Foreign Body Signs with Brutal PandaDate Signed: March 2026Label: Brutal PandaType of Music: Noise-Rock, PunkManagement: bob@brutalpandarecords.comBooking: bob@brutalpandarecords.comPublicity: dave@earsplitcompound.com A&R: bob@brutalpandarecords.comWeb: instagram.com/foreignbody_nyc

The members of Brooklyn-based grimy noise-rockers Foreign Body have been knocking around in different bands for the best part of a decade, often crossing paths during their college years. That’s where they met—at school in New York—and the idea of forming a band together took shape during COVID. Foreign Body was born.

“We wanted to try playing a style of music we felt not many other bands were approaching in a meaningful way,” they say.

They certainly achieved that. The music of Foreign Body is devastatingly ferocious and, dig beyond the uncompromising brutality, it’s also razor sharp and intelligent.

“We are a noise rock band that prioritizes aggression and immediacy,” they say. “Our influences lean towards the heavier, noisier, side of the genre. We have no use for Sonic Youth. When we first started playing there was a more overt post punk sound but that has been thoroughly rooted out over time. Now our sound is closer to orthodox blue collar noise rock bands like Flipper or even some power electronics than something like Unwound. In trimming a lot of the whiny moodiness, our sound has become more unified and intense in the process.”

Earlier this year, Foreign Body signed to Brutal Panda, known for its consistently excellent roster, and released the “Strung Out” single.

“It came about through word-of-mouth from our friends in Couch Slut who passed along the album to the team there,” they say. “Given the label’s roster, especially with bands like Cherubs, who we’ve always held as one of the best of our contemporaries, we thought it was a natural fit. Everyone at the label has been supportive of our music, art, and ideas for the release.”

The guys say that the “Strung Out” single is both the opening track of and the best distillation of their forthcoming full-length album.

“Despite being the first track, it was ultimately one of the last songs we wrote for the album, as we thought it needed something that felt more like a kick in the teeth to start,” they say. “We began working on the album almost immediately after our first album Fixed and in a lot of ways addressed the shortcomings of that record. The sound is simultaneously more dynamic and noisier while throwing in a couple of curveballs which we won’t spoil. Thematically it progresses naturally from themes present in the first—fantasy, vices, and a race to the bottom—while also diving further into subjectivity and a more profound sense of disgust.”The post Foreign Body Signs with Brutal Panda first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Bitcoin bounces off new 2026 price lows: Will US stock weakness push BTC lower?Bitcoin’s trek into new 2026 lows continued as spot BTC ETF outflows, a bearish monthly options expiry and Strategy’s unrealized losses widened its gap with AI-connected stock returns.

How to write a dramedy cue for TV: A step-by-step guide
Expert media composer Dave Croft breaks down how to write a dramedy cue for reality TV, covering sound selection, arrangement, and more.

Patronus AI lands $50M to build ‘digital worlds’ that stress-test AI agentsAgent-testing startup Patronus AI, founded by former Meta AI researchers, is experiencing nearly insatiable demand, its investor says.

Cheap 80s Keyboard Gets Modern Brain UpgradeThe 1981 Casio VL-1 was a fine cheap keyboard. It had a robust build, though an admittedly limited sound palette. [Max Vega] had one of these charming instruments, and decided to use modern tech to rebrain it for the modern world.
The original electronics of the VL-1 were largely surplus to requirements for this build. The original interface and speaker were kept in service, while the rest of the monophonic sound synthesis hardware was removed. [Max Vega] enlisted an ESP32-C3 to run the show, turning the VL-1 into a ROMpler instead. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it refers to a keyboard or other instrument that relies on hardcoded sample playback instead of raw synthesis. The ESP32 loads its samples from a microSD card, which provides an enormous amount of storage for different sound packs. Selecting different instruments is handled with a simple interface built around the original buttons and a OLED screen.  Playing the instrument is still the same using the simple keyboard, though [Max] also implemented some extra fun modes that play chords at a single touch.
If you want a fun, versatile keyboard instrument that fits perfectly in a backpack, it’s hard to go wrong with a build like this. We’ve seen similar Casio keyboard hacks before, too. Video after the break.

