Mix Dojo from Sifu Audio Sifu Audio have announced the release of a new standalone application that’s been designed to provide users with a see and hear how their mix stacks up against their favourite reference tracks. 

Book More Live Shows with these Bandsintown HacksIn addition to being the top global destination to discover and market live concerts, Bandsintown can also be used by artists, managers and agents to book more live shows.
The post Book More Live Shows with these Bandsintown Hacks appeared first on Hypebot.

Why Strong Artist Brands Matter to Fans TooA strong brand isn’t just good for the artist; they matter to fans too, They make the fan experience more personal, meaningful, and connected. This is about more than just music. It's about identity, community, and feeling seen.
The post Why Strong Artist Brands Matter to Fans Too appeared first on Hypebot.

Another band is pulling their music from Spotify due to Daniel Ek’s military investmentsIndie rock outfit Xiu Xiu have announced they are removing their music from Spotify, citing CEO Daniel Ek’s “investments in AI war drones” as the final straw. The band now joins a small but growing list of artists cutting ties with the streaming giant in protest.
In a statement on Instagram, the group writes: “We are currently working to take all of our music off of garbage hole violent armageddon portal Spotify. It is taking longer than we had hoped due to procedural complications but will be completed soon. Thanks for the support and patience.”

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Earlier this year, Ek led a €600 million round of investment in Helsing, a German defence-tech company that develops AI software to enhance military weapons systems and other equipment. His involvement with Helsing has faced heavy criticism from artists and listeners alike, especially given Spotify’s long-standing tension with musicians over royalty payouts.

READ MORE: Spotify posting AI-generated songs of dead artists without permission, new report reveals

Expanding on the band’s decision in a new interview with Anthony Fantano, Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart says: “We’ve wanted to for a long time. I mean, I’ve never been a fan of streaming. It devalues music generally. It makes music disposable.”
Stewart adds that their prior efforts to leave the platform stalled when “no one [their labels] really wanted to do it,” but Helsing was the line they could no longer cross.
“The reason for us at the time was just, we thought that they treated bands badly. But when the announcement came that Spotify head Daniel Ek was using Spotify funds to directly invest in AI war murder drones… There was just no conceivable way that we could be involved in something like that.”
And though Stewart acknowledges that Xiu Xiu “being off of Spotify is not going to make any real financial impact for them”, he says that “it really has more to do with our conscience”.
“Hopefully for the small number of people interested in Xiu Xiu, possibly it encourages them just to be aware of this issue and not to, in some small way, fund the murder of what will undoubtedly be brown people all over the world so a small number of white billionaires can make some more money.”
Xiu Xiu’s decision follows a similar move by art-rock outfit Deerhoof earlier this month, who wrote, “We don’t want our music killing people,” as they announced plans to pull their catalogue from Spotify.

Learn more about Xiu Xiu via their official website.
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UK government backs label-led measures to boost artist income: “This government is committed to supporting a thriving music sector”The UK government has followed up on its promise to review how musicians are paid by streaming platforms, unveiling a series of measures “designed to deliver real benefits for UK creators”.
In July last year, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport convened the Creator Remuneration Working Group (CRWG) to address long-standing concerns about artists’ streaming payouts. The session brought together key stakeholders from across the music industry, including record labels, streaming platforms, trade bodies, artist representatives, music publishers and collecting societies.

READ MORE: “Labels have found a new way to put artists in a position where they seem to be making a lot of money, but they essentially own nothing”: Rick Beato and Anthony Fantano discuss the impact of Spotify and streaming

