GEAR + TECH
Spotify Is Rolling Out Voice Control Functionality: Just Say “Hey Spotify”
The Spotify experience is now hands-free. In a move to step up their “voice” game, the music streaming giant has implemented the use of a wake word that will allow users to navigate within the app upon command. Simply saying “Hey Spotify” now yields an on-screen prompt to try saying the name of a playlist, artist, or song. The wake word function will only activate if the app is open and presently onscreen. Even as music is playing, using the function will allow users to redirect with ease. Big tech sleuth Jane Manchum Wong first discovered that Spotify was working on such a feature back in early 2020. From the looks of her screenshots, the final product presently rolling out to users seems to be vastly similar to what she had uncovered at the time. Digit...
What is BitClout and Why Are Electronic Music Artists Flocking in Droves?
Electronic music artists from all walks of life are flocking to BitClout, a new social media platform rooted in the ever-evolving field of blockchain technology. For years, proponents of blockchain have claimed that the technology had the ability to support decentralized social media networks. In this case, decentralized just means that there isn’t one point of failure, such as the private server room owned by a traditional social media company. Instead, the decentralized network is supported by thousands of independent nodes run by consumers from all over the world. To make a long story short, BitClout is one of the first successful applications of blockchain as it relates to social media. And word is getting around fast. A large part of BitClout’s early success is ...
Flume’s Next NFT Drop Will Feature Exclusive Visuals from New Album
Flume’s latest foray into the NFT world may be his biggest yet. The fabled future bass producer has announced that his new non-fungible token drop, which he said will be his last for a while, will feature visuals from his upcoming album. Flume announced his foray into the NFT space in March, dropping a trippy audiovisual piece called “Saccade” that eventually sold for a whopping 28.2828 ETH, equivalent to $58,618.08. Back in April 2020, Flume confirmed that the album was in the works during a radio interview and said at the time that he hoped to finish it by the end of the year. Mum’s been the word ever since, and he is yet to announce a title, tracklist, or release date. Check out a preview of Flume’s new NFT, which drops on Nifty Gateway this Sunday, be...
Don Diablo Makes History With $1.2 Million Sale of First-Ever Full-Length Concert NFT
Don Diablo has made NFT history after selling his Destination Hexagonia piece for a staggering $1,259,280, or 600.0Ξ. Diablo sold the one-of-a-kind NFT, or non-fungible token, on the aptly titled SuperRare marketplace. The drop, which sold in just four minutes, was the first-ever full-length concert experience to be sold as an NFT. The HEXAGON label boss, who called Destination Hexagonia a “next level sci-fi animated live concert experience,” has been working on developing the piece over the course of the last year. The winning bidder received a unique hand-crafted box, which includes a hard drive that contains the only copy of the high-quality file of the film in existence. Watch Diablo explain the inspiration behind the ambitious NFT project...
Blockchain-Powered Streaming Platform Audius Announces Foray into NFTs, Audius Collectibles
Rising blockchain-based streaming platform Audius has seen some massive growth this year. The service now boasts over four-and-a-half million active monthly users and its in-house cryptocurrency token, $AUDIO, has become more valuable than ever. With the rising popularity of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, it only seems natural that Audius’ next big move would be to breach into the space. That’s exactly what the streaming platform is now set to do after Audius announced its newest feature, Audius Collectibles, today. Dillon Francis’ NFTs on his Audius Collectibles tab. CoinDesk Audius Collectibles will make it possible for artists to showcase and merchandise their own unique NFTs through the platform, providing a direct-to-fans approach. The goal is to make...
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![Adventure Club’s Leighton James and Impossible Brief Launch NFT Clothing Brand, “Overpriced.” [Exclusive]](https://www.wazupnaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/adventure-clubs-leighton-james-and-impossible-brief-launch-nft-clothing-brand-overpriced-exclusive-80x80.jpg)
Adventure Club’s Leighton James and Impossible Brief Launch NFT Clothing Brand, “Overpriced.” [Exclusive]
In a space which has seen nothing short of a meteoric rise in the last several months, Adventure Club solidified themselves as early adopters of NFT technology. With his latest venture, Adventure Club’s Leighton James is striving to push the sector forward in ways previously unexplored. James has joined forces with with Impossible Brief to launch Overpriced., a new NFT venture that intersects high-end fashion and blockchain technology. In less than a week, Overpriced. is set to make a splash with their first release, an NFT hoodie with an eye-popping starting bid of $25,000. It seems NFTs are fetching higher and higher valuations by the day, and while we’re clearly still figuring out how to price them, it’s safe to say that no one knows the value of a...
