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The Lowdown: I remember my high school English teacher staring at the class after we read Seamus Heaney’s poem “Blackberry Picking”, insisting that we tell him what it was about. Confused students kept giving him the wrong answer, and, sensing that everyone was too nervous to see it, to say it, I finally stuck my hand up and answered, “sex.” Listening to Chris, the second album by queer French electro-pop icon Héloïse Letissier, who performs as Christine and the Queens, reminds me of that moment. Is it hinting at, yes, yes it is. Not even a hint: everything about this album is sex. Sexuality, lust, desire, satisfaction. It’s dripping. It’s glistening sweat, tender bellies on bellies, swollen lips, panting, frustration, straining muscles. And what makes it even more exciting is that it’s an absolutely singular, personal sort of sexuality, which gleefully contorts stereotypes like taffy, pulling them apart and smacking them back together new before stretching them yet again. The Good: With Chris, Letissier delivers an album of fresh sounds that fuse the swagger of ’80s pop and R&B with a sense of grand romanticism. Any track on the album would fit just as well on a neon dance floor as it would pulsing through earbuds on a walk alone through a city at night. Songs like the muscular hit “Girlfriend (feat. Dam Funk)”, the skittering “Feel so good”, and the impossibly smooth “Doesn’t matter” are all brand new, but they already sound like timeless classics. On tracks like “The walker”, in which Letissier evokes delicate but violent images and recalls how she once “could drown in my shame,” she masterfully examines and celebrates her queer identity, her strength and vulnerability, her self-perception, and the way it can both complement and conflict with how she is treated socially. The Bad: Just like with a crush’s well-made mixtape, some songs end up fading to the background because they don’t reach the highs of the others. “Goya Soda” and “What’s-her-face” both probably don’t need to be over five minutes long. They’re strong and necessary moments of calmer identity reflection, but they don’t have the urgent physicality of the best tracks on Chris. The Verdict: Chris makes my passionate queer, little heart beat wildly. It’s groovy and funky and sultry, and it takes things seriously while still being joyful. It encourages freedom of form, in the sense of both body and art. It’s the perfect second album for Christine and the Queens, and I can’t wait to see what Letissier does next. Essential Tracks: “Doesn’t Matter”, “The walker”, “Girlfriend (feat. Dam Funk)”, and “Feel so good” Source

A new posthomous box set celebrating the musical legacy of Chris Cornell is set for release in November. The eponymous set was curated by Cornell’s wife, Vicky, in collaboration with his bandmates and friends. The 64-song tracklist includes material from Cornell’s various bands, including Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave, as well as music from his solo career. Of note is the inclusion of 11 previously unreleased tracks, including a cover of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” and an original song, “When Bad Does Good”, which is streaming below. Other unreleased material include live recordings of Cornell’s duet with Yusuf/Cat Stevens on “Wild World”; another duet with his daughter, Toni, on Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song”; Cornell’s personal arrangement of “One” featuring the lyrics to Metallica’s song set to the music of U2’s song of same name; and a first-ever album release of Audioslave’s “Show Me How To Live” recorded live in Cuba in 2015. The album’s liner notes were penned by Cornell’s former bandmates and collaborators, including Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron, Audioslave’s Tom Morello, Temple of the Dog’s Mike McCready, and producer Brendan O’Brien. Chris Cornell will also be available as a 17-song single disc set and on double vinyl. You can pre-order the various configurations here. Find the full tracklist below. Chris Cornell Tracklist: CD 1 01. Hunted Down [Soundgarden] 02. Kingdom of Come [Soundgarden] 03. Flower [Soundgarden] 04. All Your Lies [Soundgarden] 05. Loud Love [Soundgarden] 06. Hands All Over [Soundgarden] 07. Say Hello2 Heaven [Temple of the Dog] 08. Hunger Strike [Temple of the Dog] 09. Outshined [Soundgarden] 10. Rusty Cage [Soundgarden] 11. Seasons 12. Hey Baby (Land Of The New Rising Sun) [M.A.C.C.] 13. Black Hole Sun [Soundgarden] 14. Spoonman [Soundgarden] 15. Dusty [Soundgarden] 16. Burden In My Hand [Soundgarden] CD 2 01. Sunshower 02. Sweet Euphoria 03. Can’t Change Me 04. Like A Stone [Audioslave] 05. Cochise [Audioslave] 06. Be Yourself [Audioslave] 07. Doesn’t Remind Me [Audioslave] 08. Revelations [Audioslave] 09. Shape Of Things To Come [Audioslave] 10. You Know My Name 11. Billie Jean 12. Long Gone (Rock Version) 13. Scream 14. Part Of Me (Steve Aoki Remix) 15. Ave Maria (with Eleven) CD 3 01. Promise [Slash featuring Chris Cornell] 02. Whole Lotta Love [Santana featuring Chris Cornell] 03. Call Me A Dog (Live Acoustic) 04. Imagine (Live Acoustic) 05. I Am TheHighway (Live Acoustic) 06. The Keeper 07. Been Away Too Long [Soundgarden] 08. Live To Rise [Soundgarden] 09. Lies [Gabin with Chris Cornell & Ace] 10. Misery Chain [with Joy Williams] 11. Storm [Soundgarden] 12. Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart 13. Only These Words 14. Our Time In The Universe 15. ’Til The Sun Comes Back Around 16. Stay With Me Baby 17. The Promise 18. When Bad Does Good * CD 4 0. Into The Void (Sealth) (Live at the Paramount) [Soundgarden] 02. Mind Riot (Live at the Paramount) [Soundgarden] 03. Nothing To Say (Live in Seattle) [Soundgarden] 04. Jesus Christ Pose (Live in Oakland) [Soundgarden] 05. Show Me How To Live (Live in Cuba) [Audioslave] * 06. Wide Awake (Live in Sweden) * 07. All Night Thing (Live in Sweden) * 08. Nothing Compares 2 U(Live at Sirius XM) * 09. One (Live at Beacon Theatre) * 10. Reach Down (Live at the Paramount) [Temple of the Dog] * 11. Stargazer (Live at the Paramount) [Temple of the Dog] * 12. Wild World (Live at Pantages Theatre) [Yusuf/Cat Stevens with Chris Cornell] * 13 .A Day In The Life (Live at the Royal Albert Hall) * 14. Redemption Song (Live at Beacon Theatre) [with Toni Cornell] * 15. Thank You (Live in Sweden) * * = Previously unreleased material Source