Aqeel Aadam Sound CoastlineCoastline is a dual-engine audio sustainer with intermodulation, advanced filtering, support for custom samples, and more – all in the service of adding depth and character to your music. Designed to create complementary ambience for any sound or composition, Coastline uses a combination of additive and granular synthesis to stretch sounds infinitely. Coastline uses two sustaining algorithms to resynthesize audio and stretch it forever: Tide – an additive synthesizer for reimagining sound. Control which frequencies of the input are mapped to oscillators, rebalance them to highlight harmonic or inharmonic characteristics, and introduce new frequencies with waveshaping. Glade – a granular synthesizer that stretches sound forever with no clicks or transients. Balance the original timbre of your sound against Tide's distilled version. Coastline's Audio Matrix lets you route any channel to intermodulate another, or itself. Create unique harmonic distortions, or load samples to introduce a completely new texture. Coastline includes built-in field samples by Nathan Moody for naturalistic textures. Furthermore, manipulate any control in Coastline with a fully fledged Modulation matrix, including multiple LFOs, sequencers, smooth random sources, and performance effects. Build completely custom effects using Coastline's state-of-the-art filter and reverb. Each engine and effect inside is designed to be immediately usable and configurable, or pushed into the territory of distortion and creative sound design. Connect to Coastline's sibling application, Waymaker, for even more sequencing and additional control over the pitch of Coastline's output. Full preset control over every parameter. Supported formats: VST3, AU (macOS), AAX, AUv3 (iOS). Manual Video manual and demo Read More

Diljit Dosanjh breaks his own record for biggest North American tour by a Punjabi artist with $32M Aura runLive Nation-promoted run sold more than 225,000 tickets, according to the concert giant.
Source

The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards on working with Andrew Watt: “He’s a bit impetuous at times, but then so what?”Keith Richards has shared what it’s like to work with producer Andrew Watt, describing him as a “breath of fresh air and a kick up the ass”.
Richards, who plays guitar for The Rolling Stones, notes that Watt can at times be “impetuous”, but it seems his nature is exactly what the band needed when it came to crafting their previous record, Hackney Diamonds, and forthcoming record Foreign Tongues.

READ MORE: “It all started with Ozzy”: How Andrew Watt pushed through self-doubt to become one of the world’s top producers

Speaking to The Guardian, Richards says, “Mick [Jagger]’s been very prolific lately, which is one reason this album has come out so quick, because he won’t bloody stop. And the momentum from Hackney Diamonds was such that this is basically carrying on in the same breath. I was just letting it roll – we had enough stuff if we wanted to keep pushing, and so Mick and I gave each other the usual wry look and said: ‘Yeah, let’s keep pushing.’”
Richards goes on to credit Watt, who at 35 years old has already worked with Paul McCartney, Elton John, Iggy Pop and a slew of contemporary acts like Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus, for their current creative synergy.
“He knows his stuff musically and technically, and he doesn’t put up with any bullshit – he just gets on with it. So I found him very easy to work with. He’s a bit impetuous at times, but then so what?” Asked if Watt has ever “given him a talking to”, Richards replies, “No. But he may have given somebody a talking-to.”

Paul McCartney also made similar comments about Watt earlier this year. He told MOJO, “I came away from the first session thinking, ‘Well, I like him, but he’s a bit pushy.”
In a 2025 interview with And The Writer Is…, Watt himself spoke of his intense approach to production. He said: “I’m so detail-oriented in my mixing process and production process. There’s not a thing in, like, a millisecond of any of my records that I don’t know exactly what it is and what it’s doing and why it’s there. So mixing the record is a very intense process for me.”
He added, “Once it’s out, I’d never listen to it again. If I did listen to it, I would want to change 100 things.”
The Rolling Stones’ new album, Foreign Tongues, lands on 10 July. Find out more via The Rolling Stones website.
The post The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards on working with Andrew Watt: “He’s a bit impetuous at times, but then so what?” appeared first on MusicTech.

