GEAR + TECH
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...
Spotify Launches “Group Session” Feature for Premium
After a prolonged developmental period, Spotify‘s shared listening feature “Group Session” has launched into the beta testing phase. Arriving in the era of social distancing, the new feature is the latest offering to hit the platform specifically for premium subscribers. With Group Session, those in close proximity can collectively control the music that plays. The shared queue allows participants to collaboratively develop a playlist as well as play, pause, and skip music in real time. It’s this real time sharing component that makes Group Session an upgrade from existing shared features on Spotify such as collaborative playlists. Group Session is a feature that has been in development since at least May of 2019, when the original code was discover...
Fortnite “Party Royale” Will Feature DJ Sets from Deadmau5, Dillon Francis, and Steve Aoki
Epic Games has announced its newest Fortnite mode, “Party Royale,” which will feature virtual shows from Deadmau5, Dillon Francis, and Steve Aoki. Fortnite players were first introduced to “Party Royale” in the game’s v12.50 patch, where players were able to interact and dance with each other in-game. Due to its instant popularity, which was augmented by an in-game concert featuring Diplo and Major Lazer, Epic released it as a trial run in rapid fashion. The premiere of “Party Royale” marks an exciting development for both gamers and Epic, as it represents the latest effort by the preeminent video game developer to enhance the Battle Royale genre. They’re goal is to transform harness its flagship product into a social hub for g...
Contest: Win a PRIME GO from Denon DJ
Can you think of a better way to spend your time indoors during COVID-19 quarantines than brushing up on your DJs skills from the comfort of your couch? Denon DJ is giving away one of their PRIME GO ultra-portable battery powered standalone DJ systems, and entering to win is easier than you think. The PRIME GO is the ultimate battery powered standalone DJ system. Among its highlights are built-in rechargeable battery with up to 4 hours of playtime, 7” HD touchscreen interface, Wi-Fi connectivity for digital streaming, multifunction performance pads, built-in FX, on-board recording and dual mics. Check out this PRIME GO Performance Mix by Crossfader Learn more about the PRIME GO here. Enter to Win A PRIME GO If you can not view the contest widget below click here. About Denon DJ With ...
Check Out This Incredible 3D-Modeled and Printed REZZ Hand
Fans of REZZ can attest that her brand is one-of-a-kind. With her menacing, mind-bending midtempo sonic flair, Space Mom has carved out her own sound over the years, concocting a signature electronic cocktail all her own. Her live shows only reinforce that notion, as she pairs her thunderously spellbinding sound with her patented, mesmerizing LED goggles to offer up a truly unique live concert experience for any flabbergasted revelers lucky enough to catch a live performance. One of those fans, Brandon Lee Morris, took things to the next level by breathing life into one of REZZ’s visual brand components, a hand with an eyeball centered in its palm. Morris, who operates a visual concepts and 3D printing project called Replicant Lab, took it upon himself to create a 3D-modeled and...
Artists are Ingeniously Using the PS4 Game “Dreams” to Create Full Songs
In February, developers Media Molecule launched their most ambitious creation platform to date, Dreams. Following the success of last decade’s LittleBigPlanet, the developers have harnessed this generation’s technology to produce a game creation platform that allows players to create much more than side-scrollers. With the tools embedded in Dreams, players are able to develop games of nearly every genre out there. So far, we’ve seen first-person shooters, horror adventures, racing games, action RPGs, and everything in-between. In addition to being able to make playable games, Dreams includes incredibly intuitive music production tools that let users compose entire songs in-game. Levi Niha, a popular YouTube creator known for making videos where he composes musi...
Beatsource LINK Is Offering DJs An Unmatched Catalog of Music for their Performance Software
Beatsource, the joint venture between DJcity and Beatport, just launched a game-changing product for DJs in the streaming era. Beatsource LINK is a new integration service allowing open-format DJs to harness the depth of a catalog with unmatched resources. Through Beatsource LINK, DJcity and Beatport, two of the largest digital audio retailers, will allow their music and curated playlists to be streamed by DJs directly to their personal performance software. To start, Beatsource LINK will be integrated with Pioneer’s rekordbox, but the goal is to develop additional performance integrations with similar DJ software brands in the coming months. After Beatsource LINK launched its beta version, the announcement won some early praise from A-Tra...
