GEAR + TECH
Spotify Enters the Video Space with “Vodcasts”
Spotify is slowly but surely is encroaching on YouTube territory with the launch of video podcasts, or “vodcasts.” The objective behind the rollout of the new feature is to provide a more engaging experience between fans and their favorite podcasters. It should come as no surprise that visual aspects provide an enhanced sense of connection that audio sometimes cannot. Being able to see the hosts’ mannerisms and their environment opens up the opportunity to draw in a new demographic of fans who may have previously stayed away from the audio medium. Before the launch of “vodcasts,” most hosts would upload their audio to Spotify, but then migrate to YouTube to provide their listeners with the video component from that episode. Spotify is now angling to be a one-s...
deadmau5 Teases New VR Project with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine
deadmau5 took to Instagram recently to share a teaser of a forthcoming VR project. The electronic music icon was mum on the details, however, writing nothing but an arcane caption along with the video that reads, “A breed of goat.” The teaser does divulge that the project was produced in collaboration with Epic Games‘ gameframe Unreal Engine as well as Geodesic Games and Upsurge Studios. The teaser closes in typically cryptic deadmau5 style with a nebulous message that says “Codename #Oberhasli.” An Oberhasli is a breed of dairy goat, which explain’s deadmau5’s caption but does nothing to demystify it in terms of the forthcoming project. You can watch the teaser below. FOLLOW DEADMAU5: Facebook: facebook.com/deadmau5Twitter: twitter...
Hands On with the “Avicii Invector Encore Edition” Video Game for Nintendo Switch
Since the tragic passing of Avicii back in 2018, the EDM world has put together an amazing collection of tributes. We’ve seen everything from a star-studded concert to an upcoming museum dedicated to his career, and the late artist is now getting the Nintendo Switch treatment with the forthcoming Avicii Invector Encore Edition video game. The standard edition of Avicii Invector released late last year on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. The Encore Edition, however, features 10 new tracks, including some from Avicii’s posthumous album Tim. Developers Hello There Games offered EDM.com a hands-on preview of the first five tracks of the upcoming game so we could see what to expect later this year. We got to explore the worlds of his songs “Can’t Catc...
Elon Musk Shares 3D Rendering of New Tesla Factory with “Rave Space on the Roof”
Following the news that his electric car and battery behemoth dethroned Toyota as the world’s largest automaker by market value, Tesla boss Elon Musk is planning to open the company’s brand new Giga Factory in Berlin, Germany. Musk posted a 3D render of the factory on Twitter this morning, July 15th, which shows a gargantuan, solar panel-lined roof atop a sprawling facility situated in a picturesque field in Berlin. Musk, who has also dabbled in electronic music production via an original song called “Don’t Doubt Ur Vibe,” also flung the dance music community headfirst into a fever pitch by writing that the rooftop may also moonlight as a “rave space.” Replying to a Twitter user asking for more information about the cave rendering, Musk w...
Sony Purchases $250 Million Stake In Fortnite Developer Epic Games
Sony‘s latest strategic investment is sure to augment the already flourishing link between the music and gaming industries. The parent company of Sony Music has moved to acquire a $250 million minority stake in Epic Games, makers of the hit video game franchises Fortnite and Borderlands. The investment will enable the continued pursuit of crossover partnerships that have already begun to shakeup a rapidly shifting digital entertainment landscape. The two companies have already demonstrated record-setting synergy this year. In April, Travis Scott, a member of Sony’s Epic Records roster, drew in Fortnite’s single largest audience to date with his virtual Fortnite concert, pulling in over 12.3 million concurrent viewers. Kenichiro Yoshida, President and CEO of...
Electronic Music Exhibit Featuring Kraftwerk Set to Open with Enhanced Speaker System
The Design Museum in London is making new investments into its sound system to support the museum’s electronic music exhibit, which is set to open at the end of this month. The exhibit, titled “Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers,” was originally scheduled to launch in April, but was postponed due to mandatory closures following the onset of COVID-19. Ahead of its reopening, the museum will be installing a PMC 7.1 surround system based on the company’s result6 monitors, which is sure to simulate the experience of a live electronic music show. As long-time PMC users themselves, Kraftwerk was influential in making the decision, insisting the museum adopt the award-winning technology. Kraftwerk Live The exhibit features a 3D Kraftwerk show com...
