GEAR + TECH
Is the Anonymous Creator of Bitcoin Communicating Through Music?
As the legend goes, Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto vanished from the Internet and was never heard from again in April 2011, now over a decade ago. However, there’s no doubt the world is more eager to hear from him than ever before. Today Bitcoin trades over $45,000, Tesla has the crypto on its balance sheet, and AMC Theaters recently announced they’re aiming to accept it as currency by the end of this year. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but we have to at least explore the possibility that Nakamoto is communicating to us another way: via music. An EP titled Bitcoin, released in February 2021 has gained some buzz due to the fact that the artist credited with the recordings is the elusive Bitcoin founder himself. Interestingly, Bitcoin is a lo-fi album...
Beats for Breakfast: Reese’s Puffs Transforms Cereal Boxes Into Augmented Reality Synths
It wasn’t long ago when kids would use cereal boxes to build imaginary cardboard worlds or play word puzzles. Now, these boxes have the capabilities of a gadget from a Spy Kids film. The General Mills brand has revealed three limited edition Reese’s Puffs cereal boxes that can be used to make music via a new web-based, augmented reality app. The only equipment—or shall we say ingredients—needed to create a tasty beat are the box, the cereal, and the app. Creators are able to utilize a Crunchy Drum Machine, Creamy Lead Synth, and Chocolatey Bass Synth to make beats. “As a kid I was obsessed with reading the back of cereal boxes,” said Josh Fell, partner and chief creative officer of Anomaly LA, in a statement. “Word search? Searched. Maze? Solved...
Giveaway: Enter to Win the Highly Customizable DDJ-FLX6 Controller From Pioneer DJ
Pioneer DJ and EDM.com have once again joined forces to empower the next generation of DJs. This time, we’re giving one lucky artist the opportunity to win a brand new DDJ-FLX6. This sleek, four-channel controller comes with several essential industry-leading software and hardware features as well as cutting-edge features unique to the device. The highlights of the unit include the ability to begin performing within Serato DJ Pro and Rekordbox. It’s as simple as plugging the controller in via USB to immediately begin accessing the features of dance music’s foremost performance softwares. The controller itself comes loaded with unmissable features. For starters, it includes full-size jog wheels outfitted with track-positioning displays so you never lo...
New FestFriends App Launches to Offer Secure Marketplace for Festival Tickets
With the goal of providing festival-goers a secure platform to buy and sell passes, FestFriends has launched a new virtual marketplace. FestFriends has been in the works for over two years, according to a press release issued to announce the brand’s new mobile app. Navigating the devastating impact of COVID-19, which forced countless music festivals across the world to shutter, the team behind FestFriends aims to provide a seamless way for fans to maneuver in a post-pandemic live music landscape. The brand’s new iOS app, available now on the App Store, offers a secure ticket marketplace for music fans to conveniently purchase and sell passes to the world’s most popular festivals, such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, EDC, and Ultra, among many others. According to Fe...
Slooply Offers Over a Million High-Quality Sounds for Producers to Level Up Their Game
For music producers on the hunt for fresh sounds and samples, Slooply is a new platform offering access to over a million sounds. Producers are able to expand their sample library on Slooply by accessing a myriad of instruments for their tracks, like brass, flutes, saxophones, and even unconventional ones like the quenacho and the piccolo. The service allows users to browse and select these sounds by genre, mood, type, key or artist—all in high-quality WAV format—and employ them in their compositions. The website also lets musicians cast a wide net by downloading MIDI files so they can plug and match their samples for seamless melody creation. They can also download free sample packs, which are rooted in hip-hop, trap, EDM, and virtually every contemporary music genre. Slooply’s...
These Cutting-Edge Audio Glasses Have Built-In Microphones and a Subwoofer
With two microphones, a touchpad, and a built-in woofer, Fauna‘s new audio glasses belong in a Kingsman film. The new wearable allows you to listen to music and take hands-free calls by connecting via Bluetooth to its fitted speakers, which are housed in the frame. However, unlike other audio glasses on the market, Fauna’s are not bulky or awkward-looking despite cutting-edge tech specs. Style has always been an elusive holy grail for products at the bleeding edge of the wearable technology space, but Fauna’s glasses are elegant. They also come in a sleek charging case, which contains a USB-C port, integrated power bank, and a tiny row of LED lights displaying battery life. They can be used for up to four hours on a single charge, so they’re...