Now, a year on, a new set of reforms has been introduced – centred around a set of guiding Principles from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and fresh commitments from major labels. Together, these aim to support fair remuneration for creators and help strengthen the growth of the overall UK music sector.
“As set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, this government is committed to supporting a thriving music sector where creators can build sustainable careers and are fairly rewarded for their work,” the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport says in a statement.
The newly adopted Principles, endorsed by both the BPI and the Association of Independent Music (AIM), will offer tailored support to legacy artists, songwriters, and session musicians. UK arms of the three major labels – Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group – have also pledged to implement these Principles through bespoke programmes.
Among the key changes is a focus on “legacy artists”, including programmes to “disregard unrecouped advances”, bespoke marketing tools to help increase streaming engagement, and “clarity about how legacy artists can seek and obtain contract renegotiation that appropriately remunerates them”.
Support for songwriters and composers is also a major part of the initiative. Both Warner UK and Universal UK have committed to paying £75 per day (per diems), on top of expenses, to songwriters who attend label-organised sessions, with the sum offered as a non-recoupable cost to their advance.
Meanwhile, Sony UK will fund a new Songwriter Support Programme, in partnership with the Ivors Academy, to provide financial support and assistance to songwriters.
For session musicians, per an agreement reached in late 2024, the BPI and the Musicians’ Union will increase session fees. The government has also committed to continue looking at the issue of streaming remuneration for session musicians, with a follow-up meeting with industry stakeholders scheduled for September 2025.
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Focal Lensys Pro might be the best headphones I’ve ever tried at this price$650, focal.com
Focal’s continued efforts in the headphone world are not going unnoticed. MusicTech has awarded almost every pair of Focal headphones a 9/10 in our reviews, and the brand’s newer pairs are often fawned over by producers and audiophiles alike. Unsurprisingly, the Lensys Pro continue this trend with ease.
My trusty pairs of AIAIAI TMA-2s and Sennheiser HD 400 Pros get me by for mixing, DJing and casual listening, and are easy on the bank balance. You probably have similar pairs that you’re happy with already. But, for the past couple of months, I’ve been reaching for the Lensys Pro before any other pair for all of the above tasks and more — I’ve actually had to force myself to use other pairs to compare and mix it up.
At $650, they cost a little more than the average pair of headphones, for sure. But, for the price, you really do get supreme comfort, impeccable build quality, and superbly articulate sound quality.
So what’s wrong with them? Let’s find out.
Lensys Pro’s design
The Lensys Pro are closed-back headphones designed for producers in the studio and on the move. To this end, their earcups fold to fit the cans neatly into an included case, which fits easily in my backpack alongside my laptop and other essentials. Plus, with 26 ohms of impedance and 100dB SPL sensitivity, you won’t need an external amp to get the most out of them, and you can plug them into most audio outputs. The attached eighth-inch cable also comes with a quarter-inch adapter.
Focal Lensys Pro. Image: Focal
The protective and portable case is a nice touch, but, honestly, the nylon aesthetic is a little drab and dull; I expected something a little more fashionable. Still, this is a minor complaint, considering the high quality and sturdiness of the case’s interior, which gives me a ton of confidence that the Lensys’ elegant earcups won’t break in transit.
There’s plenty to love about the earcups and what’s inside them, but a quick note on their exterior design: these hard plastic cups take heavy inspiration from the Focal Bathys, the brand’s $700 wireless headphones. Apart from the wireless and USB-C features, you might notice a lot of similarities here. Generally, I’m a fan of the design, though Headphones.com said it was a “strange” decision — you can be the judge on that.
Are the Lensys Pro comfortable?
In the several months I’ve been using the Lensys Pro, I’ve listened to hundreds of hours of audio. Some days, I’ve worn them for entire work days while writing and listening to music. Some reviewers, such as Headphonecheck, have reported “slight pressure during prolonged periods of listening,” but I’ve experienced nothing but comfort.
