GEAR + TECH
Over 180 Musicians Sign Open Letter Criticizing Spotify for Controversial Voice Recognition Technology
In a letter to Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, a group of concerned musicians have expressed concern over one of the streaming giant’s technological patents. The patent in question allows for the “identification of taste attributes from an audio signal.” In other words, the patent would allow Spotify to develop a speech-recognition function which would shape how the platform recommends music to its users. Spotify filed the patent in 2018, which was later approved by the United States Patent And Trademark Office in January of this year. News of this patent has resurfaced concerns around digital privacy since, in order to function, the speech recognition feature would monitor background noise continuously looking for context clues which may identify the user’s...
AIAIAI and Ninja Tune Collaborate on New Eco-Friendly Recycled Vinyl Headphones
When one thinks about cutting back on plastic usage, our minds don’t tend to go straight to our headphones. However, according to a recent report, it was found that a record 53.6 million metric tons of electronic waste were generated last year. In an effort to combat these staggering numbers AIAIAI has linked with Ninja Tune in a collaborative venture to launch an eco-friendly alternative to their popular TMA-2 headphones. The TMA-2 Ninja Tune Edition uses recycled vinyl to create the shell, but they don’t stop there. The Bio-Cellulose S05 drivers are also sustainable and are made out of an organic compound that comes from certain types of bacteria. While that could raise questions on sound quality, the company maintains that though the material is bio-...
3LAU Backs $7.6 Million Funding Round to Launch NFT Social Network
Believe it or not, it seems 3LAU‘s NFT endeavors are just getting started. CoinDesk reports that the famed electronic music producer and cryptocurrency pundit has helped bankroll a $7.6 million injection for Showtime, a new “NFT social network.” Crypto investment firm Paradigm also backed the funding round for the platform, which allows users to discover and showcase NFT (non-fungible token) art. Showtime operates in a similar fashion to Instagram. The platform has a dedicated News Feed and allows users to like, comment, and even bid on NFT art shared by creators. “We’re turning the world of social media on its head by putting users beyond platforms,” said co-founders Alex Masmej and Alex Kilkka in a statement. Showtime “Paradigm is inspire...
Amnesia Nightclub to Join Ethereum Metaverse With New Virtual Dancefloors
A landmark of Ibiza’s club circuit is migrating to the blockchain. In a groundbreaking partnership with Decentral Games, Amnesia Ibiza is going to have its own dedicated space within the expanding Ethereum metaverse. Amnesia has been a staple of Ibiza for 45 years, but their next venture is a direct appeal to the virtual generation. The venue is launching two new virtual dancefloors: Amnesia Hype, a home for livestream events, and Amnesia Experience, a space dedicated to the real-time recreation of Amnesia events. The opportunity to create new revenue streams for the iconic venue comes on the heels of a cancelled 2020 tourist season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to new ticketing revenue, fans will be able to access the Amnesia NFT store, which will see collect...
Bag Raiders Sold Their Viral “Shooting Stars” Meme as a Hilarious NFT
Where would we be without NFTs and memes? Bag Raiders understand this well and have combined the two into a memorable—albeit completely absurd—digital offering that is likely to be one of the weirdest things you’ll see today. Bag Raiders announced that there’s even more star power behind this “Shooting Stars” NFT than initially realized. This particular collectible was minted by the creator of the viral meme, which was a sensation online in early 2018. The origins of the meme go back a decade earlier, however, with the release of Bag Raiders’ song by the same name. It’s catchiness went under the radar in the years immediately after, only to eventually blow up with the meme-based trend to the tune of over 130 million views on YouTube alone at the time of ...
New Browser-Based Beat Maker Lets You Create Algorithmic Acid House in Real-Time
A new web-based beatmaking software from independent developer Vitling allows users to create endless randomized acid house patterns and melodies through algorithms. The Endless Acid Banger is powered by a Roland TB-303 and TR-909 emulator, giving users the power to craft a classic acid house sound at random through an algorithmic process. Though manual input of notes is not a function of The Endless Acid Banger, the Autopilot and Notegen functions within the sequencer are built to produce pleasant and enticing melodies. The Endless Acid Banger landing page. vitling Other functions include modifications like filter cutoff, resonance, envelope modulation and decay for the TB-303, and the option to mute the bass drum, open hat, closed hat and snare drum on the TR-909. Delay and tempo ad...
