Defense tech darling Mach Industries hits $1.8B valuation, a 4x jump in a yearIn a wild ride for 22-year-old founder and CEO Ethan Thornton, Mach Industries has raised another $300 million. It already has five autonomous vehicles in development and completed a major acquisition.

Lily Allen at The Orpheum Theatre  Los Angeles, CAWeb: lilyallenmusic.com

The noise surrounding Lily Allen’s incredible 2025 comeback album West End Girl has been close to deafening. Justifiably so, because this is so much more than a regular album. West End Girl recalls, in excruciating detail, a chapter of Allen’s life that could diplomatically be referred to as difficult. Moreover, it’s a vitally important opus because it lends a voice to other women in an abusive situation. 

We knew, going into the first of Allen’s two nights at the Orpheum, that the album is essentially about her marriage to actor David Harbour which lasted from 2020 to 2025. We knew that there was a definite “ick” element about the whole concept of essentially being pushed into an open marriage. From the day of the record’s release, that felt like a very specific form of hell: wanting a loving, committed, monogamous marriage but being faced with the choice of “open or nothing” and choosing the former in order to keep the family together.

It’s also true that, while with Harbour, Allen didn’t release an album. Her last one prior to West End Girl was 2018’s No Shame. The fact that Harbour sent Allen a sinister note with “bad luck flowers” when she appears in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story in 2021 naturally makes one wonder just how controlling he was over her career.

Regardless, Allen is back now, the album is pure brilliance, and her one woman show at the Orpheum was a celebration of those things. Still, it remains a fact that we weren’t ready for the emotions that this album, performed start-to-finish on this tour, would stir in the live environment. Seeing Allen, alone on stage and utterly vulnerable, singing these beautiful, strong, devastating songs was an undeniably powerful experience. 

It’s worth mentioning that, as an opening act, the Dallas Minor Trio is a group of cellists who play songs from Allen’s prior albums, while a screen beams out the lyrics so that the crowd can sing along. Tons of fun to be had there, and it highlights the fact that Allen is the focus here.

Again, the album was performed in its entirety and in order, so Allen’s set list offered no surprises. The title track kicked off the West End Girl show, a song that immediately introduced the toxicity that plagued Allen’s marriage: “You were pushing it forward, Made me feel a bit awkward.” The songs also dip into the aforementioned play (gifting the album and song its title): “That’s when your demeanor started to change, You said that I’d have to audition, I said, ‘You’re deranged.’”

With the stage set, Allen moved straight into “Ruminating,” a song that any human can relate to. Her husband is out and about, sleeping with other people, and Allen is lying awake at night unable to exorcise the mental image. Pure, vicious agony!

“Sleepwalking” is nothing short of a musical plea. “Tennis” and then “Madeline” awkwardly introduce the begrudged rules of their “open marriage.” Jesus fucking Christ, it’s all so unpleasant. “Pussy Palace” follows, and then “4chan Stan,” with the refrain “What a sad, sad man, It’s giving 4chan stan.” 

“Nonmonogamummy” is the best song on the album, and of the night. Structurally, it’s an upbeat pop song with a ‘60s go-go vibe, plus additional vocals by reggae man Specialist Moss. But, unsurprisingly given this album, the lyrics touch all the feels: “I’ve been trying to be open, I just want to meet your needs, and for some reason, I revert to people pleasing, I’ll be your Nonmonogamummy.” Just ouch!

“Dallas Major” gets its name from the moniker Allen used on the dating apps that she didn’t want to be using. Through it all, she poured her heart out for Los Angeles, and the crowd reacted in kind. This wasn’t just a concert, or even a regular one-woman theatrical performance. This was and is a giant therapy session. It’s also a display of strength, of resilience, and yes, of love. 

Musically, the songs are dazzling; 14 pop gems ending with the ultimately affirming “Fruityloop.” Allen’s voice is on point throughout and, when she took her flowers at the show’s conclusion, it would be tough to imagine that any artist has earned them more. 