The thick, nylon-coated memory foam earcups are perfect for me; they feel snug and comfortable, and they’re super helpful for sound isolation, too.
I’ve barely noticed the headband on my head during long sessions, too. The inside of this is also aerated memory foam, with a plush leather on the outside of the headband — this is actually the only leather part of the headphone.
Focal Lensys Pro. Image: Focal
As for weight, they clock in at 306g, which is a little heavier than my 240g Sennheiser HD 400 Pros, but half the weight of the mighty HEDDPhone Two. In use, they don’t feel heavy, but you will obviously notice the weight if you’re coming from a cheaper, more lightweight pair. As a consumer-level reference, they’re lighter than the 384g Apple AirPods Max — the AirPods honestly feel a lot lighter in their design, but less comfortable in longer listening sessions..
How do the Lensys Pro sound?
OK; the Lensys Pro look good and feel good, but the sound is arguably what we’re really here for.
The sound in one word? Beautiful. But…I mean, is it too beautiful?
While mixing and producing, my real tester headphones are the Sennheiser HD 400 Pros. When I use these, I realise my low-end is too loud, that the high-mids aren’t sparkling like they should, and generally just find blind spots in the mix. To be sure, the Lensys Pro give me a solid idea of all of those things, too, and often do it better.
But, weirdly, everything I play through them just sounds…great? Even half-baked ideas and tracks have come back to life with a fresh listen through the Lensys Pro.
Focal Lensys Pro. Image: Focal
My go-to reference track for headphones, Dreams by Fleetwood Mac, sounds stellar as ever. The Lensys Pros boast a wide soundstage and stunning detail on everything from Lindsey Buckingham’s acoustic guitar to the delicate reverb tails on Stevie Nicks’ vocal. Still, the headphones aren’t accentuating anything they shouldn’t be, or trying to compensate in certain areas — it’s easy to appreciate the mix as is.
Listening to Skee Mask’s Session Add, meanwhile, is a trip. The Lensys Pro suck me into every layer of texture, every low kick drum and every warm synth pad.
Focal’s superb expertise in audio is oh-so present in the Lensys Pro. Inside each earcup is a 40mm aluminium-magnesium driver with Focal’s signature ‘M’-shaped dome. Focal says this design is what ensures low distortion while improving stereo imaging and frequency dispersion. The drivers are angled inside the cups, which is a unique move from Focal, and is designed to mimic the stereo field of nearfield monitors. It’s fooled me.
The frequency response extends from a low 5Hz to 22kHz. That sub-bass presence is audible but definitely not exaggerated. Kicks hit with control, and low-end elements don’t get muddy. The high frequencies are detailed but seldom harsh, even at louder volumes, which is impressive for a closed-back design.
Focal says the Lensys Pro are also suited to spatial audio and binaural formats. I’ve run some binaural audio through them, with convincing results, but haven’t made these features the focus of this review.
In short, these are headphones that make everything sound good, but not at the cost of accuracy. You can easily spend hours listening to your favourite music for pleasure, as I have, and seamlessly transition into creative and mixing work in your DAW. I’ll still always pick up my AIAIAIs and Sennheiser’s though, just to be sure that the Lensys Pros aren’t just making everything sound more alive!
Focal Lensys Pro. Image: Focal
Should you buy the Focal Lensys Pro?
The Lensys Pro’s price tag is fair, but the price bracket it sits in is tough. At $650, these are an investment, not an impulse buy. But if you’re a serious engineer or producer who wants full fidelity and articulation, you might look to an open-back, planar magnetic pair from Audeze, or the audacious HEDDPhone Twos. I’ve experienced both models and can attest to their excellent articulation, as can our reviewers.
However, if you’re more budget-conscious, that $650 could get you a whole music production setup, or a new instrument, even a set of powerful studio monitors.
But the Lensys Pros punch well above their weight with premium drivers, serious comfort, beautiful sound, portability, and an elegant design. They’re a joy to use, whether it’s mixing, hi-fi listening, or even gaming. If you’ve got the cash to drop, you won’t be disappointed, especially if you can get them on a sale. They’re my new favourite headphones and they might just become yours, too.
Read more headphone reviews. 
Key Features