BROCKHAMPTON have unleashed their new album, Iridescence. Stream it in full below via Apple Music or Spotify. The new project follows last December’s excellent Saturation III and serves as the group’s first full-length since parting ways with member Ameer Vann following accusations of sexual and emotional abuse and misconduct. It’s also the first installment in a trilogy of albums titled, The Best Years of Our Lives. (Read: The 25 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2018) Due out through Question Everything/RCA Records, the LP is comprised of 15 tracks, including the early singles “TONYA” and “J’Ouvert”. The hip-hop boyband will support Iridescence with a North American tour — dubbed “I’ll Be There” — beginning October 3rd. The itinerary features dates in Philadelphia, New York, Toronto, and Chicago, as well as festival appearances at Austin City Limits and Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw in Los Angeles. The album’s release comes is accompanied by BROCKHAMPTON’s The Longest Summer in America, a documentary that recounts the outfit’s rapid success, new record, and more. Iridescence Artwork: Iridescence Tracklist: 01. NEW ORLEANS 02. THUG LIFE 03. BERLIN 04. SOMETHING ABOUT HIM 05. WHERE THE CASH AT 06. WEIGHT 07. DISTRICT 08. LOOPHOLE 09. TAPE 10. J’OUVERT 11. HONEY 12. VIVID 13. SAN MARCOS 14. TONYA 15. FABRIC JAY-Z and Beyonce Tour Reel Travis Scott's Top 5 Videos Nas' Top 5 Songs Eminem’s Highest Charting Songs Migos’ Top Songs Source

Action Bronson is back with a new single called “White Bronco”, which serves as the title track to a forthcoming album due out later this fall. Take a listen below. White Bronco serves as Bronson’s follow-up to 2017’s Blue Chips 7000 and marks his first independent release in several years. The album features production from Bronson’s longtime collaborator, Party Supplies, as well as Knxwledge and Daringer. Bronson himself designed the album’s cover. White Bronco Artwork: Source

Warner Bros. Records has released its new posthumous Prince album, Piano & A Microphone 1983. Stream the entire thing below via Apple Music or Spotify. The nine-track, 35-minute collection compiles raw studio recordings Prince laid down at his home studio, Kiowa Trail, in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Mirroring his 2016 “Piano & A Microphone Tour”, each song features nothing but keys and Prince’s voice, presented precisely as they were originally recorded. (Read: The 25 Most Anticipated Albums of Fall 2018) Included on the album is the previously unreleased rendition of the 19th century spiritual “Mary Don’t You Weep” (which featured in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman), as well as the “When Doves Cry” B-side “17 Days”. Other tracks include early versions of “Purple Rain”, “Strange Relationship”, and “International Lover” alongside a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You”. Listen to the full record below. Piano & A Microphone 1983 Artwork: Piano & A Microphone 1983 Tracklist: 01. 17 Days 02. Purple Rain 03. A Case Of You 04. Mary Don’t You Weep 05. Strange Relationship 06. International Lover 07. Wednesday 08. Cold Coffee & Cocaine 09. Why The Butterflies Recently, the majority of Prince’s full-length releases were made available on streaming services. A 27-piece orchestra performing songs currated by The Roots’ Questlove is currently touring under the name “4U: A Symphonic Celebration of Prince”. Source

Download via iTunes | Google Play | Stitcher | RSS Constant Listeners, it’s time to share some Needful Tweets, maybe swing around to Hollywood King, and most certainly clean our ol’ Bag of Bones. It’s the calm before the storm that’s descending upon Derry, Maine. For this week’s episode, Losers Michael Roffman, Dan Caffrey, and Justin Gerber meditate on memorable Stephen King connections in pop culture, discuss their ensuing woes with It: Chapter Two, dream up some possible King-inspired Saturday morning cartoons, and answer every other daring question in their Bag of Bones. Join the Club: Support The Losers and Grab a T-Shirt! Listen above and return next week as the Losers finally return to Derry for one hell of a confrontation with King’s 1986 epic, It. Until then, why don’t you leave us a glowing review on iTunes. We love getting those. Sincerely. Chapters include: Intro, Needful Tweets (4:00), Hollywood King (12:30), Bag of Bones (18:30), and Outro (1:33:30) — Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram — E-mail us tips. Links — Listen and Follow: Coach Hop — In Case You Missed It: Recapping Castle Rock: Season Finale “Romans” Feels More Like a Fumble Than A Touchdown — Editorial: The Generation That Grew Up on Stephen King is Taking Him Back — Editorial: Let’s Not Fuck Up This Stephen King Renaissance, Okay? — Feature: Behold, The Stephen King Cinematic Universe! — Guide: Stephen King in Five Films — Ranking: Every Stephen King Movie, Miniseries, TV Show from Worst to Best — List: The Top 10 Stephen King Film Adaptations Source