How to choose a down jacket
A beginner’s guide on how to choose a down jacket that will keep you warm and toasty in the great outdoors A high-quality down jacket is no longer the preserve of the outdoorsy. Politicians, pop stars and even princesses have been pictured in a ‘puffa’. Of course, a down jacket truly comes into its own when used and tested in the great outdoors. Understanding what to consider before you choose a down jacket can be confusing. To make the decision easy, we’ve put together a simple guide to choosing the jacket that’s best for you. What is down? Down is the natural insulating layer found on geese and ducks that helps keep their bodies warm in nearly freezing temperatures. It is usually white or grey and looks like small clusters of fluff. These clusters create millions of tiny air ...
YouTuber Covers Daft Punk’s “Around The World” Using “Singing” Tesla Coils
While we’re still reeling from the news of Daft Punk‘s shocking breakup, the musical tributes have continued to roll in. Now, YouTuber Fabricio H. Franzoli may have just published the most innovative Daft Punk cover todate. It turns out one unintended use of Tesla coils is that they have the ability to produce music. That’s precisely what Franzoli has revealed anyway, and his Franzoli Electronics channel now has over 270,000 subscribers to show for it. By carefully managing the phase, pulse width, and firing frequency of the lightning-like energy emanating from the coils, the structures emit various pitches. Franzoli takes this phenomenon further, generating entire arrangements, with his latest cover being Daft Punk’s “Around The World.” A...
Zedd Announces Immersive “Diorama” NFT With New Music, His Most Ambitious Visual Project Yet
In the increasingly oversaturated world of NFTs, Zedd sought out to create something that stood out. In his words, he wanted to create “the best NFT there is.” By the looks of it, his latest effort in the very least certainly deserves to be in the conversation. The immersive visuals guide us through a journey of miniature rooms and environments to the inimitable sounds of Zedd. In his announcement, the Grammy-winning artist explained that initially he was using one particular synth to soundtrack the clip, but upon seeing the finished product, he returned to square one to switch things up. The final result is a melody that morphs with the visual environments, appropriately framing the mood and tone of each scene. At the tail end of the journey, the camera takes us into one of th...
Watch How David Guetta’s Avatar Was Created for Sensorium Galaxy’s Immersive VR Concerts
David Guetta has performed in so many places on Earth that he essentially had nowhere to turn but the metaverse. Back in September 2020, Guetta announced a partnership with Sensorium Corporation, a company positioning itself as a disruptor of the intersection of virtual reality and live music with its flagship social VR platform. The alliance will find Guetta creating a series of exclusive performances in the immersive Sensorium Galaxy, which is angling to go public later in 2021. The French dance music vet will be performing in PRISM, one of Sensorium Galaxy’s first two worlds to be debuted. Developed in partnership with fabled nightlife mogul Yann Pissenem, PRISM will feature virtual AI-driven performances from Guetta and a number of his iconic contemporaries, such as Car...
deadmau5 Launches New Plugin for Music Producers and Digital Artists
deadmau5 has launched his latest performance tool, a plugin called OSC/PAR. OSC/PAR is an AU/VST3 plugin developed to bridge the gap between live DAW (digital audio workstation) performances and the interoperability of OSC (open sound control) protocols. From its simplistic user interface, the tool is able to broadcast live musical elements from any DAW and seamlessly channel them through OSC-capable clients via WIFI or a local network connection, translating the MIDI notes, song list, and other transport information for VJ software. “OSC/PAR was originally developed as an essential need for a stage to FOH networking solution,” deadmau5 said in a press release issued to announce the plugin. “I’m actually pretty stoked to be sharing this with everyone as a han...
Pioneer DJ’s VM Series is Here—And it’s the Perfect Production Monitor
More than ever before, the present calls for electronic music production and performance in the home space, and artists are seeking studio upgrades for the best possible audio experience. Leading audio brand Pioneer DJ understands, and seeks to deliver that experience with its new VM Series near-field monitor speaker line. The VM Series offers three studio monitor selections—the VM-50, VM-70, and VM-80—all of which deliver a clean, unadulterated, and true sound with flat voicing that’s a perfect selection for veteran and aspiring producers and DJs alike. A four-millimeter-thick rigid brushed aluminum front baffle is specially designed to suppress resonance and reduce vibration in the VM series monitors, and gives them a sleek and modern look suited for a professional ...