Closed-back headphones
40mm aluminium/magnesium ‘M’-shaped dome driver
Impedance: 26Ω
Sensitivity: 100dB SPL
 Frequency response: 5Hz – 22kHz
Weight: 306g
 Ambient noise isolation: 23dB(A)
Cables: 1.2m straight, 3m coiled, 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter

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Intel continues to pull back on its manufacturing projectsIntel cancelled multiple manufacturing projects in Europe and delayed its Ohio chip plant for the second time this year.

Ex-Gemini, Kraken exec appointed as CEO of crypto advocacy groupJi Hun Kim became acting CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation in December 2024 after the departure of Sheila Warren.

Big Fish Audio Electric Sunset: EDM Construction KitsCruise into the golden hour of groove with Electric Sunset: EDM Construction Kits from Big Fish Audio, a vibrant fusion of retro nostalgia, modern EDM energy, and feel-good funk aesthetics. This electrifying collection features 15 construction kits packed with over 3GB of original content, built for producers who want to infuse their tracks with shimmering synths, infectious basslines, and dancefloor-ready rhythms that radiate style and soul. Inspired by the sonic textures of Future Funk, the swagger of disco, and the punch of festival EDM, Electric Sunset delivers a euphoric palette of sounds designed to move feet and turn heads. From chopped vocal samples and glittering keys to driving drum machines and neon-lit leads, each loop captures the warm energy of a retro summer night with a futuristic twist. Every kit includes full instrument stems, Drum Tracks, and one-shot Drum Hits, giving you the tools to fully customize your arrangements or build entirely new grooves from scratch. Whether you're producing upbeat house, pop-infused EDM, or genre-blending hybrids, Electric Sunset delivers the inspiration and flexibility to bring your brightest ideas to life. Feel the heat. Catch the vibe. Make waves with Electric Sunset: EDM Construction Kits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqmhzCyvR-c Read More

DIY Spotlight: Charlotte MorrisPhiladelphia folk artist Charlotte Morris was highly scored in a recent New Music Critique, so impressed were we with the songs from her Both Sides album. She’s worked hard to get to this point, having fallen in love with music as soon as she could walk and talk.“By age 12 I was writing songs and teaching myself guitar, piano, ukulele, and others,” Morris says. “With songwriting, music grew from something I loved into something I needed.”After college, Morris moved to New York to pursue theatre. “However, it was at that time that I found my way back to songwriting,” she says. “This was the biggest change I’d ever been through—making such a huge move—and I didn’t know how else to process it other than writing. A little less than a year after moving, I released my debut EP, To New York, with Love, and started to figure out how I could move forward in this crazy industry that is music.”Morris describes her sound primarily as folk/Americana. “First and foremost, my music is rooted in honest and emotional storytelling,” she says. “I write what I’m feeling, so that might be really folky one day but super rock/pop-driven the next. Overall, my music is intimate, personal, and raw; it’s meant to feel like a conversation between best friends or a look into my personal diary.”The aforementioned Both Sides was released in May of this year. “It is the most honest and vulnerable I’ve ever been in my music,” Morris says. “It’s a collection of stories—some mine, some inspired by others—but all rooted in truth, growth, and the messiness of being human.”For Morris, DIY means owning “every aspect of your artistic identity.”“From writing, arranging, and performing, to recording, releasing, booking shows, and marketing,” she says. “Of course, it’s great to have help in as many of these areas as possible, but I still want to have ownership over the final decisions and what the world sees of me.”Morris is taking a well-earned break this summer but will be back on the road later in the year.Visit charlottemorrismusic.com for more.The post DIY Spotlight: Charlotte Morris first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Painting in Metal with Selective Electroplating
Most research on electroplating tries to find ways to make it plate parts more uniformly. [Ajc150] took the opposite direction, though, with his selective electroplating project, which uses an electrode mounted on a CNC motion system to electrochemically print images onto a metal sheet (GitHub repository).
Normally, selective electroplating would use a mask, but masks don’t allow gradients to be deposited. However, electroplating tends to occur most heavily at the point closest to the anode, and the effect gets stronger the closer the anode is. To take advantage of this effect, [ajc150] replaced the router of an inexpensive 3018 CNC machine with a nickel anode, mounted an electrolyte bath in the workspace, and laid a flat steel cathode in it. When the anode moves close to a certain point on the steel cathode, most of the plating takes place there.
To actually print an image with this setup, [ajc150] wrote a Python program to convert an image into set of G-code instructions for the CNC. The darker a pixel of the image was, the longer the electrode would spend over the corresponding part of the metal sheet. Since darkness wasn’t linearly proportional to plating time, the program used a gamma correction function to adjust times, though this did require [ajc150] to recalibrate the setup after each change. The system works well enough to print recognizable images, but still has room for improvement. In particular, [ajc150] would like to extend this to a faster multi-nozzle system, and have the algorithm take into account spillover between the pixel being plated and its neighbors.
This general technique is reminiscent of a metal 3D printing method we’ve seen before. We more frequently see this process run in reverse to cut metal.