After a year-long wait, DROGAS Wave, Lupe Fiasco’s follow-up to 2017’s DROGAS Light, has finally dropped. DROGAS Wave spans 24 tracks over two sides, featuring a host of artists including Simon Sayz, Damian Marley, and Nikki Jean. The full tracklist is below. Originally, Fiasco’s new album was going to be released on September 28th; however, some unexpected leaks forced the artist to push the album’s release date up to September 21st. Lucky for us, because now we can enjoy the track-packed project a little early. Check out the album on Apple Music or Spotify below. DROGAS Wave Tracklist: Side A 01. In the Event of Typhoon 02. Drogas 03. Manilla 04. Gold vs. the Right Things to Do 05. Slave Ship (Interlude) 06. Wav Files 07. Down (feat. Nikki Jean) 08. Haile Selassie (feat. Nikki Jean) 09. Alan Forever (feat. Crystal “Røvél” Torres) 10. Helter Skelter (Interlude) 11. Stronger (feat. Nikki Jean) 12. Sun God Sam & the California Drug Deals (feat. Nikki Jean) Side B 13. Xo (feat. Troi Irons) 14. Don’t Mess Up the Children (Interlude) 15. Jonylah Forever 16. Kingdom (feat. Damian Marley) 17. Baba Kwesi (Interlude) 18. Imagine (feat. Simon Sayz and Crystal “Røvél” Torres) 19. Stack That Cheese (feat. Nikki Jean) 20. Cripple (feat. Elena Pinderhughes) 21. King Nas 22. Quotations From Chairman Fred (feat. Nikki Jean and Bishop Edgar Jackson) 23. Happy Timbuck2 Day 24. Mural Jr. Source

Boy this was a biggie and was said to have been a tipping point for dubstep onto the global scene and well, the mix speaks for itself with giant cuts of bass heavy tunes from Mala, Skream, Kode 9 & The Spaceape, Vex’d, Hatcha & Crazy D, Loefah and more. Mary Anne Hobbs was in the hot seat for this one and BBC Radio 1 the platform as this two hour spectacle left many listeners rattled tellings those who tuned in ‘If, as a broadcaster, you can deliver one show with the cultural & historical impact of this one in a lifetime.. it’s a miracle..’ It doesn’t matter if you’re a veteran of the scene or experiencing dubstep for the first time, this is well and truly a masterclass in the genre. Click play and dive into the tracklisting below! Mary Anne Hobbs – Breezeblock Dubstep Warz tracklisting Mala (Digital Mystikz) Digital Mystikz – ’10 Dread Commandments VIP’ (white) Digital Mystikz – ‘Haunted’ (white) Digital Mystikz – ‘Left Leg Out’ (white) Skream – ‘Request Line’ Mala remix (white) Digital Mystikz – ‘All Of A Sudden’ (white) Digital Mystikz – ‘Anti-War Dub’ (white) Skream Skream – ‘Midnight Request Line’ (Tempa) Skream – ‘Tapped’ (Tempa) Sunship and Warrior Queen – ‘Almighty Father’ Skream remix (white) Skream – ‘Glamma’ (Tempa) Skream – ‘Deep Concentration’ (Tempa) Skream – ‘Rottan’ (Tempa) Digital Mystikz – ‘Ancient Memories’ Skream remix (white) Horsepower – ‘Egypt’ (Skream remix) (white) Skream – ‘Music 2 Make Us Stagga’ (white) Kode 9 and Space Ape Benny ill, Kode9 & the Culprit – ‘Fat Larry Skank’ (kode9 remix) (white) Kode 9 and Space Ape – ‘9 Samurai’ (Hyperdub) Kode 9 and Space Ape – ‘Backward’ (Hyperdub) Kode 9 and Space Ape – ‘Kingston Dub’ (Hyperdub) Burial and Space Ape – ‘Space Ape’ (White) Vex’d Vex’d – ‘Saturn’ (white) Vex’d – ‘3rd Choice’ (white) Vex’d – ‘Wavescape Remix’ (white) Vex’d – ‘Killing Floor’ (white) Vex’d – ‘Knowledge Remix’ (white) Hatcha Benga – Untitled (white) Benga – Untitled (white) Coki – Untitled (white) Coki – Untitled (white) Coki – Untitled (white) Skream – ‘Request Line’ Remix (white) Benga – Untitled (white) Benga – Untitled (white) Benga – Untitled (white) Digital Mystikz – ‘Ancient Memories’ Skream remix (white) Loefah and Sgt. Pokes Loefah – ‘Mud’ (white) Loefah – ‘Ruffage’ (white) Loefah – ‘Sukkah’ (white) Loefah – ‘System’ (white) Distance Distance – ‘My Demons’ (white) Distance – ‘Fallen’ (white) Distance – ‘Tuning’ (white) Distance – ‘Cella’ (white) Distance – ‘Cyclops’ (white) Distance – ‘Night Vision’ (white) Distance – ‘Traffic’ (white) DJ Pinch – ‘Qawwali’ (white) Source

Here’s a timely news story for the Halloween season: Kimberly Thompson, a former drummer for Beyoncé, has filed a restraining order against the blockbuster star for “extreme witchcraft” and “magic spells of sexual molestation,” according to documents obtained by The Blast. Thompson even claims Bey “murdered [her] pet kitten.” Not surprisingly, Thompson’s having a tough time selling the spooky story to officials. On Wednesday, September 19th, Thompson was denied a temporary restraining order by the Los Angeles Superior Court, who has since scheduled a hearing for a proper restraining order to take place on October 11th. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, Thompson is President of the female-founded KTMUSICPRODUCTIONS, a record label based in Harlem, New York. In addition to serving as a session musician for the would-be witch, Thompson has collaborated with The 8G Band on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers. Of course, if all of this is true, George Zimmerman might wanna back off. Source