Photos by Christina Bryson (@averagecowgirl).The post Lily Allen at The Orpheum Theatre  Los Angeles, CA first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Automaton41 UnglareUnglare removes harsh glare from cymbals, synths, drums, vocals, and full mixes — without EQ, reverb, or losing brightness. Phase dispersion pushes harsh frequency content back in the mix by changing when frequencies arrive, not what's there. The result is a smoother, more controlled sound that retains its brightness and energy. Features: - Asymmetric saturation for subtle, musical coloration. - Magnetic hysteresis (Jiles-Atherton model) for warm, analog-style transient interaction. - Pitch drift to loosen rigidity in static-sounding material. - Real-time 3D spectrum analyzer. - Wet Mix knob for parallel processing. - Controls: Depth, HF Smear, Tube Bend, Drive, Softening, Pitch Drift, Anti-Digital, Bloom, Trans Bend, Stereo, Output, Wet Mix. Works on individual tracks (cymbals, drums, synths, vocals) and on the mix bus. Lightweight (under 1.1 MB). Pay-what-you-want pricing from $0. Includes four builds in a single purchase: - Windows x64 VST3 (512 KB) — all Windows DAWs. - Windows ARM64 VST3 (442 KB) — Surface Pro, Snapdragon laptops. - macOS Universal VST3 (1.1 MB) — Reaper, Ableton, Bitwig, etc. - macOS Universal AU (960 KB) — Logic, GarageBand. Read More

Bitcoin volatility is down 56% but analysts still expect up to 20% BTC price moveBitcoin’s sharp volatility decline coincides with a 114-day trading range, setting the stage for a potential 10% to 20% price move, but the direction remains uncertain.

On the Wisdom of Replacing a NiMH Module in a Prius Battery PackOld versus new Prius NiMH module. (Credit: HubNut, YouTube)
It’s possible to get a pretty good deal on used Toyota Prius cars, but as with all hybrid cars that also means a used battery pack and resulting issues. In the case of the Gen 2 Prius that [HubNut] recently acquired it was clear that its battery was effectively toast, with the engine running constantly and the car often giving up due to detected issues with the pack. After getting to an EV-focused garage for repairs, a spare NiMH module was used to replace a problematic module to bring it back to good health, while raising the question of how sensible such a repair is.
Certainly, compared to the average BEV where a much larger battery is generally integrated well into the frame, a Prius makes things very easy, with the compact battery readily accessible and removable from the trunk. It is also a very modular battery, with some elbow grease and bolt-twisting enough to disassemble it.
Even with that it still a high-voltage battery with all the associated risks, and as raised in the comments there’s a big question about putting a new(er) cell into a pack with more worn-out NiMH cells as generally the cells wear out fairly evenly. While this fix can give the pack some more life, the new cell won’t match the internal resistance and other parameters of the pack, leading to issues like voltage drift. Then there’s the issue that if one cell failed, others probably aren’t far behind, so this hack would soon become a regular ritual.
Much like swapping one bad 18650 Li-ion cell in a bigger battery, it’s probably a more sustainable solution to simply replace the entire battery at once, or at least replace all modules or cells to properly refurbish it. For [HubNut] this fix suffices because he suspects that this pack was already assembled from random modules, it’s an important consideration to make if you don’t enjoy ending up stranded during a trip.

TikTok trumpets Temper City’s viral ‘Self Aware’ as SoundOn expands services for US indie artists and labelsThe track has surpassed 150m streams on Spotify and has been used to soundtrack more than 6.4m videos on TikTok
Source

Scaler Music Carbon Electra 2 Carbon Electra 2 is a four-oscillator instrument that offers wavetable and wave terrain synthesis, but its standout feature is the inclusion of a whole host of “musical intelligence” features.

