GEAR + TECH
Beatport Adds “Organic House / Downtempo” to Genre Categories
Music marketplace Beatport, which characterizes itself as the “principal source of music for DJs,” has announced the addition of a new genre category called “Organic House / Downtempo.” According to a press release issued to announce the news, the classification is dedicated to “deeper, slower, and more meditative shades of house music.” Who releases organic house music, you ask? Beatport points to artists such as Sabo, BLOND:ISH, Britta Arnold, Shawni, Bedouin, Nicola Cruz, Oliver Koletzki, Lazarusman, Namito, and M.A.N.D.Y., among many others. The slow-burning house sound has also been proliferated by many labels in recent years, including Do Not Sit On The Furniture, Sol Selectas, Crosstown Rebels, Desert Dwellers, Get Ph...
Crypto Security Company Casa Launches Bitcoin Wallet Backed by The Chainsmokers
In addition to “Grammy Award-winners” and “world’s highest-paid DJs,” The Chainsmokers can now add one more title to their staggering résumé—angel investors. Having taken a short hiatus from music following the conclusion of the rollout of their third studio album, World War Joy, the superstar tandem have taken their time off to explore opportunities outside the music industry. The Chainsmokers’ latest venture pertains to Casa, a Bitcoin security company that received a significant investment from Mantis VC, the duo’s financial investment arm. Following The Chainsmokers’ contribution, Casa officially launched its “Casa Wallet” platform on June 15th, 2020 and took to social media to exult. “Casa ...
Synthesizer Prince Used to Produce Legendary Album “Purple Rain” Is Up for Sale
As one of the most venerated and subversive artists of all-time, who was instrumental in shaping contemporary music as we know it, legendary musician Prince is a national treasure. The 7-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee dabbled in many genres, including funk, soul, and R&B, and a considerable amount of his catalog was rooted in electronic music. Prince’s trailblazing use of synthesizers was unparalleled, leading to innumerable seminal tracks that contributed pioneering developments in synth-pop and new wave music. A Yamaha DX7 synthesizer formerly owned by Prince, which he used to record parts of his fabled 1983 Purple Rain LP, has officially gone up for action. According to official auction site, the “magnificent museum-q...
Algoriddim Sets Out to Revolutionize DJing with Neural Mix AI System
In the 1980s, music technology shifted from analog to digital, and the world of DJing hasn’t seen another major change in format since. Enter Algoriddim, a software company established in 2006. Devoted to changing the status quo and heralding the next paradigm shift in DJing, Algoriddim’s new Neural Mix AI system seeks to revolutionize the way that modern DJs perform. Using artificial intelligence within their djay Pro AI software, Algoriddim have managed to create technology not just for mixing tracks, but also deconstructing their elements and separating them entirely, giving DJs maximum mixing prowess. For example, vocals can be isolated within djay Pro AI’s interface using Neural Mix, or removed from a track altogether. This gives users the capability to cre...
This Music Tech Startup Lets Fans Invest in Artists and Reap Returns from Their Streaming Income
Corite, a new music tech startup that enables fans to invest in their favorite artists and receive real financial returns on their contributions, recently announced the close if its initial seed round. The April launch of the company’s “fan-funding” platform in Europe followed the conclusion of its Series A round, which closed at €600K, according to a report by EU Startups. Corite’s unique business model allows fans to invest in a musical artist and receive real-time returns on their investment, which comes from the artist’s future streaming income based on a previously agreed upon percentage. It’s essentially a win-win situation for both parties, since the artist can use any money raised to market their music before sharing the revenue with fans, w...
Twitch Streamers Face Permabans After String of New DMCA Strikes
Both the video game and music communities were put on alert yesterday after it was discovered that a large number of DMCA takedown requests were filed against a multitude of Twitch streamers. The requests have targeted the background music in recorded clips from streams taking place from 2017 to 2019. A popular streamer on the platform, fuslie, shared her experience with the strikes and revealed that Twitch support told her that in order to avoid a potential permaban, she should delete all of her clips. The recent developments have left many wondering what the future of livestreamed DJ sets looks like, as playing a set with any non-original songs could leave an artist vulnerable to takedown strikes. While it appears as though almost every genre is included, Dexerto is reporting t...
