‘This is just the beginning. There’s still so much potential for Afrobeats and Amapiano in the coming years.’MBW's Trailblazers series meets Camillo Doregos and Mark Mac, co-founders of Africa focused management and booking company, DC Talent Agency
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Report reveals Financial, Career Challenges Faced by SongwritersA new report examines the challenges faced by songwriters. "Songwriters Take The Stage" is based on the first-ever survey of over 300 songwriters, providing insights into their needs and offering recommendations for support.
The post Report reveals Financial, Career Challenges Faced by Songwriters appeared first on Hypebot.

Stationhead adds Voice Notes to enhance artist-fan connectionsSocial streaming app Stationhead has added a new way for artists to stay connected fans. With Voice Notes, artists share audio messages, promotions, and more with their superfans directly on their fan channels.
The post Stationhead adds Voice Notes to enhance artist-fan connections appeared first on Hypebot.

Everything artists need to know about free music app TREBELSome music listeners are getting tired of racking up subscription bills every month to hear their favorite bands. The free music app TREBEL offers great benefits to artists and listeners so everyone can enjoy music offline for a change.
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Guitar Center employees discover piles of drugs stuffed inside ampStaff at a Guitar Center store in Lawrenceville, Georgia, made a shocking discovery inside a guitar amplifier earlier this month.
On July 17, employees opened a box that was shipped to the store’s location, only to discover thousands of dollars worth of cocaine and methamphetamine packed into the amplifier inside the delivery.

READ MORE: Late Motörhead leader Lemmy brought back to life using AI 

According to Sgt. Collin Flynn of the Gwinnett County Police via WSB-TV, the drugs were never meant to show up to the store. The package came with an out-of-state shipping address, and the Guitar Center in Lawrenceville was listed as its return address. “It’s extremely rare this happens at any business,” he says.
However, Flynn says this incident is part of a greater and more complex problem surrounding the shipping of various forms of drugs through the United States Postal Service.
“They will often try and make the box appear as real as possible. They’ll attach business logos or business return addresses on the box,” he says.
Last year, a specialist drug enforcement unit in Gwinnett, the county where the Guitar Center in question is located, intercepted 4,500 lbs of drugs sent through postal services. “That equalled about $70 million that had been sent through FedEx or UPS, that officers were able to seize through the help of a K9,” Flynn said.
A representative for Guitar Center says the business has been cooperating with law enforcement since the drugs were discovered. The police do not suspect that anyone at the store was involved in shipping the drugs found.

This isn’t the first time narcotics have appeared alongside music equipment. In 2019, reports circulated of a synthesizer repair engineer who became intoxicated while cleaning a vintage Buchla Model 100 synth from the 60s. The engineer entered a 9-hour LSD trip, which was verified by tests on the synth later on. Talk about high voltage.
Read more music indsutry news. 
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Moog launch Muse polysynth Moog's latest instrument promises to combine the best features of their classic analogue synths with the benefits of modern digital control. 