Get Audio Assault’s Voice of Reason bass enhancer plugin for FREE
You can now download Audio Assault’s Voice of Reason bass enhancer plugin for free. Audio Assault is the developer behind Amp Locker and Mix Locker, two collections with lots of free content. Amp Locker is a collection of amp sims, cabs, and FX pedals that includes the Prestige 1950 (a British hot-rodded amp) and various [...]
View post: Get Audio Assault’s Voice of Reason bass enhancer plugin for FREE

“The role of the music webstore is becoming less significant”: Independent music webstore Juno Download has shut downAfter two decades, Juno Download has called it a day – without any prior notice. The abrupt closure comes as a massive shock to users, with some netizens claiming they were buying music from the digital store mere hours before its surprise shutdown.
The news broke when Juno Download updated its online webstore, which now restricts you from searching through its music catalogue. Now, it simply displays a bittersweet farewell on the homepage. “It’s been our privilege to share some of the most incredible music from the most amazing artists, but we’re sorry to say, that the time has come to say goodbye,” the announcement reads.
The message also redirects customers to competitor stores Traxsource and Beatport, explaining that “for now, this is Juno Download signing off”.

READ MORE: “I just want to hear the band!”: Jack Antonoff on why artists should strip back their production

For anyone worried about their pre-existing purchases, the announcement explains that users can get in contact if they need any help securing content from their accounts. “You can download previous orders from your account, and if you need to get in touch, please send us a message, and we will help out however we can,” it concludes.
Juno Download has also seemingly deleted its social media accounts, with its Instagram and Facebook pages both currently inaccessible.
Speaking to Resident Advisor, Juno Download’s COO Lucas Garcia also suggests that webstores like Juno Download have simply become obsolete. In his opinion, buying digital music just isn’t as common in the age of streaming. “It’s obviously a sad day, but as streaming has become the dominant model of digital music consumption, artists and labels are now more connected than ever with their fans via social media and ‘direct to fan’ services like Bandcamp, so the role of the music webstore is becoming less significant” he explains.
First established in 2006, Juno Download has served as a holy grail for dance music lovers. The independent store has not only been a great way to discover new artists, while also keeping pricing lower than its competitors.
Over on Reddit, Juno Download customers are mourning the abrupt closure of the store. Users note that Juno Download was a blessing in comparison with the site’s “expensive” competitors – however, while this was a perk for customers, it may have lead to the store’s downfall. Some users note that the site had experienced some price increases over the last year, concluding that the hiked prices may not have been enough to make ends meet.
Despite Juno Download saying goodbye, Juno’s vinyl store is still running. While downloading digital music has gone out of fashion, physical media is back in. Back in April, Forbes reported that the vinyl market surpassed $1 billion in 2025, due to the recent boom of ‘going analogue’ and embracing reliable, physical forms of media.
The post “The role of the music webstore is becoming less significant”: Independent music webstore Juno Download has shut down appeared first on MusicTech.

IK Multimedia release Royal 45 Legends Signature Collection The newest addition to IK Multimedia’s ever-growing TONEX line-up introduces a set of three incredibly rare British-made amps that helped to shape the sound of classic rock. 

Audio Plugin Deals launches June Mega Bundle with five tools for $9.99
Audio Plugin Deals has launched the June Mega Bundle, a $9.99 collection of virtual instruments, sound libraries, and cinematic assets. The June Mega Bundle is listed at $9.99 throughout June, down from a combined claimed value of $626. I think this kind of bundle is fun if you want to experiment with new sound sources. [...]
View post: Audio Plugin Deals launches June Mega Bundle with five tools for $9.99

“I just want to hear the band!”: Jack Antonoff on why artists should strip back their productionWhile mutating a bassline through plugins can add some experimental spice to your production, it’s important to know when an instrument’s raw sound is exactly what a track needs. In fact, Jack Antonoff insists that, in such a filtered, AI-heavy world, it’s becoming even more vital to strip things back now and then.
Speaking on the Tape Notes podcast, Antonoff digs into his band Bleachers’ latest single, I’m Not Joking. He explains that the recording ultimately began as a demo session in an unfamiliar Rome studio, with little focus on what mics were being used to record – but that blasé, spur-of-the-moment approach is exactly what made it work. “I was so out of my element… so [I wasn’t] being obsessive [about] what [mics] I wanted…” he explains.  “I focused on recording demos with the band in the room [and wasn’t] being precious about how things were hooked up.”