Mobile Game Developer Gismart Creates Opportunities for Musicians with “Games For Artists” Program
Those familiar with the video game industry know that mobile games have become a driving force in the digital realm. Due to the often casual nature of the games, they’ve been able to garner players that fall outside the traditional gamer demographic. While there are certainly lengthy mobile games that bode well with the hardcore gamer demographic, one quick look at any app marketplace will reveal how popular “hyper-casual” games are. Hyper-casual games are built around the idea of being easy to play. You won’t find detailed character creation or long cutscenes with rich backstories in these games, but what you will find is something ready to play at the drop of a hat. Designed for people who want to enjoy a game right away and not have to dedicate significant chunks...
Sennheiser Celebrates 75th Anniversary by Adding a Splash of Sun-Kissed Color to Iconic Headphones
Renowned electronics brand Sennheiser is celebrating its 75th anniversary in style with a limited edition headphone release. With their bright yellow earpads, which were inspired by another iconic Sennheiser product—the HD 41—the headphones are a vibrant, sun-kissed addition to the brand’s illustrious catalog right before summer. They combine modern performance with a touch of nostalgia, offering up a great product for audiophiles everywhere. Sennheiser To commemorate the milestone, Sennheiser is offering its limited edition version of the HD 25 headphones at $99.95 instead of the usual retail price of $149.95. However, Sennheiser is not selling them separately, so if you want to get your paws on them, you’ll have to order a pair of classic HD 25s from Sennheiser’s store an...
AIAIAI Overhauls Its Headphone Materials to Reduce Carbon Footprint
Esteemed Copenhagen-based AIAIAI is widely regarded across the globe as a leading headphone and audio design brand that is committed to producing its products in a sustainable manner. With a focus on both quality and sustainability, AIAIAI is now further deepening that globally-minded commitment by pledging to reduce its carbon footprint even more. The brand has taken new steps that will significantly reduce the amount of waste resulting from its products, approaching the issue from all sides, right down to the packaging of the products themselves. Packaging is now produced using 100% FSC-certified materials, guaranteeing that it is fully recyclable, which will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 80%. As for the headphone components themselves, the materials ...
Look Inside the Custom VR Environment Built for This Weekend’s EDC Las Vegas Rave-A-Thon [Exclusive]
As the clock ticks down to the colossal EDC Las Vegas Virtual Rave-A-Thon livestream event this weekend, technology company Littlstar is posing the question, “Why not rave in VR?” As the premier livestreaming platform on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation VR, and Android TV, Littlstar has teamed up with many EDM festivals to offer unique streaming experiences for fans, which are funneled through their favorite game consoles and hardware. The platform itself is one of the few to offer traditional 2D videos, virtual reality, 360° videos, holograms, and augmented reality. Littlstar also recently became one of the Virtual Rave-A-Thon’s official livestreaming partners, and have now teamed up with EDM.com to offer an exclusive first look into...
Numark Introduces Two New DJ Controllers
Numark has become one of the foremost names in DJ equipment over the years with its accessible, quality gear and software. Crafted for aspiring and veteran DJs alike, the brand’s products have become a staple in the world of electronic music. Numark’s popular Mixtrack DJ controller has seen many iterations over the years, and now the company has announced two new models in the series: the Mixtrack Platinum FX and Pro FX. Combining a standard “turntable” controller model with multi-use performance pads, the new models build on their predecessors with more functionality, added FX and looping features, four deck mixing capabilities on the Platinum FX model, and larger jog wheels. Both of the new Mixtrack models are set to begin shipping this month. The contr...
Ever Wonder Why Your Spotify Music Sounds Like It’s Always at Low Volume? This Is Why
Do you ever find yourself subconsciously toggling between volume levels on Spotify because the music just isn’t loud enough? Paranoia be damned, contrary to what you might think, you do not have inner ear issues and you’re not losing your hearing. Thanks to Beat Spot, an educational platform dedicated to demystifying music production, mixing, and engineering, we now have a more firm grasp on how Spotify manages loudness within its preeminent streaming application. In a recent Instagram post, Beat Spot shrewdly explained that since Spotify is the world’s most popular music streaming platform, it has implemented core functionality specifically designed to retain users while cultivating a safe listening environment. When distribution services like Stem, AWAL, and TuneCo...