Moog Muse boasts “an addictive quality” and is “the future of analogue synthesis”If you’re into synthesizers, you’ve probably seen the Moog Muse already. Teasers from across the internet, from Andrew Huang and Mike Dean clips to leaks on Reddit, have ensured Moog fans are ready for the brand’s latest polyphonic analogue-digital synthesizer. And the Muse is not expected to disappoint.
Once rumoured to be called the Moog Mirror, the Moog Muse “represents a culmination of over five years of dreams, design and passion from Moog’s team,” says the North Carolina company. This instrument is packed with two voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) per voice, with eight voices of polyphony on offer. A modulation VCO, dual voltage-controlled filters (VCF) and a stereo voltage-controlled amplifier (VSA) are onboard, too.
Moog Muse. Image: Moog
This analogue architecture draws from classic Moog instruments. The oscillators are derived from the Minimoog Voyager and the filter is, of course, a Moog Ladder filter inspired by early Moog Modular circuits. But there’s a twist.
You can use the Muse’s digital controls to go deeper with this analogue sound engine.
There’s a digital sequencer with 64 steps that allows you to chain sequences, record parameter changes — the opening of a filter, for example — and edit the probability of changes in the sequence. In addition, an arpeggiator and chord memory functions let you build elements of a track with ease.
We’ve got a Moog Muse under review right now, with a full verdict arriving next week. However, so far we can tell you that this is definitely a synth for the 21st century. Moog has chosen not to go all-in on the latest innovations, but instead on what matters most: the sound. And, coupled with its forward-thinking features, the Muse has an addictive quality that keeps you coming back for more.
The Muse’s diffusion delay section is an unexpected highlight, offering instant vibes for the busy, and lots of customisation options for those who want to dig into the settings menu. There are plenty of excellent presets on offer, Muse makes carving out a sound from scratch an intuitive, stimulating, and downright fun experience.
It’s also a tank of a synthesizer. This thing weighs in at almost 15kg and has dimensions of 99 x 42 x 11cm. You’ll probably want to make space in your studio if you’re thinking of buying it. To connect it to your studio, there’s a main left/right TRS output, headphones out, CV In/Out, Clock In/Out, MIDI In/Out/Thru, and USB connectivity.
Moog Muse. Image: Moog
Oh, the price? You can get this from dealers for $3,499. We imagine this will mostly be a purchase for serious synth lovers and studios. But fret not — if you’re looking for the Moog sound with a cheaper price tag, we recently reviewed the Moog Labyrinth, which we recommend at its £599/$599 price tag. The Muse is also likely the company’s logical replacement for the Moog One, which was discontinued last month.
You can listen to the Moog Muse in action in these videos with Lisa Bella Donna and Misha Mansoor.

Find out more at Thomann, Reverb and Moog.
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“As a producer, you don’t clock out. Some songs I’ve probably spent 600 hours on” Steve Aoki on making a career in musicSteve Aoki has spoken about his creative processes as a producer and why he believes you should challenge yourself to push boundaries.
The Miami-born superstar DJ and professional cake thrower spoke to DJ Mag about his new album Paragon and said he has “spent like 600 hours” on some of his tracks over the years.

READ MORE: Peggy Gou Boiler Room headline set shut down due to overcrowding

“As a producer, you don’t say: ‘OK, I worked from 8 am to 5 pm, I’m clocking out’,” said Aoki. “You don’t clock out, ever. Nope. You’re done when a song is done.”
Elaborating on this approach, Aoki said: “Once I have a challenge to create, my creativity starts flowing, and then my focus starts honing.
“This is how my brain works.”
The Grammy-nominated producer also offered advice to aspiring artists, emphasising the need to stay true to yourself and your style.
“When you’re a young artist, you don’t even know what your f***ing core is. You have to find that sound, you have to find your signature, it takes time. And then when you find it, you can hone in on it and sharpen it and become a warrior, the best warrior on the battlefield.”
Earlier this year, Aoki also published his first graphic novel, the 250-page HiROQUEST Genesis & Double Helix. Aoki said completing the book was a huge task, but one he was able to achieve because of the time he had committed to finishing his records. He also plans to turn HiROQUEST into a TV show in the future.
“I’m a musician and producer and DJ, so this is my natural way to express myself,” he said. “Every one of us, every musician, every creative, we tell stories in our own way.”
Aoki has just concluded Beligum’s EDM festival, Tomorrowland, with a closing set that’s practically become tradition for the festival. Since 2012, he’s played the final set every year except for 2017. “It’s fun, but it’s a heavy responsibility and the highest level of stress,” he says.
“I have to represent the energy of Tomorrowland, this last moment, and to be able to represent that in a big way, it’s a lot of pressure. But I’ll take it every time.”
Read more music news 
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Peggy Gou Boiler Room headline set shut down due to overcrowdingA Boiler Room show in Seoul, South Korea, headlined by Peggy Gou was shut down at the weekend due to overcrowding.
Per The Korea Times, emergency services were called to the SFactory on Saturday (27 July) after reports of overcrowding and crowd crush fears, and sent 11 fire engines and 42 firefighters to the venue to assist. While no casualties were reported, five attendees were treated for breathing difficulties.