READ MORE: “Who cares if you layer two kicks if it sounds great?”: Collect 200 talk synths, samples and letting the strongest parts of your tracks speak for themselves

The approach was just to “keep moving”, focusing on tracking drums, bass and piano just to get it down and chase the bubbling inspiration. And it’s something you can sense on the track, because Antonoff ended up using minimal plugins to tweak the final track. “I could turn off every plug-in in the session, and it would sound no different,” he says. “The plug-ins going on are essentially just carving here and there for a little bit of energy.”

“What I love about this song [is that] I’m not trying to show you, ‘oh, you’re never going to guess what I did with B3…’” he adds. “I’m free of that. I’m just in the room with someone playing a B3. And it’s an interesting thing I’m going through – and maybe some people are too – where I feel the most shocked by the least ‘pretence’ [on a track].”
He goes on to note that the mindset may be “a reaction to the world in general”, considering how ultra-filtered and AI-infused music has become in recent years. “Maybe all this is just a fucking reaction to culture and the concept of interesting sounds being more duplicable than they ever were that I just want to hear the band!” he explains.
Just listening to the track, you can tell that it didn’t need to be overcooked in production. “Maybe if I was in a nice studio, I’d do this with tape, offset it, and just automatically kind of ‘Bowie’ it…” he says. But, as Antonoff notes, the track allows listeners to “hear everyone just completely as they are”, and that is what makes the track so special.

Antonoff has made his stance on AI very clear, recently posting a massive condemnation of the “slop” it creates. His social media post reads: “What we do has become an ancient ritual. You don’t have to write music anymore, you don’t have to record it and you don’t have to bring the band out and play it. And yet for us, the idea of optimising what we do is a complete miss of the entire point of what compels us in the first place.
“We (myself, the band and everyone I know) have never been looking for this work to become quicker or easier. We were never frustrated by the randomness and magic it takes. We do it for that exact reason – and without the process itself ::: nothingness. So to everyone who is gassed up about the new ways you can fake making art, by all means drive right off that cliff. We’re genuinely happy to see you go.”
“Writing music, recording and performing it – that’s it. Nothing more embarrassing than considering there is a way to optimise that holy process. Godless whores.”

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The post “I just want to hear the band!”: Jack Antonoff on why artists should strip back their production appeared first on MusicTech.

Erin Brockovich takes aim at data center secrecyEnvironmental activist Erin Brockovich has a new mission.

A Camera Viewfinder Makes A Great TVWhen we think of CRT camera viewfinders, most of us probably imagine the tiny CRTs you’d find in a 1980s camcorder. They’re super cute and a load of fun to play with, but they’re very much a consumer device. Professional cameras of the type you’d find in a studio had their own viewfinders, which were a lot closer to a small TV. They’re about as high quality as it gets for a monochrome CRT, and [Evan Monsma] has done the conversion to a general-purpose monitor.
On one side, this is a very straightforward hack, simply a case of tracing wires to identify the power and video pins. Given a tool battery, the monitor fires up and gives a super-sharp picture. What we like about this is the wooden base he’s made for the thing, at the same time rough-and-ready, and professional-looking from the outside. It has a routed space for the cables, and once mounted flush with the monitor base and given a bit of wood stain, it looks almost as though it was manufactured that way.
It’s likely most of us won’t find a broadcast viewfinder in the trash, instead settling at best for a little Chinese portable TV. But it’s still interesting to see these unusual devices. Perhaps it might make a good cyberdeck.

Thanks [Luis] for the tip!

Strategy's Michael Saylor teases BTC buy with 'working better' tweetStrategy could be set to announce it has resumed buying Bitcoin after pausing in recent weeks as the biggest crypto looks poised to close out the month down more than 3.5%.