Rev Ocean reverb from Arturia Described as an “instantly rewarding reverb”, the latest addition to Arturia’s range of creative effects plug-ins brings together multi-stage diffusion and deep modulation possibilities in an ocean-inspired interface. 

Ticket platform StubHub UK to refund more than 50,000 customers after drip pricing “platform error”Ticket resale platform StubHub UK has been ordered to refund over 50,000 customers due to not displaying total costs upfront to ticket buyers.
Not only is the platform refunding affected customers, with each customer expected to receive £10 on average per transaction according to reports, but it must also pay a £900,000 fine.

READ MORE: AVA London 2026 speakers include Moby, Oklou, Richie Hawtin and more

These orders follow an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The BBC reports that the CMA investigated several firms as part of a review of online pricing practices, such as drip pricing – when fees and charges are introduced later into the buying process – which was banned last year.
StubHub International claims the hidden fees were as a result of an “isolated platform error” that led to some charges appearing at checkout, rather than earlier in the buying process.
Emma Cochrane, executive director of consumer protection at the CMA, tells the BBC: “Hitting customers with hidden fees is illegal. It’s not fair to draw people in with what looks like a good deal, only for them to find the real price is higher when they get to the checkout due to extra charges that can’t be avoided.”
StubHub International says, “Our UK platform is designed to display all fees upfront,” adding that it “identified and corrected the issue promptly, and all affected customers will receive an automatic refund.”
In other ticketing news, a new resale platform was launched earlier this year to combat high ticket prices and sales above face value. Tickets9 is described as an “ethical” ticket resale platform, and is backed by the Music Venue Trust.
Ticket pricing for events has been a hot topic over the last few years, with the Oasis reunion spotlighting the issue after many fans expressed disappointment at having to pay inflated prices due to dynamic pricing.
The post Ticket platform StubHub UK to refund more than 50,000 customers after drip pricing “platform error” appeared first on MusicTech.

Dusty Plugins releases Dusty Tube 2, a FREE guitar/bass amp sim for Windows
From developer Dusty Plugins comes Dusty Tube 2, a free guitar & bass amp sim for Windows. We covered the original Dusty Tube plugin in early 2025, and for anyone who missed it, it’s an amp simulator built on the Neural Amp Modeler (NAM). Dusty Tube 2, as you’d expect, is the same thing with [...]
View post: Dusty Plugins releases Dusty Tube 2, a FREE guitar/bass amp sim for Windows

Safari Pedals gives away 10,000 Gorilla Drive licenses to BPB readers
Safari Pedals is giving away 10,000 free Gorilla Drive licenses exclusively to BPB readers. Gorilla Drive normally costs $39.99, but you can get it for free at checkout with the coupon code BPB-Gorilla100. The offer is limited to 10,000 copies, so it is absolutely worth grabbing sooner rather than later if you want it. Gorilla [...]
View post: Safari Pedals gives away 10,000 Gorilla Drive licenses to BPB readers

AVA London 2026 speakers include Moby, Oklou, Richie Hawtin and moreElectronic music event AVA London has announced its first round of speakers for its 2026 festival, taking place from 24-26 September.
Now in its ninth year, the event brings together leading voices across music, art, technology and culture in the electronic space for keynotes speeches, industry forums, live conversations, workshops and networking.

READ MORE: James Blake is frustrated with the “fake” music industry : “If you’re an artist…You’re probably doing better than you think”

This year’s London event will host Moby as a keynote speaker, who will join virtually for an EarthPercent session exploring music’s role in driving climate action and positive environmental impact. Richie Hawtin will also appear for an in-conversation discussing the intersection of music, art and contemporary culture.
French singer, producer and popstar Oklou will attend in-person for a live Resident Advisor Exchange, and Australian group The Avalanches will be participating in a fireside chat around the launch of their upcoming fourth album. Fans can also catch a live edition of the No Tags Podcast at the event.