In industry news, Spotify has launched a new system that allows music producers and music artists to upload directly to the streaming platform for free without the need of a distributor or label. While in invite-only mode at the moment with a few hundred US artists, the streaming giant says it will “bring upload to even more artists, labels, and teams” in the near future. The move looks to work as a two pronged approach in pushing for mass uploads without the sometimes prohibitive costs and also a way to knock out competitors such as Soundcloud – the traditional free platform as well as distributors such as tunecore, CD Baby and Ditto that aggregate music onto the platform for relatively low fees. Another interesting take is removing the necessity of indie and major labels in providing the service, although being able to deliver to the platform is a big step up for artists isn’t the whole story with a much wider push from labels to music sites/blogs, Youtube and radio. really being the key in developing a brand or story for the artists. It does proposition the idea of a single Spotify channel uploading artists content, much like the popular Youtube channels Majestic Casual, Proximity and Trap Nation but we’ll see about the legalities of that soon. For now, it’ll create a further divide between Spotify and it’s free based approach versus Apple Music who are on a subscription based model only, with the later recently dethroning Spotify in the US for paying subscribers. Will be interesting to see how this one pans out! Via Music Business World Wide Source

On today’s A State of Trance radio show, Armin announced that an upcoming GAIA album and tour is definitely in the works. He says the album will feature trance and a bit of techno! He also mentioned you can expect some shows very soon and listen to some GAIA previews on their new Instagram page. You can listen to the announcement on ASOT down below. The post Armin Announces Upcoming ‘GAIA’ Tour And Album appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

This recent news will be music to everyones ears. Spotify has announced a new feature today that will allow independent artists to upload their own music without any fees, a record label or even third-party. Spotify’s new initiative resembles closely to one of their competitors, Soundcloud. This new feature is being tested now in beta-only mode but they will be making it more available to artists, labels, and teams in the near future. Spotify getting deals with independent artists is starting to worry bigger labels as Spotify has relied upon them for streaming. Artists will be able to upload their music via the Spotify For Artists platform which at the end of June counted over 200,000 users. As this is great news, Spotify is also reportedly being sued for gender discrimination, defamation, and equal pay violations. This seems like a great opportunity to give every artist a voice and as Spotify is a leading platform in the music world, this will hopefully prove to be a step in the right direction. The post Independent Artists Can Now Upload Music to Spotify For Free appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

Bassnectar will be at the Oceania Stage at 12:15 Saturday night of Imagine Music Festival, but what will we do besides that? As we scan the schedule we see a lot to get excited about all around the festival. We created a playlist to refresh your memory on some artists and to introduce you to some acts you should not overlook. As you hit the road and pre-game enjoy our playlist to preview the Imagine Music Festival 2018 lineup. Imagine Music Festival 2018 lineup To start the day on Friday you should go back to your roots by taking in some heavy bass with Shlump at Disco Inferno. Whatever you do next, make your way over to a Dirtybird favorite, Weiss at the Aeria Stage at 11. We also have an eye on the main stage for The Glitch Mob and Galantis‘ sets. photo credit Imagine Music Festival 2018 Disco Inferno will be the place to be Saturday night as it goes Walker & Royce into Tiga into Green Velvet, then Bassnectar. Oh yes. You may consider sneaking over to Ekali‘s set at the Amazonia Stage halfway through Walker & Royce. You might get fixated over there as Jai Wolf follows. Then somehow make it to Liquid Stranger to loose your shorts. It will be hard to choose still with Adventure Club and so many more going at it. photo credit Imagine Music Festival We cannot resist making our way over to Kaskade at the main stage Sunday night. Prior to him, to warm up the night you can’t go wrong starting the day getting weird with bass wizards Yheti B2b Toadface, then heading to Wax Motif‘s fresh house set. Please, don’t forget about Lotus bringing their magically wonderful jams as they set the stage for Shpongle. Then square things off by heading back to Disco Inferno to soak in the deep house vibes with EDX that rolls into Oliver Heldens‘ special set to close out the festival proper. photo credit Imagine Music Festival 2018 Of course this is just an initial outlook on the nights, its impossible to say where our hearts will take us in the moment. photo credit Imagine Music Festival Allow yourself to get sucked into as many sets as possible and get lost exploring the experience with the fam. Pick up your pass for Imagine Music Festival 2018 if you have been slacking, there is still time to make it!! Follow Imagine Music Festival 2018: Facebook Twitter Instagram Official Website The post A Pre-Game Playlist to Preview Imagine’s Lineup appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source

Canberra electronic producer, Amastro (real name Angus Murphy) has been makig some serious waves in the electronic scene over the past months. And the energetic young producer returns in full force dropping his independently released sophomore EP titled “Insecure Demons“! The project has given Murphy the ability to explore some of his own insecurities and internal demons. Speaking to Stoney Roads about the EP, he said, “I really wanted to explore more of my spirituality and to be able to share my journey. This release includes a bunch of songs that I’ve wanted to listen to when I am chilling out but haven’t been available”. Having been on the scene just over two years now, he has had countless opportunities playing on some of the biggest and most prestigious Australian stages. With a tour set to supplement the EP release, and a supporting set during Carmada’s club tour, Australians will have plenty of time to acquaint themselves with the young producer! Check out a track-by-track review from the man himself below and stream Insecure Demons now! Tiger It was the 5th show on tour with Boo Seeka & Bootleg Rascal. Alcohol & drugs were flowing, yet for a moment in greenroom chaos, I was sober & tranquil. I felt a dark presence so I started meditating. I asked for protection for my divine light when suddenly a tiger entered my minds eye and destroyed the darkness. Inhibitions The track was inspired by the three days spent at Lost Paradise Festival, where I meditated in the forest and danced like a gypsy all night long. The track was referred to as the “mushie song” by Triple J listeners haha. Self Destruct Constantly touring and juggling both projects Gold Member & Amastro, I started to self-destruct. Thought maybe I was just crazy and that there was no greater meaning to life/nothing matters but then I found meaning in the meaningless. Pretty Scars Pretty Scars is an ode to the broken like me. It’s about the beauty you find within yourself after self-destruction. The love we discover for the scars of our experiences and the strength in our weaknesses. – Catch Amastro in a city near you soon! Source

