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can grab afterparty tickets here. For more information or to purchase two-day festival tickets, visit daytripfest.com. Featured image courtesy: Insomniac Events. The post Insomniac Shares Lineup For Day Trip Festival 2025 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Insomniac has unveiled the lineup for the 2025 edition of Day Trip Festival. Once a Sunday afternoon party at Academy LA, Day Trip Festival is now known as one of the West Coast’s premier house and techno events, returning to the coastline of the Queen Mary Waterfront in Long Beach, California, this June 21-22. Leading this year’s roster of global icons and underground heroes are UK hit-makers Gorgon City, renowned house producer Duke Dumont, and industry titan Tiësto. They’ll be joined by gritty tech house star Chris Lorenzo, new-school techno favorite Layton Giordani, and acclaimed Italian techno selector Joseph Capriati. Also on the bill are iconic collaborative pairings like legends Armand Van Helden B2B Mark Knight, a sunset performance from LP Giobbi B2B HoneyLuv, and high-energy groovers East End Dubs B2B Max Dean, as well as global stars Vintage Culture, Eli Brown, Patrick Mason, San Pacho, Matroda, Anfisa Letyago, Wax Motif, Hannah Laing, Fleur Shore, and Skream. Check out the official announcement below. Day Trip has also announced a special indoor-outdoor pre-party taking place on the bow of the adjacent docked Queen Mary Ocean Liner on Friday, June 20. The party and performances from its secret lineup are exclusive to guests staying on board the ship, for which weekend hotel stays can be booked here. Non-exclusive festival afterparties will also be held nightly on board the Queen Mary, running until 4AM. Lineups for Day Trip’s official Queen Mary afterparties will be announced in the coming weeks. Fans can grab afterparty tickets here. For more information or to purchase two-day festival tickets, visit daytripfest.com. Featured image courtesy: Insomniac Events. The post Insomniac Shares Lineup For Day Trip Festival 2025 appeared first on EDM Maniac. View the full article

Photo Credit: Live Nation Lil Wayne announces his first-ever headlining show at Madison Square Garden on June 6. The performance coincides with the release of his latest album, Tha Carter VI. For the first time, Lil Wayne will headline New York’s Madison Square Garden in a special performance on Friday, June 6. The show celebrates and coincides with the release of the rapper’s highly anticipated new album, Tha Carter VI. Tha Carter VI is the follow-up to Wayne’s 2020 release, Funeral, and the latest installment in his Tha Carter series since 2018’s Tha Carter V. Tickets will be available starting with artist presales beginning Wednesday, April 23. The general onsale will start Friday, April 25 at 10 AM local time on Live Nation’s website. By 2020, Lil Wayne cemented his legacy as “one of the best-selling artists of all time,” with sales in excess of 100 million records worldwide; 25 million albums and 90 million digital tracks sold in the United States alone. In 2022, Wayne earned his first Diamond certification from the RIAA with his smash hit “Lollipop” featuring Static Major. Among his accolades, Wayne has garnered 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV VMAs, and eight NAACP Image Awards. He also emerged as the “first male artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100,” with a whopping 183 entries — the third-most of all time. With a discography highlighted by five career-spanning No. 1 debuts, beginning with 2008’s Tha Carter III and its 2011 successor, Tha Carter IV, he released the latest version of the series in 2018. In addition to reaching No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it also achieved the second-largest streaming week for an album in history. Every song on the album charted on the Billboard Hot 100, making Wayne “the first artist to debut two songs in the top 5.” Wayne owns and operates Young Money Entertainment. The company ignited the careers of two of the most successful artists: Drake and Nicki Minaj. A committed philanthropist, Wayne also founded The One Family Foundation. View the full article

Etsy has inked a Reverb sale agreement with Creator Partners and Servco. Photo Credit: Oberon Copeland Almost six years after acquiring Reverb, Etsy (NASDAQ: ETSY) is selling the instruments marketplace to Fender investors Creator Partners and Servco Pacific. Reverb reached out with a formal announcement about its sale – and its return to private ownership – this morning. Meanwhile, Etsy confirmed the divestment in a regulatory disclosure, chalking up the move to a “focus on driving growth in the core Etsy marketplace.” The seller, which previously acknowledged “significant GMS [gross merchandise sales] headwinds in 2024,” also noted that it would provide additional information in its Q1 2025 earnings report. Having reportedly paid $275 million for Reverb, Etsy is scheduled to release the first-quarter performance breakdown on the 30th. Shifting to Reverb’s buyers, the mentioned Creator Partners was founded in 2022 by former SoundCloud head Kerry Trainor, a longtime Fender board member who, in keeping with another of his company’s investments, joined BMI’s own board towards the top of 2024. Fellow SoundCloud vets including Jaydan Heather Malsky are also aboard as Creator Partner execs. The more than century-old Servco, for its part, touts itself as “Hawaii’s largest private company,” with operations in the automotive sector as well as venture capital. On the VC front, Servco possesses an ownership stake in Fender, which is said to represent its “largest investment to date.” Notwithstanding the buyers’ Fender holdings, Reverb went ahead and pledged not to provide preferential treatment to the instruments giant. Plus, the marketplace signaled that it would continue operating independently with its existing team in place; a straight merger into Creator Partners isn’t forthcoming, per Reverb. Though the latter’s users “won’t notice any disruption as a result of this news,” significant updates are said to be on the horizon. “We’ve got a lot of exciting changes in the works,” Reverb CEO David Mandelbrot elaborated in part. “We’re expanding access to music-making software on Reverb and we’re getting ready to pilot a new option for selling that allows musicians to get paid faster, while skipping the listing and shipping process. “Our teams are working on improving our search functionality, making it easier to ship, and shortening the time it takes to resolve support issues,” the former Indiegogo CEO proceeded. Those remarks appear to indicate that Mandelbrot will remain aboard Reverb, which he’s led since early 2020. And the marketplace, which declined to provide sale-price details to DMN, expects the transaction to close “in the coming months.” View the full article