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Outside of artist appearances, a large number of brands and organisations will also be in attendance, including art collective teamLab for a workshop. A series of flagship talks and panels will feature The Art of Brand Partnerships, The Game Changers, and Queer Nightlife Beyond Crisis, Who Builds the Future (Presented by Time Out x Gay Times).
Ableton will be hosting an immersive workshop and interactive installation on field recording, sonic archiving, and artistic transformation. Developed in collaboration with the British Library Sound Archive, participants will have the opportunity to manipulate archival sounds using Ableton Push and Move.
PRS for Music will present De-mystifying Music Publishing, a session that unpacks the fundamentals of music publishing, from songwriting and creative collaboration through to copyright administration and royalty payments.
Other key industry attendees include Bandcamp, Resident Advisor, Association for Electronic Music, British Council, Atlantic Records UK, Polydor Records, b:electronic, ChariTea mate, He.She.They and more.
Sarah McBriar, Founder of AVA Festival, says: “The festival’s shift to September marks a bold strategic step, offering a longer creative runway to develop partnerships, champion new work and deliver a world-class programme across the full day and night.”
To find out more, head over to the AVA Festival website.  
The post AVA London 2026 speakers include Moby, Oklou, Richie Hawtin and more appeared first on MusicTech.

“There’s a great opportunity for people who are committed to being creative”: Chris Lake wants you to make something with what you’ve gotAfter dominating house music for the past several years, Chris Lake is officially out of goals.
The LA-based British producer has numerous hit records including Turn off the Lights, Beggin’, and Somebody, and released his debut album, Chemistry, in 2025. Through his label, Black Book Records, he gave early opportunities to Cloonee, Eli Brown, and other prominent artists. He recently collaborated with exciting up-and-comers such as ATRIP and Ragie Ban. Finally, he just played two massive headline shows at Los Angeles State Historic Park, selling 20,000 tickets each.

READ MORE: How we remixed Taylor Swift: Tips and tricks from Chris Lake and Ely Oaks