Man, did Nirvana hate stardom. And not in the prefabricated, posturing way bands typically pretend to. There was a purity to the Seattle trio’s indifference to (or, in frontman Kurt Cobain’s case, an outright disdain for) its own success that was nearly as compelling as its already-great music. Now, almost 25 years after the band’s tragic dissolution, Nirvana’s appeal still in part stems from the ways the band provoked those who tried to glorify them. There’s the now-infamous Rolling Stone cover in which Cobain wore a shirt declaring that “Corporate Magazines Still Suck”, or the time he toyed with network censors by playing the first few bars of “Rape Me” live at the Video Music Awards. But Nirvana saved its most subversive, insolent trick for the very end. No one was ready for Nirvana to become the biggest band in the world in 1992. That goes double for Cobain, who wore his band’s worldwide fame like an itchy sweater he was dying to strip off. Nevermind did the unthinkable by tailoring ugly, underground rock for pop consumers, and it remains one of the most fascinating pop music evolutions of the past 30 years. But In Utero, the band’s third and final studio release, is amazing in the complete opposite way. If Nevermind built Nirvana into the biggest band in the world brick by brick, then In Utero was the wrecking ball they desperately tried to use to smash it all to smithereens. Forget any concerns about measuring up to the stratospheric expectations of its predecessor. This was a harsh, uncompromising rebuke of Nevermind’s polished, pop-friendly take on grunge and punk, a record that made the then-chic “alternative” moniker seem as tepid as tap water. Nirvana Rolling Stone Cover 1992, photo by mark Seliger The abrasive record Nirvana was aiming for required the right producer. The trio demoed songs extensively and considered working again with Jack Endino, who produced the band’s 1989 Sub Pop debut, Bleach. In the end, however, Nirvana enlisted the services of revered engineer and indie rock figurehead Steve Albini, who by then had developed the raw, powerful studio sound that has long become his signature. The band came into the record fans of Albini’s work, with Cobain citing the Pixies’ Surfer Rosa and The Breeders’ Pod as specific influences for the kind of sound he wanted for In Utero. Albini, on the other hand, chose to work with the band out of respect for the band’s mission to push back against their own stardom. His agreement to take on the band came with an edict: There would be no label reps, handlers, or other sorted interlopers allowed during the two-week sessions. The band agreed, going so far as to pay for the sessions out of pocket to distance themselves from label interference. Recording began at Pachyderm Studio in Cannon Falls, Minnesota, in February 1993. Nevermind might boast Nirvana’s best songs, but nothing in the band’s catalog sounds as brutally cathartic as In Utero. The bulk of the album’s tracks were recorded live with a full band, and the results teem with propulsive energy. Dave Grohl’s drums arguably steal the show, and Albini reportedly used as many as 30 mics to catch rock and roll’s most hard-hitting drummer at full throttle. Atop Grohl’s percussive assault, primal guitar sounds and raucous distortion further took Nirvana’s sound in a decidedly less commercial direction. The band often played up to this change in approach, nowhere more so than on “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter”, a track that despite its cheeky title never stood a chance of landing on an FM dial. “tourette’s” slams with the reckless punk abandon of a bunch of misfits bashing out in their parents’ garage, while the flashes of experimental guitar on “Milk It” sound like a nod to art-damaged underground heroes like U.S. Maple and Jesus Lizard. Even the catchiest tunes on In Utero sound too dark for mass embrace. Singles “Heart Shaped Box” and “All Apologies” are great additions to the Nirvana cannon, but they’re not the anthemic rally cry that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was. But this was all precisely by design. Having reached the pinnacle of the pop music landscape, Nirvana were now trying to come crashing back down to Earth. Despite some pushback from the band’s label and management about the record’s relatively non-commercial sound (as well as additional remixes that were done after their work with Albini had finished), In Utero was released on September 21, 1993. Cobain was deliberate about his attempt to shed a good portion of the band’s fan base with In Utero, but he ultimately failed. The record landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 while critics continued to heap praise on the band. The verdict was in: There was nothing that Cobain and Nirvana could do to get out from under the success that had come to them. They had become the anointed ones, poster children for the alternative rock generation. Cobain tried to creatively bring his world back into some kind of balance to no avail, and as the pressures of fame and success continued to mount, the singer’s drug addiction and depression ultimately drove him to do the unthinkable. Cobain would be found dead in his Seattle home of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on April 5, 1994, barely six months after In Utero’s release. Before Cobain’s death, it might have been easy to write off In Utero as some sort of chaotic ruse or the work of a band trying maybe a little to hard to sell the world on its anti-establishment bona fides. But knowing what we know now, it’s hard to dismiss the sincerity behind the record’s aggression. In Utero is the work of a truly gifted but troubled songwriter walking perilously close to the edge of his personal cliff, and the record is loaded with overt references to his struggles. Cobain touches on selling out his principles ( “Teenage angst has paid off well/ Now I’m bored and old,” he sings on album opener “Serve the Servants”), depression (“I miss the comfort of being sad,” he bemoans on “Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle”), and his general confusion about his lot in life (“Dumb”). Hindsight is 20/20, but it’s hard 25 years later not to listen back on In Utero as equal parts artistic achievement and cry for help. Nevermind might be the record that Nirvana is forever remembered by, but In Utero is arguably the truest representation of what Nirvana truly was, a massive band with the principles and integrity of one half its size. Cobain’s fear of selling out drove much of his band’s final studio record, but those fears were unfounded. Nirvana’s last stand isn’t just a great record by grunge’s flagship band. It’s a difficult but ironclad document of artistic bravery. Source