READ MORE: Martin Garrix, Peggy Gou and Four Tet among 300 artists announced for 2024 Amsterdam Dance Event

An eyewitness reportedly told Mixmag that the show was called off between 12:30AM and 12:40AM, shortly before Peggy Gou was to take the stage.
“The issue is that only so many people would have been able to see Peggy Gou at once,” the person said.
They also said the venue tried to implement a one-way system on staircases around the venue, but the sheer number of people began “cramming” the system, causing a bottleneck into the main room.
Another factor behind the danger of the situation was the heat; “It was 35 degrees outside and humidity level was around 80%, we were in a tropical state. Everyone was sweating, everyone was angry, everyone was struggling,” the witness said.
The event was supposed to be headlined by Peggy Gou, and also featured artists including Elkka, Jyoty and Soichi Terada.
Commenting on the issue on its social media pages, Boiler Room wrote shortly after [via Mixmag]: “During the party we faced crowd-flow issues, causing safety concerns and [leading] to the early closure of the event.”
It added: “Contrary to what has been reported, we sold to the capacity that was instructed by our partner in Seoul and at the time the event ended we were under capacity.”
In the aftermath of the show, Peggy Gou has vowed to organise another “larger” show in Seoul to make up for her cancelled set, with extra risk assessment to be done prior this time.
“Boiler Room has apologised for failing to plan adequately and underestimating the crowd movement within the venue,” she tells Mixmag. “In response, I have asked my team to immediately review the risk assessments for all my future shows and furthermore ensure there is a system in place to guarantee they are being adhered to.”
She adds: “I am relieved no one was hurt and the duty of care towards my audience will always be my number one priority.”

2024/7/27 Peggy Gou の登場を待ちわびる多くの観客がボイラールームの会場に殺到したため、誰も身動きが取れない程の混雑ルームになり、イベントは急遽中止になって残念です Due to too many audiences getting into Boiler Room Seoul, they had to abort the show before Peggy Gou playing nor me pic.twitter.com/Gs3W047wzr
— New Omodaka EP on 2024/6/7(Fri) / Soichi Terada (@fareastrecordin) July 28, 2024

MusicTech has reached out to SFactory for comment.
The post Peggy Gou Boiler Room headline set shut down due to overcrowding appeared first on MusicTech.

Native Instruments release Scene: Saffron Designed with media composers in mind, the latest additon to Native Instruments’ Komplete range combines a collection of cinematic sounds with a simple and intuitive user interface.

Late Motörhead leader Lemmy brought back to life using AI – to appear in new installment of World of TanksWhat good is AI if not to bring back dead rock stars for a virtual tank battle?
Motörhead legend Lemmy Kilmister is set to make an appearance in the MMO warfare game World of Tanks Modern Armour. Joined by Rob Zombie and Motörhead mascot Warpig, the trio will feature as playable 3D commanders in the game’s new Metal Fest DLC series.

READ MORE: Entries now open for first-of-its-kind AI songwriting competition, where one lucky winner performs with Kaskade

Players will have the opportunity to command their tanks with Lemmy’s AI-generated voice and customise their war machines with band-themed cosmetics and skins. 2D commanders of the Motörhead band members are also at the ready, alongside a collection of “seriously cool” cosmetic items and goodies.
“Modern technology has enabled us to have Lemmy fully integrated into the game, which felt appropriate given that this is exactly the sort of game he played and avidly enjoyed,” said the band.
Brendan Blewett, World Of Tanks Modern Armour audio director, said that they created an AI emulation of Lemmy’s voice using “original voice samples from his private unpublished archives, including interviews and raw in-booth recordings.” The project was completed with the guidance of the Motörhead members.
“For Lemmy, it was obvious that using a sound-alike would lack an important level of authenticity”, he added.
The inclusion of these rock legends in World of Tanks Modern Armour follows a trend of incorporating music icons into the game. Megadeth’s Vic Rattlehead and Iron Maiden mascot Eddie famously featured in last year’s Metal Fest.
This year, the epic event kicks off on 30 July and runs through 20 August, promising three weeks of intense action for players to experience. Past offerings from Maiden, Megadeth and Sabaton will also again be available during the period.
Watch the trailer for World of Tanks Modern Armour below.