Beatport to Accept Bitcoin as Payment, Launches Collaborative NFT Partnership With Crypto.com
In one fell swoop, Beatport has announced their embrace of digital currency, joining the red-hot NFT game in a groundbreaking partnership with industry leader Crypto.com. The world’s largest music retailer for DJs has made a bold decision to begin accepting Bitcoin as a payment option effective this June. Beatport’s acceptance of Bitcoin makes the company the first institutional music retailer to recognize cryptocurrency as a viable medium of exchange. In a statement to EDM.com, Beatport CEO Robb McDaniels suggests this is only the beginning as the company is likely to expand its list of acceptable digital currencies in the future. “The decision to start accepting Bitcoin, and likely a few other cryptocurrencies, is part of an overall long term strategy to embrace an...
Apple’s “Spring Loaded” Event Puts Music From Party Favor, Louis The Child, More Center Stage
This week, Apple’s “Spring Loaded” event wasn’t short on surprises as the world’s largest company by market cap showed consumers what’s next in their iconic product line. Of course, the leader in big tech is known for their sticky products and memorable marketing, and consumers were certainly reminded of that this week after the company revealed a series of sleek and colorful segments and promotional videos soundtracked to several artists we know well. Electronic music held a prominent footprint at the event with tracks from Louis The Child and Foster The People, BAYNK, and Party Favor all landing in the tech giant’s mix. The Chemical Brothers effectively premiered their latest single, “The Darkness You Fear,” during the event, a m...
Listen to the “Sounds” of Dogecoin With ill-esha’s New Cyberpunk NFT Drop
The world’s most popular meme-based currency, Dogecoin has had an NFT collection made in its honor, backed by sounds derived straight from the cryptocurrency’s charts. Let’s unpack that a bit. It all started when music producer ill-esha considered what it would be like to “hear” the sound of Dogecoin. Though it sounds like an impossible task, she achieved her end goal by effectively transforming the Dogecoin cryptograph into a wavetable that could be processed and interpreted by her virtual synth. ill-esha minted the output of that process into an NFT complete with a cyberpunk-like aesthetic, which is now available on the OpenSea marketplace. She has expanded upon this innovative idea to create a line of similar NFT assets she’s calling “Cryptowave...
Calvin Harris’ Next NFT Drop Will Only Be Available to the Biggest Collectors
Just over a month following their NFT debut, Calvin Harris and longtime creative collaborator Emil Nava are back at it with a unique follow-up. Their new collection “Growth” is said to focus on the themes of evolution, change, and freedom of expression. Harris’ latest NFT drop comes with a twist. Only collectors who currently possess 100 NFTs or more works on the Nifty Gateway platform will be allowed to bid. Considering the average NFT will run an investor hundreds, if not thousands, this minimum will undoubtedly present a high barrier of entry for most. Harris’ offering is an experiment of sorts, as it is the first drop of its kind to implement such a threshold. Calvin Harris and Emil Nava join forces once again on “Growth,” an NFT drop centered ...
UMEK Seeks to Revolutionize the Way Artists are Booked With New NFT Drop
Techno legend UMEK is the mind behind a seminal career that spans well over two decades. From his sensational hit “Lanicor” in 1999 through his most recent release, the thrilling Cryptic Speech EP, UMEK’s storied career is constantly evolving. As artists like Grimes, Steve Aoki, Kygo, and a multitude of others have been pushing things forward in the wild world of NFTs, UMEK has found a way to elevate his entry into cryptocurrency realm. With his new NFTs, UMEK will become the figure behind the world’s first NFT live performance, and is offering even more when the tokens drop on April 29th. In the 24-hour run, UMEK will offer up three one-of-a-kind remixes of “Lanicor,” a livestream performance, and a live gig. In other words, the highest ...
Martin Garrix Joins JBL as Global Brand Ambassador
Martin Garrix has signed on as the newest global brand ambassador for fabled audio equipment brand JBL. The alliance will see Garrix closely collaborate with JBL on a number of events, product launches, and upcoming branded campaigns. According to a press release issued to announce the partnership, JBL has been the EDM superstar’s “audio companion” for years, which Garrix confirmed in a statement. “JBL has been my go-to audio brand for a while, so I’m super excited I can now call myself a global brand ambassador,” he said. “I’m always surrounded by music, so to collaborate with them creatively is an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.” Martin Garrix at Palmesus 2017. Jørund Føreland Pedersen Garrix is the latest to join a high-profile team ...