There is no denying the contribution the Sweat It Out label has had on the local and global music scene, and the announce of a new vinyl release paying tribute to founder and DJ god AJAX and his legacy to the Australian scene music is a bloody good reason to celebrate. Sydney DJ AJAX was instrumental in it’s origins and provides on-going inspiration of the label we know today with the bucket load of talent that has been released a testament to that. With the amount of releases ticking over a cool 217 the team have been hard at work and this, an opportunity to highlight some of the most memorable originals and remixes on the label. What the first side of the vinyl will deliver on is the older tracks that were likely a result of AJAX himself. You will be treated to an unreleased song from him named ‘I’m Hot’, which is a major throwback to the genres and sounds that started the label. Also included will be the last promo piece from AJAX, in the form of a vinyl booklet, on the release of Parachute Youth and their unforgettable track, ">Can’t Get Better Than This, which was the second track to go global – the first being, ">We Speak No Americano, by Yolanda Be Cool. Side C and D has some of the later and bigger releases Sweat It Out has had to offer. Synonymous with the success they have had, it will feature ">‘Take Me’ by RÜFÜS DU SOL, then named RÜFÜS, and include their 2014 signing Motez and his club hit ">‘Promise Me’. Also featured, will be the track that was recently #1 on the ARIA Club Charts for 9 weeks, in the form of Dom Dolla & Go Freek’s track ">‘Freek’. Finishing the smorgasbord of hits, we head to the colossal song ">‘Jaguar’ by What So Not in all its splendor, and a rightful closure to the songs that have represented Sweat It Out in its innovative 10 years of existence. You can clearly hear the evolution of the sounds and influences of the music through the years, but the indelible tribute to the man who shaped the formative years of Sweat It Out’s music will always be the same. The vinyl is set to be released Friday the 2nd of November but you can pre-order it here. Check out the tracklisting below; 1. Ajax – I’m Hot (Mixed) 2. Midnight Juggernauts – Shadows (Ajax Remix) (Mixed) 3. Twinsy – Back Of My Car (Mixed) 4. Northbrook – Move Your Body (Ajax Remix) (Mixed) 5. Gameboy Gamegirl – Sweaty Wet / Dirty Damp (Mixed) 6. Monkey Safari – Those Dancing Days (Mixed) 7. Danny T – Mean Baby (Mixed) 8. What So Not – 7 Dollar Bill (Mixed) 9. Rüfüs – Take Me (Mixed) 10. Parachute Youth – Can’t Get Better Than This 11. Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP – Soul Makossa (Money) (Mixed) 12. Indian Summer – Grand Rapids (Mixed) 13. Crooked Colours – Come Down (Mixed) 14. Dom Dolla & Go Freek – Define (Mixed) 15. Motez – Promise Me (Mixed) 16. What So Not Jaguar (Mixed) Source

You can’t currently have a discussion about Australian festivals without talking about Pitch Music & Arts. For the last two years, their 4-day camping event has featured the sort of lineups you would expect to see in Europe. Well, they are back and not only have they announced the return dates to be from the 8th of March to the 11th of March, but they have also announced that Daniel Avery is the first act to be officially announced for next year’s event. The Brit announced himself in 2013 via his debut LP Drone Logic, an album which shaped a fresh and exciting new groove into dance music and secured its position as a bona fide scene classic. Not only is he moulding the sound of modern day techno, but he is also adding his flair to the global scene via Phantasy Records, a label he co-runs alongside fellow taste maker Erol Alkan. Together they are responsible for releasing some of the most cutting-edge dance music available today. We are just a little bit excited to hear who might be next. Stay tuned to the Pitch Music & Arts socials for more info as it happens… Source

Dickey Betts, a founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, is in critical condition following “freak accident” at his Sarasota home. According to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the 74-year-old Betts “while playing with the family dog, slipped and cracked his head, causing bleeding from the brain.” His manager, David Spero, said Betts is currently listed as being in “stable but critical condition.” He’s set to undergo brain surgery on Friday to relieve swelling. “It was just a few days ago that Dickey was telling me how excited he was to get back in front of the fans,” Spero added. “It is very unfortunate, for all involved, that we need to cancel those shows. Please add Dickey into your thoughts and prayers. I’ll keep everyone updated on his expected progress.” (Read: The 10 Best Bands With Siblings) The canceled dates in question were originally supposed to be with his group, The Dickey Betts Band. Known for being the mastermind behind Allman Brothers classics like “Ramblin’ Man” and “Blue Sky”, Betts returned to the stage this summer for the first time in three years following the retirement of the Allman Brothers in 2014. However, he was forced to cancel some of those summer dates after suffering from a stroke in August. In May 2017, Allman Brothers co-founder Gregg Allman passed away from complications from liver disease. Dickey Betts 2018-2019 Tour Dates: 11/01 – Augusta, GA @ Bell Auditorium 11/03 – Pompano Beach, FL @ Pompano Beach Amphitheater 11/05 – Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall 11/09 – Hampton Beach, NH @ Hampton Beach Casino 01/06 – Carribean @ Southern Rock Cruise Source