Learn more at World of Tanks.
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Why indie labels are mastering the art of reissuing musicArthur Verocai, Mary Clark, Gloria Ann Taylor, William Onyeabor, The Supreme Jubilees, — all artists that, before recent reissues, you’d likely never heard of. Thanks to the relentless devotion of independent labels and crate diggers, these artists and countless others have seen a second wave of renown and success. With their music being remastered and redistributed, these old-school gems have found their way to DJs, dancefloors and streaming algorithms, which are letting them shine decades past their original release.

READ MORE: How will young people learn music and production in a post-AI music industry?

Reissuers spend countless hours securing audible gold to democratise access to PVC slices of tropical cool; music from far off lands that would only exist with exorbitant price tags, if available at all. If done right, reissuing contextualises the music and the culture it originates from – distributing revenue fairly and ultimately bringing new attention to deserving artists.
This, however, is no easy job. So, here, we learn from some of the most interesting reissuing labels around, the artists who’ve benefited from the process, and an award-winning audio technician who’s remastered and pressed much of this work to glossy new vinyl.
The process
“There’s always a story, and never an easy licence”, says Kevin Griffiths, who founded the wonderfully eclectic Isle of Jura Records in 2016. First, you choose a piece of music that deserves to be more accessible. Next, through a lot of “mundane detective work” you find the best quality physical copy you can and contact the licence holders – preferably the artist and original record label but, failing that, the producer, writer, or artist’s next of kin. From here, you work out a licensing arrangement; commonly five years of streaming, plus the remastering, repressing, and distribution of newly-pressed physical media.
Some reissues come together easily, such as Parisian Afrobeat and Afrofunk label Hot Casa’s reissue of Benin singer Stanislas Tohon’s killer 1985 four EP Owhaaou…! — as the French label had mutual connections with Stanislas. Others… not so much. Julien Le Brun, the label’s founder took seven years and eight or so trips into Togo to make its Togo Soul 2 compilation, a 13-track treasure-trove of rare and unusual music from the West African state.
A successful reissue often relies on strong personal connections and networks to find the original physical media and the original artist or label. Hot Casa’s musical connections, as well as the shared culture and language between France and its former colonial subjects in sub-Saharan Africa, are vital assets to founder Hot Casa’s reissuing catalogue.
Napo de mi Amor, an artist whose music was reissued by Hot Casa for their ‘Togo Soul’ compilation series.
When mutual connections aren’t present, it gets tricky. The quest to find the original creator of great music has even led Isle of Jura, based in Australia, to hire a private detective to hunt down the original creator of a record that has never had a full release, from 1982 New York.
Griffiths says he was introduced to the PI through a friend at another label who’d also used his services. It’s “unusual” for the label to go down this route, and this was the only time Isle of Jura had done it, but all other avenues were exhausted and there was little info online. Although he was successful in finding out who the artist was, they’d unfortunately passed away. Griffiths managed to find a family member, but at the time of writing, no licensing agreement has been arranged.
Even when you find the original creators, it isn’t certain that it will result in a reissue. After many hours, Hot Casa tracked an artist who wouldn’t give the rights over on religious grounds, as they became a devout pastor. The label has over 20 pieces of music they want to reissue but can’t because they either can’t find the person or said person won’t give permission.
The ethics
The benefits that reissuing provides to the original artists, both artistically and monetarily, are undeniable. Although some relationships between label and artist are inevitably shaped by the historical legacy of colonialism, the original artist still benefits greatly and withholds all artistic licence and responsibility. The benefit may be mutual, but it is far from exploitative; it’s symbiotic.
However, we can’t ignore streaming platforms’ insufficient contribution to original artists or labels. Josh FB from Discoteque Tropicales, a London-based brand specialising in Zouk and other classic French African dance music, adds that, despite the significant reach streaming can provide, this isn’t “sufficient to support artists”. Purchasing digital copies of music, if and when possible (particularly off Bandcamp, where fans have paid artists and their labels $1.3 billion to date), is still, and probably always will be, better than listening on streaming services.
Ronnie Lion x Isle of Jura
When considering the circumstances, however, even limited income from streaming is better than nothing — which may be what these artists would receive if their music stayed locked in insular markets, and only available on physical media; and this is before we consider any future potential revenue this new-found audience could provide through vinyl sales and concerts further down the line.
Reissuing is a positive force economically. Culturally, however, there is a fine line to tread; like timeless art or historical objects in museums, care must be taken to properly contextualise the artist and the art to pay homage to their work and the culture that created it.
It wasn’t made in a vacuum — and a reissue is merely a reflection of the powerful work already done by someone else; the limelight is theirs. Focusing the story on this, rather than picking it up from where and when the label found it, is essential to not whitewashing art and erasing the culture that made it. This should be as much of an act of historicising and story-telling as remastering, marketing, and distribution.
Sound quality
Some audio purists debate about reissues, often claiming that they’re not reproduced from analogue source material and, therefore, are of lower audio quality.
There is some truth to this. It’s unlikely you’d find the original lacquer cutting of an old recording, especially rare productions from developing countries. However, the reason the quality may be poor isn’t due to digital technologies poisoning the analogue process – particularly in this context.
Digital doesn’t necessarily mean worse. In fact, we’ve never had access to better-sounding material thanks to all the digital tools that can complement the work done by analogue workhorses. This “wasn’t true in the 90s” due to limited technologies and “flawed” CD formats, says Frank Merritt, leading technician and owner of The Carvery – a multiple Grammy-nominated vinyl cutting and mastering studio in East London. But it certainly is now. “It’s all contextual, and a hybrid approach is best.”
Frank Merritt of The Carvery.
Access to the original master copy, if made by a purely analogue process and if stored in perfect condition, would likely create the best copy reissue. Since this is far from likely, however, the best quality reissues today are made via hybrid technologies. Merret says that digital tools can remove “80 to 90 per cent of clicks to clean up a damaged physical copy” – a real asset for potentially damaged physical media.
The main pieces of tech Merret uses for reissues are the following, although he stresses he doesn’t always need them all:

Neumann W492 and W495B equalisers
Maselec MTC-1X Mastering Transfer Console
Thermionic Culture Phoenix tube compressor
Maselec MEA-2 equaliser
Klark-Teknik DN-50 reverb
Gyraf Audio Gyratec XXI Magneto-Dynamic Infundibulum multi-band analogue soft clipper
CEDAR restoration software
iZotope RX

All things considered, putting new material to wax is best done via analogue. There have been cases of big labels skimping on quality for profit – which led the excellent folk and country duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings to press their own cuttings following the Dutch label Music On Vinyl using a CD source to make “poor–sounding” vinyl copies of Ms. Welch’s 2003 album Soul Journey.
“What people do nowadays is take a digital file and just run vinyl off that,” says Rawlings. “In my mind, if we were going to do it, I wanted to do it the way the records I love were made – from analogue tapes.” So, in 2000, the pair spent $100,000 on their own record-cutting lathe to make sure the labels pressed analogue-sourced material.
Reissues shouldn’t be held to the same standards as a new, original pressing. The remastering process for a reissue is just doing the best it can to improve flawed copies of old music which can’t be re-recorded, and which otherwise wouldn’t be heard at all.
As Zag Erlot, the man behind the hit YouTube channel and mix series My Analog Journal, says: “When you know the reissuing label won’t disappoint, I cannot see a reason why anyone would spend hundreds, if not thousands, on an original pressing that is probably not going to be in great condition. At the end of the day, a DJ shouldn’t play a tune with lots of crackles.”
The people behind the music
We should be grateful, then, to those who undertake the mammoth task of a successful reissue. It’s an act that can mean far more than may appear at first glance. Yes, previously unheard and unappreciated music can now grace more peoples’ ears and the turntables of enthusiasts, but what’s more beautiful is that new life that can be given to original artists following a successful reissue.
Sometimes, this simply reignites a passion; a wonderful thing when four decades or so after your work, someone tracks you down and wants to invest in your art and spread it to new listeners.
Other times, it starts a chain reaction worthy of a biopic. Reissues have shone a light on genius artists, who are now perhaps forgotten and stuck in everyday drudgery – inspiring a second wind in their musical career. Sometimes, this even results in new music and tours decades after their original creations.
This is best summed up by Discoteque Tropicales, whose killer reissue of Guadeloupean Manix’s 1988 EP Voyager, inspired the artist to say: “Now in my 70s, what a joy it is to discover my songs are being loved in new parts of the world that I could never have imagined them spreading to in the mad 80s. A reissue is like a renaissance, a second wind that reaffirms my belief that both music and love will never die.”
Discotheque Tropicales with Manix following his reissue
One particularly impressive story is Who is William Onyeabor?, a 2013 compilation album by William Onyeabor released by Luaka Bop. This was the first official reissue of the artist, who was widely heard in Nigeria in the late 70s and early 80s, but remained reclusive and had little influence outside of his home country.
Following the reissue, William found a new international interest in his music. In 2014, Noisey released Fantastic Man, which documented Onyeabor’s legacy as well as Noisey’s attempt to track him down for an interview. His song Fantastic Man was also featured in a television commercial for Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus in 2017, as well as a 2023 commercial for H&M. Onyeabor died at his home in Enugu from natural causes in 2017, aged 70.
The consequences
Pioneering artists, particularly from the broad musical umbrella of Afrobeat and Afrofunk, made (and still make) timeless music – but it’s often unavailable to those outside of their regional markets. Through significant effort, investment, and time taken, reissuing labels and their remastering engineers change this.
So, let’s salute the record hunters trawling through dusty boxes in far-off lands or those closer to home. They take the time to find lost gems, restore their natural shine, and democratise access, so everyday people like myself can feel the warm glow of cool success as we get a rare record out and place it gently onto the platter.
The post Why indie labels are mastering the art of reissuing music appeared first on MusicTech.