So, what’s left? He could push for a stadium headline. Or he could curate his own festival. But that’s not where his head’s at right now.
“Do I have any big goals? No. Not really. I’m in a nice spot at the moment where interesting things just keep coming towards me, rather than me having to go towards the good ideas,” Lake says. “Whichever ones seem the most interesting to me, fuck it, I’ll do that.”
Back when a 19-year-old Lake was putting out his first release in 2002 — a progressive house single called Santiago De Cuba — he had the opposite approach. He was chasing any opportunity he could find, making music on a PC with the now-niche DAW Sonic Foundry ACID. Santiago De Cuba got signed because he posted the track on the message board for the now-defunct underground UK label, Hooj Choons. Much to his excitement, its sublabel, Lost Language, was interested.
“I ended up spending months trying to perfect it, and then my computer crashed,” Lake says. “I lost the project, and I couldn’t recreate the song. The only file that I had was a 192K MP3. So I just converted it to a WAV and submitted that for mastering. That’s the version that’s out there. I didn’t want to lose my first record deal.”
Lake spent a lot of time on those message boards in his early years, listening to the “cool” music and doing his best to make something that sounded similar. Santiago De Cuba is still on Spotify (he didn’t know that until I told him), and so are many of his releases from the early to mid 00s. Scanning through will reveal a plethora of warehouse-friendly genres. Chemical Breaks is an acid breakbeat, and Filth is another deep progressive track.
Image: Claire S. Burke
On average, these initial releases have fewer than 30,000 Spotify streams, with some under 5,000. While stream counts are not directly indicative of quality, these are extremely low numbers compared to his new, more energetic cuts that have mostly broken a million. It was when he stopped putting any energy towards folding into others’ tastes that Lake found his real audience.
“When I was younger, that underground mentality was intentional. That was me trying to fit in,” Lake admits. “I abandoned that shit years ago.”
With his new approach, he’s getting tapped for Taylor Swift remixes and blowing way past any expectations he had for his career as a young producer. Some of his prized aspirations were having dance originators like Sasha & Digweed play his songs. Or perhaps playing to 1,000 people at a UK superclub where attendees were more interested in the brand than the DJ.
“When I think about the very early days as a music producer, none of those thoughts or visions or dreams even come close to anything that I’m doing right now. I say it to my manager and my team. How the fuck are we doing this shit?” Lake says.
After all, 24 years ago, few could fathom today’s audience numbers because dance music events simply weren’t that momentous or historic. Lake himself recently headlined Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the same stage where The Beatles, Johnny Cash, The Grateful Dead and countless other non-dance acts have performed. As a lifelong fan of dance music, he’s thrilled that everyone involved in the culture can take part in this current mass appeal.
Image: Claire S. Burke
“There’s a real impression being made by dance music on a much bigger scale. An artist like myself who can make beats and end up connecting to 10,000 people, turning up to a cutout in a mountain to dance for hours. That’s pretty fucking special,” Lake says. “Some artists in the scene find it challenging [to] see new artists being popular. It can be easy to compare success within a scene; I just think that’s a terrible way of looking at it. It makes me really happy seeing artists go on and become successful.”
Lake is equally happy to work with artists regardless of their success or genre. As seen on his regular Studio Sessions series on YouTube, he’ll invite his mates such as Sammy Virji and Chris Lorenzo (with whom he has the side project Anti-Up). Stalwarts seemingly way outside his house music sound, such as Bonobo and Dillon Francis, have shown up. The videos have also been a way to put on rising stars, such as MPH. He acknowledges the cliché that making music is just about having fun for him, but that’s the way it’s always been.
“I know a lot more. I’m old now, but genuinely, making music, I feel exactly the same today as I did the first time I made music. And I approach it exactly the same way. I just feel like a kid again. It definitely keeps me young until I look in the mirror,” Lake jests.
Some of his studio session videos are almost eight hours long. Skimming through them, it’s common to hear him make fun of himself. Calling initial ideas “shit” or “bro-y,” leaning into the stereotype that his fans are one giant legion of Hawaiian shirt-clad frat boys.
Image: Claire S. Burke
But then the final product becomes something like Reach For You, a dreamy cut off Chemistry that combines the ethereal voice of Kelly Lee Owens with precisely swung arpeggios and burning sonic sheets over both a garage and 4/4 beat.
“What’s firing off in my head is the same,” Lake says of his current mindset compared to his earlier days. “I just have more tools and experience to get from an idea to a finished composition. That’s probably the biggest difference.”
Another element of his career he jokes about is how much money he’s “wasted” on gear. For anyone who might be hoping to find the secret weapon to the kind of Chris Lake bassline that leads to 20,000-cap headlines and hit records, it doesn’t come from a new purchase. In fact, he recommends the exact opposite.
“One of the best things you can ever do is to try and make something with the constraints that you have,” Lake says. “Do something with what you’ve got. See how fun you can make it.”
He is sure to mention that people now have much fewer constraints than they used to. One specific element he discusses is the advance in stem separation. But it’s certainly a give and take.
“There’s nothing that you can’t sample. There’s no idea that you can’t tap into. You’re gonna get some phenomenal beats that are familiar, because it’s a remix of an old track from the 70s that no one had the stems for before,” Lake says before a concise caveat: “The consequence of it is, there aren’t a lot of people out there at the moment writing any new ideas—picking up a microphone and recording something. There’s a really great opportunity for people who are committed to being creative to write things and actually stand out.”
Chris Lake is already standing out, but perhaps the burgeoning artists out there should set the goal of making their mark with something only they can create.
The post “There’s a great opportunity for people who are committed to being creative”: Chris Lake wants you to make something with what you’ve got appeared first on MusicTech.

Darkpalace Studio releases PIRANHA multi-band waveshaper and clipper (GIVEAWAY)
Darkpalace Studio has released PIRANHA, a multi-band waveshaper and clipper plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. We’re taking a closer look below and giving away one free copy to one lucky BPB reader. You might remember Darkpalace Studio from CATERPILLAR, the free stereo enhancer we featured on BPB before. PIRANHA is a more aggressive tool than [...]
View post: Darkpalace Studio releases PIRANHA multi-band waveshaper and clipper (GIVEAWAY)