KISS appeared on America’s Got Talent on Wednesday night (September 19th), performing “Detroit Rock City” on the show’s season finale, but the big news came in the form of a major announcement. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band revealed they will embark on a final tour. “All that we have built and all that we have conquered over the past four decades could never have happened without the millions of people worldwide who’ve filled clubs, arenas and stadiums over those years. This will be the ultimate celebration for those who’ve seen us and a last chance for those who haven’t. KISS Army, we’re saying goodbye on our final tour with our biggest show yet and we’ll go out the same way we came in… Unapologetic and Unstoppable,” said KISS in a statement. [Read: The Time KISS Released Four Solo Albums in One Day] Dates have not yet been announced for the trek, which is being dubbed the “End of the Road World Tour”, but a press release states that KISSonline.com will have updates in the weeks to come. KISS have embarked on farewell tours in the past, but this time it looks like it’s for real. Check out their performance on America’s Got Talent below. Metallica’s Top 5 Songs Tool’s Top 5 Music Videos Behemoth's Top 5 Songs Alice in Chains' Top 5 Videos Pearl Jam’s “Jeremy” Annotated Video Source

Sydney glitch producer William. has just shared ‘The Rat King’, a heavy, withering new track for those wanting a change in listening their listening habits. First thing to do is to go into a little bit of the history about the Sydney artist and what has made him hit hard time and time again. What you will first notice with his songs is his meticulous use of textures that have been a theme since his remix of Flume’s Wall Fuck two years ago now, that are used in such a way that you have likely never heard of before, and still incredibly current to the scene. His very strong melodic sense as to how to hold your interest through diverse rhythm in his tracks he has been doing consistently releasing over the last few months. Then in what is probably his most forward thinking attribute to electronic music, William. uses is his very bold technique of pitch bending the end of melodic progressions in songs like recent song Telekinesis that puts you in awe of what you are listening to, and did just that very thing to What So Not recently, as seen in this video. Getting into the track, it has a potency to it that is laced with excitement with every element chosen in the song. Playing with a bouncing sample that is timed with an unassuming kick and bass pattern, the track increasingly introduces menacing melodic rhythm to grittier and grittier bass sounds that you have no option but focus on. Paying close attention you notice the finer elements of how he masterfully increases the blending of the original sample with melody, by chopping and changing melodies and samples alike with finesse into the crescendo of the last chorus. I wouldn’t hold your breath to wait on this artist before he gets big, so get around the track and be very watchful for when the next gig is out so you can hear this large track live. Stream the track below and let us know what your thoughts are on the song. Source

You know it’s going to be a good year when Cashmere Cat teases new music with the Norwegian producer slipping one past fans from a recent show. The unreleased number, the first music since the release of his debut album ‘9’ in April last year is pumped full of sparkly Cashmere goodness and a reminder you don’t need a filthy drop to get a crowd moving. Fans were quick to point out the similarities between this and XXXTentacion’s “MOONLIGHT” in terms of chords which might suggest it’s a remix of sorts but we’re sure all will be revealed. Check out the two tracks below! ✨ playing a new song pic.twitter.com/oKUbHcix4A — cashmere cat (@CASHMERECAT) September 18, 2018 Source

As everyone knows good and well, Deadmau5 is one of the worlds most renowned DJ’s as he was one of the first artists to release EDM music and since then has made a huge impact unlike any other. It was just a matter of time until he expanded his career, and he’s doing just that. Just yesterday, Netflix and Constantin Film announced that Deadmau5 will create his first ever film soundtrack for Polar which is set to release next year. According to the main press announcement, “Polar is based upon the Dark Horse action noir graphic novel Polar: Came From the Cold by Victor Santos. The world’s top assassin, Duncan Vizla, aka the Black Kaiser, is settling into retirement when his former employer marks him as a liability to the firm. Against his will, he fins himself back in the game going head to head with an army of younger, faster, ruthless killers who will stop at nothing to have him silenced.” The entire film soundtrack will be produced by Deadmau5 himself. “The Constantin Film/Bolt Pictures co-production, in association with Dark Horse Entertainment stars Mads Mikkelsen (Doctor Strange, Rogue One), Vanessa Hudgens (Spring Breakers, Beastly), Katheryn Winnick (Vikings)and Matt Lucas (Alice In Wonderland, Doctor Who, Little Britain). It is produced by Constantin Film’s Robert Kulzer (Resident Evil franchise), Jeremy Bolt (Resident Evil franchise, Death Race), Hartley Gorenstein (Room) and is Executive Produced by Constantin Film’s Martin Moszkowicz, Mads Mikkelsen, and Dark Horse Entertainment’s Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg.” Netflix is set to release the film in 2019 but wont be seen in Canada, Germany, and China. The post Deadmau5 to Make Film-Score for Netflix Movie appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