Best free sample packs for hyperpop and electropopAd Feature with BandLab. 
The rulebook has been well and truly torn up when it comes to making pop music, with countless artists pushing the boundaries. Movements like hyperpop emerged in the 2010s, pioneered by AG Cook and his PC Music label to name a few, combining accessible songwriting with far-reaching influences from trance, EDM, dubstep, punk – and everything in between.
These sample packs focus primarily on the electronic side of things, drawing inspiration from names like Charli XCX, Flume, Sophie, and KUČKA – who explained more about the process of recording her album, Can You Hear Me Dreaming?, and its ‘no-rules’ approach in our digital cover feature.
Want to get a little experimental with your own pop productions? These free sample packs are filled with loops, one-shots, textures, and effects to help you score a chart-topper.
[Editor’s note: BandLab and MusicTech are both part of Caldecott Music Group]
Experimental Pop
Bandlab Sounds Experimental Pop
Distorted basses, crunchy drum hits, and sparkling arpeggiators are just a taste of what you’ll find in this highly versatile pack. Sounds range from simple to complex, and many are treated with quirky and intriguing effects for plenty of character.
Download Experimental Pop
Pop Essentials
Bandlab Sounds Pop Essentials
This pack focuses more on cleaner, melodic content like chord progressions and riffs perfect for contemporary pop productions – or for mashing and mangling with your own processing if you’re looking for a bit more edge. You’ll find everything from modern synth patches to more organic loops featuring guitars, keys, and acoustic drums.
Download Pop Essentials
Alternative Pop
Bandlab Sounds Alternative Pop
This collection slows the tempo down a bit, serving up brooding bass sounds, sparse drum loops, and ethereal pads that blend seamlessly into darker, more atmospheric production styles.
Download Alternative Pop
Rookes: POPNOTPOP Pack Vol 1
Bandlab Sounds PopNotPop
UK producer Rookes is the name behind this lighter, playful selection of loops and one-shots comprising glistening keys, snappy drum parts, and experimental reversed textures that work as well in radio-ready chart toppers as they do in left-leaning alternative productions.
Download Rookes: POPNOTPOP Pack Vol 1
91Vocals: Pop Vox
Bandlab Sounds Pop Vox
Vocals – it’s hard to do pop without them. This pack contains a vast selection of hooks, harmonies, ad-libs, and effects from professional vocalists. Leaning into the hyperpop sound? Try dirtying them up, running them through autotune, or pitching them well beyond their original key.
Download 91Vocals: Pop Vox
Experimental Electro Pop
Bandlab Sounds Experimental Electro Pop
Want to channel the weirder sonics of producers like Sophie and AG Cook? This pack takes sound design in a more creative direction, with wobbly leads, siren-esque synths, and growling basses, plus a handful of foley-inspired drum loops.
Download Experimental Electro Pop
Bedroom Pop Vocals
Bandlab Sounds Bedroom Pop Vocals
Pop vocals don’t always call for a powerful performance. If you’re looking for something on the softer side, this pack offers gentler delivery recorded with an upfront, close-mic sound that’s intimate and emotive. Alongside dry vocals, there are plenty of effected versions with carefully dialled reverbs, delays, and filters.
Download Bedroom Pop Vocals
Tim Wicked: Dream Pop
Bandlab Sounds Dream Pop
New Yorker Tim Wicked takes a more dance-inflected approach to pop with this pack. There’s a distinctly analogue flavour to the synth sounds, which is perfect if you’re leaning on the nostalgia factor that’s nearly always in vogue.
Download Tim Wicked: Dream Pop
Hyperpop Vocals
Bandlab Sounds Hyperpop Vocals
While the other vocal packs in this list offer plenty of options for warping into something new, this selection of hyperpop vocals lets you shortcut straight to the sounds of 100 Gecs and Midwxst out of the box. From formant-shifted hooks and melodies to glitchy autotune effects, these samples could inspire your next track from the ground up, or be the final piece in a more developed production.
Download Hyperpop Vocals
Effected Percussion
Bandlab Sounds Effected Percussions
Whether you’re after heavy-hitting half-time beats or crafting intricate patterns with an IDM flavour, getting your drums right is vital in any electropop arrangement. This pack errs on the minimal side, but its tight, snappy hits are great for adding detail to your loops – especially with the healthy dose of modulation that’s been applied.
Download Effected Percussion
 