Here is a Techno Song Featuring Vocalized Versions of Elon Musk’s Best Tweets
Elon Musk, the eccentric billionaire, Tesla boss, DJ, and father to a human named X Æ A-Xii, is sauntering through life with an iridescent glow after his flagship automobile and battery company dethroned Toyota as the world’s largest automaker by market value. A decade after Tesla went public, the company’s market cap recently eclipsed a staggering $224 billion, almost 30% more than that of Toyota. What better way to pay tribute to the unprecedented milestone than with a visual representation of the meteoric rise of Tesla soundtracked to a techno song featuring vocalized versions of its fabled founder’s best tweets? The madcap video arrived courtesy of tech journalist David Canellis by way of Hard Fork, the money and markets vertical of technology outlet Th...
Nicky Romero Gives In-Depth Virtual Studio Tour
Nicky Romero has treated fans to an in-depth look at his newly renovated studio. In the form of a YouTube video, the Dutch producer detailed his workspace from top to bottom and shows how he creates his hits. The first half of the video shows off the main production area complete with top-of-the-line speakers, keyboards, and more. He also explains some of his design choices and what feel he was going for when designing the room. The second half focuses on the recording space for live instruments and vocalists. Also included in this segment is a rundown of the pianos, drums, microphones, and other instruments that make up his arsenal. At the end of the tour, he mentions that there will be more footage of the unseen rooms in his studio included in a future video. As of the time of writing, R...
Watch Kill The Noise Create a Waveform in Ableton That Looks Like REZZ
Bass music vet Kill The Noise has long been championed as one of the most gifted sound designers in the electronic music genre. Whether he’s crafting house music, mind-bending dubstep, or soaring future bass, his ability to pump out pristine mixes across any genre is matched by few in the game. Prompted by an innocuous tweet from REZZ that simply said, “Hey,” Kill The Noise took to his Twitter account yesterday to share a short clip in which he plays around with a waveform in Ableton that looks just like Space Mom’s patented LED goggles. The sound produced by the waveform is a simple bass patch, but its visual representation is uncanny, as he says, “That almost looks like REZZ.” Responding to a fan, Kill The Noise said the program wasn’t a plu...
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Step Inside the Rave Family Block Fest: The Most Ambitious Digital Music Festival to Date [FIRST LOOK]
With each passing weekend, social media memories wistfully remind us of the music festivals we’re missing out on due to the ongoing global health crisis. Without concerts, nearly everyone in the music industry is struggling to make ends meet. Many artists, promoters, and organizations are thinking outside the box to give fans a way to experience live music once again and to help artists recoup some missing revenue. We’ve seen dozens of livestreamed festivals, drive-in concert tours, and special recorded performances from unique places. Thinking outside the box, or should we say block, is Rave Family with the introduction of their new music experience, Rave Family Block Fest. Next month, concertgoers will log into the world of Minecraft for a musical experience beyond the scope of anything ...
Hercules’ New DJControl Inpulse 500 is Perfect for Beginners and Veterans Alike
DJ controllers come in all shapes and sizes, and cater to many different skill levels. Navigating these various products with a multitude of knobs, faders, jogwheels, and buttons can get confusing and picking out the perfect DJ controller can be a challenge for any DJ, regardless of experience. Enter Hercules. Conceived in the analog era, Hercules has been a standard in the music scene for over 30 years and has continued to innovate and improve their products for DJs, with a focus on beginners. Their latest product, the DJControl Inpulse 500 provides a fluid and enjoyable experience that works just as well for DJs on the first step of their journey as it does for those who have been rocking gigs for years. The DJControl Inpulse 500 expands upon previous models, t...
Acclaimed Rhythm Game “Avicii Invector” Gets Encore Edition for Nintendo Switch
Hello There Games and Wired Productions Ltd. have teamed up to create a tribute to late EDM superstar Avicii. Their critically acclaimed rhythm game, Avicii Invector, saw a release for PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One in December 2019. The game is now receiving a beefy expansion and a release for Nintendo Switch. Avicii Invector Encore Edition boasts 10 new playable tracks, including newer releases from Avicii’s posthumous album Tim. These songs add to the 25 tracks on the initial release and include “Seek Bromance,” “Bad Reputation,” “Peace of Mind,” and the smash hit “Seek Bromance,” among others. Those tracks will be made available for the previously released version of the game in the form of song p...