On paper, Ticketmaster has long opposed ticket scalping. In the terms and conditions on its website, the Live Nation subsidiary clearly indicates ticket limits for buyers, and the company even has gone so far as to sue online ticket brokers like Prestige Entertainment for allegedly using bot software. In an interesting turn of events, however, it appears that Ticketmaster has had its own pockets in the scalping business all along. In an investigative report, CBC and Toronto Star uncovered evidence that Ticketmaster has been operating its own secret scalping scheme. Both Canadian outlets sent journalists posing as scalpers to the Ticket Summit industry conference held in Las Vegas back in July. It was there that the two were allegedly approached by Ticketmaster and briefed on the company’s seedy reselling scheme. The scam sees scalpers purchasing tickets from Ticketmaster, then reselling them at a higher price on Ticketmaster’s own secondary market platform TradeDesk. Under this scenario, Ticketmaster successfully inflates ticket prices and successfully profits not once, but twice — first on the fees of the initial ticket sale to scalpers, then on the fees captured during the pricier resale transactions made on TradeDesk. According to the undercover report, not only is Ticketmaster recruiting these scalpers into its secret program, but it is also actively turning a blind eye to actions that violate the company’s own terms of service. The Toronto Star writes that scalpers face little to no consequences when it comes to the ticket buying process, such as when they initially purchase beyond the stated ticket limit: “If we identify breaches of these limits … we reserve the right to cancel any such orders,” read Ticketmaster’s general terms and conditions. “Use of automated means to purchase tickets is strictly prohibited.” But ticket resellers who break those rules have no reason to be concerned, the sales executive reassured. A blind eye will be turned. “We don’t spend any time looking at your Ticketmaster.com account. I don’t care what you buy. It doesn’t matter to me,” said the Trade Desk sales executive. “There’s total separation between Ticketmaster and our division. It’s church and state … We don’t monitor that at all.” This isn’t the first time Ticketmaster has come under fire for supposedly being in bed with scalpers. When Prestige Entertainment was sued by Ticketmaster last October, the online ticket broker shot back with counterclaims of its own. Its main argument was that Ticketmaster was itself guilty of trying to game the ticket buying system. “However, TM fails to mention that, on information and belief, many tickets for each show of Hamilton were in fact never placed onto the primary ticket exchange, but went directly to the secondary ticket market for resale at significantly higher prices,” Prestige commented in a statement. Ticketmaster has yet to issue a public statement, but wrote to CBC, saying “that as the world’s leading ticketing platform, representing thousands of teams, artists and venues, we believe it is our job to offer a marketplace that provides a safe and fair place for fans to shop, buy and sell tickets in both the primary and secondary markets.” Below, watch uncover footage from the Las Vegas Ticket Summit: Source

Chevy Chase was the first breakout star to be born on Saturday Night Live. Despite his swift rise in Hollywood, he always regretted leaving after just a year and a half of the program. “I’d do it again in a minute,” he said in a newly published The Washington Post profile. He probably wouldn’t do it with the current cast, though, as he had some exceedingly harsh words for the modern SNL in the very same interview. Speaking with the Post’s Geoff Edgers, Chase offered up some words about SNL “off the record” — despite the fact that a microphone and recorder were sitting right in front of him. “First of all, between you and me and a lamppost, jeez, I don’t want to put down Lorne or the cast, but I’ll just say, maybe off the record, I’m amazed that Lorne has gone so low,” he said into the aforementioned microphone. “I had to watch a little of it, and I just couldn’t f—— believe it.” When Edgers pointed out that the current SNL cast is actually very popular with millions of viewers, Chase replied “That means a whole generation of shitheads laughs at the worst fucking humor in the world… How could you dare give that generation worse shit than they already have in their lives? It just drives me nuts.” (Read: Why I Have a Hard Time Watching National Lampoon’s Vacation) In Chase’s mind SNL hasn’t been the same since those first two landmark seasons. “Why am I saying that? Because I was in it? I guess. That’s a horrible thing to say,” he said anyway. “But certainly I never had more fun. I really loved it and enjoyed it. I didn’t see the same fun thing happening to the cast the next year.” He had further unflattering appraisals for some of the show’s recent stars, including Will Ferrell (“Just not funny”) and Tina Fey (“I didn’t see what all the folderol was about. She was good”). Keeping in mind that this is the same interview where he tried to explain away racist comments he made to Donald Glover on the set of Community as “jokes,” Chase had this to say of Eddie Murphy: “I thought Eddie Murphy was funny. Gumby. I found that funny and people loved that. . . . Stevie Wonder, he did well. [Pause.] It’s not that hard, for Christ’s sake. Your skin’s the same color. You just put on some sunglasses and do this.” Elsewhere, he talked about bumping into Glover backstage during last year’s SNL season finale. Recalling the incident — again, just sentences away from downplaying his racial insensitivity — Chase said, “I never saw a guy turn white so fast.” Yikes. The whole Wash Post piece is a fascinating look at Chase’s career, poor reputation, and hopes for a third resurgence now that he’s sober. Read the whole thing at The Washington Post. Saturday Night Live returns for its 44th season on September 29th. Kanye West will be making his seventh appearance on the show as musical guest, while Adam Driver will serve as host. Source

Techno artist Maceo Plex I have been fortunate enough to have seen a lot of shows. Festival shows, techno and house shows, much of which are at local casinos or clubs. Point being, I have not been luck enough to see something like this. A full DJ set on a boat. DJ Maceo Plex, Eric Estornel, performed a high energy set on the Hudson River overlooking New York City. Maceo Plex on Hudson River for Cercle First of all, performing on any boat is one thing, but when perform it on a river in one of the most visited places in the world, it is extra special. As you can see, fans braved some rainy conditions to rave with the Cuban-American DJ. The video, presented by Cercle, is shot from a drone providing beautiful views of the New York City skyline. Cercle is a live stream platform priding itself on showcasing and promoting unique DJ sets in unusual places. Mace0 Plex has been a longtime perform all over Ibiza, so he is no stranger to performing at cool venues all over the world. If you would like to see him perform you can check him out at Hi Ibiza in Spain and Fix Factory in Greece on September 20th. Click here for additional tour dates and don’t miss you chance to experience a Cercle event. Enjoy Maceo Plex’s set on the Hudson River for Cercle.  Follow Maceo Plex: Facebook | SoundCloud | Instagram | The post Maceo Plex Spins Intimate Deep Techno Set on Hudson River appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source