The post Best free sample packs for hyperpop and electropop appeared first on MusicTech.

Why is ETH demand lacking post-Ethereum ETF?ETH price failed to crack the $3,400 resistance level, as spot Ethereum ETFs are seeing more outflows largely due to Grayscale.

Live Review of Kacy Hill in Los AngelesContact: niquita@biz3.net

Web: kacyhill.com

Players: Kacy Hill, vocals; Valerie Franco, drums; Daniel Lape, guitar

Material: Kacy Hill sang plenty about disappointment at The Lodge Room. Ironic, given that the show didn’t seem to disappoint anyone in attendance. The concert featured opening acts from Hamond and Love Spells. Kacy Hill was performing in support of her new album, BUG. Lyrically, the new material struck a chord with the fans. The lyrics were undoubtedly one of the stars of the night. Hill mentioned that after her last tour, she considered leaving music behind to pursue a career in software engineering, as many struggling musicians do… She spoke of doubt and disatisfaction—feelings that come through loud and clear during the set. Look no further than the tune “Damn.”

Musicianship: Hill wasn’t just playing music; she was telling a story. Even the imagery of bugs, sometimes flying, sometimes eating or running in circles, played into one of the many themes of the night—insignificance. Small creatures in a big world. There’s also plenty of fun to the melancholy, too.

There’s a joyfulness to the playing, sometimes serving as just the right contrast to any down-and-out, smooth lyricism. The playing is as strong as the songwriting. When Hill picks up a saxophone, the concert takes extra flight. Her bandmates, drummer Valerie Franco and guitarist Daniel Lape, also made the stories come to life just right. 

Performance: Franco brought the house down. Talk about a drummer and a voice connecting. Franco knew how to bolster the lyrics and singing, letting her drums provide sounds of thunder even for the most peaceful of melodies. It’s hard not to watch and listen to Franco at work and not be all smiles. There’s a vulnerability to Hill on stage that’s reflected in her body of work, which now spans four albums. She’s honest with her crowd, and that honesty is clearly appreciated among her fans, who seemed to hang on every lyric.

Summary: Given the audience’s reception, hopefully, Hill has forever left behind the thought of a career in software engineering. She writes about lows, but she performs them at such highs. What a warm show about cold feelings. Keep the contrasts coming, Kacy Hill.The post Live Review of Kacy Hill in Los Angeles first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.