A workshop with Mark De Clive-Lowe, a new Moog, the life and death of the mix CD, how Berkshire went Balearic and the socially phobic pop star Sia.
A workshop with Mark De Clive-Lowe. Artist, producer, composer, pianist, performer, DJ, and selector; the multi-talented De Clive-Lowe explains his background and gives an in-depth run through of the technology used in his extraordinarily live-oriented approach to creating and performing electronic music. Watch above.
The life and death of the mix CD. With so many DJ mixes available for free online, why would anyone pay for one? The mix CD lives on in the face of an increasingly difficult market. RA goes behind the process of the embattled format to discover how labels are weathering the storm here.
Berkshire Goes Balearic. Dazed charts the untold story of the Balearic sound and how hedonism gripped the hearts, minds and dancefloors of the Home Counties as part of their new five-part music documentary series ‘Music Nation’. Commissioned by Channel 4, it documents footage and interviews with partygoers and DJs involved in the initial spread of Ibizan rave through UK clubs and culture around 1988/89. Watch here.
The Socially Phobic Pop Star. The New York Times reports on the life and work of Sia Furler, the one-woman hit factory who’s written songs for artists like Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé, and whose hits – including Flo Rida’s ‘Wild Ones’, Rihanna’s ‘Diamonds’ and Eminem’s ‘Beautiful Pain’ — seem to roll off something of a pop-music assembly line. Give it a read here.
Five essential pieces in KiNK’s studio. The Bulgarian producer showcases a few of his favourite toys, which include plenty of quirky analogue gear. KiNK also speaks about his use for each bit of kit, how he acquired it, and the highly addictive world of modular synthesis here.
Terrence Parker DJ tour debt relief fund. In one of the strangest crowdfunding projects we’ve seen yet, Terrence Parker is trying to raise $20k to “help cover debts owed to promoters due to poor DJ Tour management”. In Terrence’s words: “My once stellar reputation has been damaged because of many broken or empty promises made which left me unable to travel and perform at several shows; disappointing my fans and friends. I have been working very hard on my own trying to recoup the monies to restore the promoters.”
Moog Werkstatt coming to Moogfest. Moog releases a sneak preview image of a new Werkstatt Analog Synthesizer. Details are still to come, but a couple of interesting features include a break-out patchbay, allowing modular patching of the unit, and a button-style keyboard.
Elektron Analog Rytm now shipping. The Swedish hardware manufacturer’s latest premium creation is a drum machine and sequencer featuring a specialised analogue percussion sound generator, sample playback and 12 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, along with stereo compression, distortion, overdrive and multi-mode filtering. Find out more here.
Arturia Beatstep now shipping. A 16-step analogue sequencer, the Beatstep’s extensive connectivity allows you to interface it with a computer or iPad using USB, a drum module using MIDI or an analogue synthesiser equipped with CV/gate, offering a new degree of functionality and performance for a portable pad controller. The Beatstep is priced at €99. More information here.
12.54 PM
Ooooh, that Terrence Parker thing in cringeworthy.
Unless I’m mistaken (and I don’t think I am),, he wants the public to payback promoters because he didn’t turn up for shows he was paid for.
I know if I am paid to do something and don’t do it, I give the money back. I don’t blame my “management”. Besides, we’re not talking multinational corporations here. His “management” structure could hardly be more than one or two people.
If there is more to this story, he needs to be very clear and fast because this is an event he will be remembered by, not his music.