Germany’s recorded music sales grew 1.4% in the first half of 2025, marking a significant slowdownThe country's recorded music industry trade group is urging the EU to create the conditions needed for an AI licensing marketplace
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FestiVAL 2025 is the first hybrid IRL/virtual microfestival — and it hopes Twitch is tuning inThis weekend in Los Angeles dozens of artists will take the stage at FestiVAL, a 24-hour microfestival running from 12 pm on 26 July in an undisclosed location. The audience? Over 800,000 attendees — potentially.
FestiVAL is the “world’s first hybrid IRL/virtual microfestival”, according to the organisers, and will play host to Twitch-partnered DJs, performers, and other content creators on the platform. These acts will all livestream the entire festival from various perspectives on their respective channels, providing viewers with a more holistic experience of the event.
“We’re trying to give everybody all the streams, angles, and perspectives so that they really feel like they’re there and that they’re not missing anything,” says Chris Valdes, AKA Valdudes, co-founder of the festival alongside CaseSpowboy, and a Twitch-performing DJ in his own right.

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IRL (in-real-life) attendees, meanwhile, will be able to see the live comments of at-home viewers projected on a screen. Although it’s “another way for the viewers to feel involved in the festival,” says Valdes, it’s also about bringing the Twitch energy to FestiVAL as a whole. “It just adds this whole other element of interaction and magic that will create opportunities of awesomeness that we haven’t even planned on yet,” Valdes adds. In practice, that might look like in-chat memes emerging from moments of the festival, as well as live reactions to a track a DJ plays or an event from the in-person crowd.
DJs playing at the festival include Valdudes, CaceSpowboy, Chris Cox, Gabriel & Dresden, Magda Halina, Teknokat and more. In addition to DJs, FestiVAL will also welcome TheSushiDragon (“a tech guru, visual artist, genius”, says Valdes) plus ‘IRL streamers’ DippedInPoison, McD00dle, and WhoIsChelsea. These creators will be broadcasting on Twitch, interacting with IRL attendees, and even hosting minigames themselves, like tarot card readings.
FestiVAL is certainly a Twitch-focused event, but it is yet to secure the financial support of the livestreaming platform — it first has to prove itself.
“We, the community, came up with [FestiVAL] and said to Twitch, ‘Hey, what do you think? Do you want to help us out?’” says Valdes. “It has to go perfectly…and then they’ll send over their official sponsorship support. So far, it’s all looking good!“
The event does, however, arrive a year after the launch of Twitch’s DJ program, which was seemingly the company’s acknowledgement of its DJ community and their lucrativeness. During COVID-19, the number of streamer DJs rose, and there are still thousands of DJs streaming regularly on Twitch. The company’s goal was to offer more opportunities for DJs on the platform to monetise their performances and build a better framework for licensing and royalty payments from streams on Twitch.

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“[Twitch DJ] had two major effects,” explains Valdes. “The good effect has been that Twitch can now push DJs and promote us on the front page, host DJs at TwitchCon, and really bring them into the fold of Twitch — and ultimately get sponsorship money for an event like this.
“But the big drawback,” Valdes cautions, “is that since the launch [of Twitch DJ], it’s been slowly introducing more fees that we have to pay [as DJs on the platform]. So, more views, to speak, should translate into more revenue — and it does — but then, combined with the fees, some people are still making the same amount, or even less. People are still doing their thing and going strong, but it’s definitely been a struggle for a lot of DJs.”
To support its DJs, FestiVAL will pay its acts to perform, but artists will also be able to generate additional revenue via their individual Twitch streams. Viewers can donate and subscribe to creators during their set, offering an additional revenue stream for their performance, marking a first in the electronic music festival scene.
“We’re really hoping that that is the new model going forward,” explains Valdes. “Livestreaming is huge, we know people love it. Festivals are huge, we know people love those. We really want to bring those two worlds together, and help Twitch DJs break out, just not only on Twitch, but in the greater landscape.”
If it works, FestiVAL could mark a blueprint for the next generation of music events — one that recognises livestreaming not just as a stopgap, but as a permanent stage.
Grab your ticket for the event at festivalttv.com and find streams and updates on its Discord server. 
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Helping Artists identify and nurture Spotify Super ListenersAs a fans move along the path from initial discovery to superfan, being active listener is an important milestone in the journey. As their own plans for superfans take shape, the streamer is helping artists identify and nurture Spotify Super Listeners.
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Soundtoys 5.5 arrives With the launch of Soundtoys 5.5, the renowned collection now includes the recently released SpaceBlender plug-in, an array of new factory presets and resizeable GUIs across the whole collection.