Someone Is Selling a Rare Jacket Custom-Made for Daft Punk for $10,000
You can now own a piece of Daft Punk history—if you’ve got $10,000 to burn. We’ve discovered the listing of an ultra-rare jacket, designed in 2005 by former Dior Homme creative director Hedi Slimane, which the seller claims was custom-made for the legendary electronic music duo. According to the seller, who listed the item on eBay, the leather jacket was a prototype for the final model worn by Daft Punk for many years, including in the “Epilogue” video that signaled their shocking split. “This is as rare as it gets,” the listing reads. Rare leather jacket designed in 2005 for Daft Punk by former Dior Homme creative director Hedi Slimane. eBay Recommended Articles The forest green jacket features leather ribbing on the cuffs, sleeves, and p...
How Sensorium Galaxy Is Adopting EDM to Spearhead the Next Generation of Virtual Entertainment
Sensorium Galaxy’s behind-the scenes teasers are about to become the highlight reel of the live music industry. Despite devastating economic impact to the broader sector, the past 15 months could not have proven to be a better case study for one of the most powerful emerging startups at the intersection of music and tech. The stars are beginning to align for Sensorium Galaxy, a next-generation concert platform where users can explore virtual worlds while enjoying performances from their favorite artists in industry-leading, triple-A quality. The company has yet to launch its first digital concert environment, PRISM, but will do so later this year. Even so, a cascade of high quality teasers and headline generating talent acquisitions have hit the public eye over t...
Sensorium Galaxy Announces Metaverse DJ Sets from Charlotte de Witte
Sensorium Galaxy is leading the charge as the premier virtual destination in the electronic music space. Since announcing in 2020 they’ve cultivated a formidable lineup ahead of the platform’s hotly anticipated launch, teaming up with David Guetta, Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren, Black Coffee, and Eric Prydz. The latest artist to join the lineup, dubbed “The Chosen Ones,” is Charlotte de Witte. The esteemed Belgian techno artist has been confirmed to headline a series of exclusive performances in PRISM, a world within the Sensorium Galaxy metaverse. “Whether DJing or producing, I am always searching for new ways to use my creativity and tap into deeper layers of emotion in electronic music,” de Witte said in a press release shared with EDM.com....
Steve Aoki and Bulgari Launch New Luxury Watch Collab
From clothing and wakesurf boards to baseball cards and a restaurant, Steve Aoki‘s line of branded collabs is second to none when it comes to EDM influencers. Now, the world renowned DJ is expanding into luxury accessories with a special edition Bulgari timepiece. Described by the brand as “a beam of light at night,” Aoki’s watch is made of aluminum and coated in Superluminova, a photo-luminescent that glows in the dark. “I think one of the most important things that denotes who I am is nightlife. I thrive at night. My parties are live at night, my shows,” Aoki told Hodinkee of the watch’s inspiration. “We wanted to make the watch something you wear when you go out and get active at night. That’s what the Superluminova is all...
New Inclusivity Initiative Seeks to Eliminate Audio Terms Like “Master / Slave”
“Master / Slave” and “Male / Female” are terms that those in the pro audio industry are undoubtedly familiar with. The former refers to a communication protocol in which one device controls information (the Master) and another follows its direction (the Slave). “Male” and “Female,” on the other hand, are common terms for the topology of connectors of many kinds, referencing biological anatomy in relation to the shapes of certain cables and other apparatuses. But a new initiative by the Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) seeks to make that type of terminology obsolete. PAMA’s members include some of the most recognizable names in pro audio technology, such as Shure, Sennheiser, and Audio-Technica, all of whom back the ̶...
Eric Prydz Announces Exclusive VR Concert Series With Sensorium Galaxy
Sensorium Galaxy has added another exciting talent acquisition to their stacked offering of artist residencies. The one and only Eric Prydz will join the Sensorium VR experience and is slated to perform on the platform’s virtual PRISM venue when it goes public later this year. Hype continues to build for the inevitable launch with a stellar lineup of artists including David Guetta, Carl Cox, Black Coffee, and Armin van Buuren. “I believe metaverses are taking digital events to the next stage, which is one of the main elements that has drawn me to this project,” Prydz said in a statement shared with EDM.com. “Working with cutting edge technology to deliver special performances has always been mine and my team’s goal, but to now take what we do in a physical spac...
