Oram Awards 2024: Winners announced Five of the most innovative experimental artists, composers and instrument designers from across the UK have been announced as the winners of this year's coveted Oram Awards.

2024 Tiny Games Contest: Morse Quest Goes Where You DoDo you know Morse code already? Or are you maybe trying to learn so you can be an old school ham? Either way, you could have a lot of fun with [felix]’s great little entry into the 2024 Tiny Games Contest — Morse Quest.
This minimalist text-based adventure game is played entirely in Morse code. That is, the story line, all the clues, and the challenges along the way are presented by a blinking LED. In turn, commands like LOOK, TAKE, and INVENTORY are entered with the slim key on the lower right side. A wee potentiometer allows the player to adjust the blink rate of the LED, so it’s fun for all experience levels. Of course, one could always keep a Morse chart handy.
The brains of this operation is an Arduino Nano, and there’s really not much more to the BOM than that. It runs on a 9 V, so theoretically it could be taken anywhere you want to escape reality for a while. Be sure to check out the demo video after the break.

Hit the Decks! It's ASHRRPost-punk artist ASHRR came at electronic music from a fresh angle.

"When we were making the new album, there were a bunch of songs that we created with a DJ-style approach, where we mixed up different sections of ideas we had and formed them into songs over time," they say. "A good example is 'Please Don’t Stop the Rain.' We started DJing because it’s a skill that all bands need to have today.

We consider it a hybrid approach to making music because, at the end of the day, what matters is putting out great songs, and the method of delivery needs to be more fluid now. We started making mixes for OpenLab, Dublab, and more last year, and we’ve been on a roll ever since. Ethan and I are always producing music daily, but as far as the DJ approach goes, I’d say the last few years have shown a lot of creativity and growth for us as DJs. However, we prefer to call ourselves a band with many 'hybrid' offspring, including DJing."

Describing the sound as "Indie dance, electronic soul, post-punk," ASHRR's latest release is the Sunshine Low album, on UK label 2020 Vision.

"We spent two years making it, starting as we were coming out of the pandemic, and we wanted to create music that brings people together on the dance floor—feel-good music that makes you dance but also has depth to the songs," they say. "Over the past few years, we’ve been constantly refining and reworking the songs until we finally believed, 'Okay, we did it!' We’re really excited for the world to hear this album. It’s a journey meant to be listened to from top to bottom."

As for gear: "While making the album, we used the Prophet Rev2, the Moog Matriarch, and a custom Fender Mustang that really became the guitar sound of the album. We also used Arturia gear and a slew of other equipment, but we wanted to create this album as organically as possible. When we DJ, whatever the place has lying around is what we end up using, but I’m fond of my TMA-2 DJ headphones!"

Looking ahead, ASHRR has plenty planned for the coming months.

"The album comes out soon, and we are working on our live band show release dates as well as Ashrr Soundsystem DJ sets," they say. "We completely broke down the entire album and remade it specifically for a club environment, and we’re working on ways to incorporate that into our live hybrid DJ sets. We’re hoping to get over to the UK later this year to start playing live! They want to see us, and we’re trying to sort out the logistics as well as play around the West Coast. We’ve got a special remix with Ron Trent coming later this year too!"

 ASHRR perform an album release part on September 12 at Apotheke in Los Angeles.

Photo by Jeff Gorney

The post Hit the Decks! It's ASHRR first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Accel, Docker and Redis will discuss what’s next in open source as a business model at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024As companies grapple with the challenge of developing a sustainable business without sacrificing their core principles, open source has evolved from a niche approach to software development into the business model of many successful tech companies. Its principles of transparency and collaboration have fueled innovation, but balancing these ideals with the practical demands of leading […]
© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Zak Sound Releases Orange Dreams 2 Synth & Sampler plus FREE Lite Version
Zak Sound recently launched the Orange Dreams 2 synth and sampler suite and the free Lite plugin version. Orange Dreams 2 is a macOS and Windows plugin for VST3 and AU formats. The full version of Orange Dreams 2 features three samplers and a versatile Waveform Synthesizer. It is currently available at an introductory price [...]
View post: Zak Sound Releases Orange Dreams 2 Synth & Sampler plus FREE Lite Version

TOP POSTS: Last week’s most read posts on HypebotCatch up on what everybody has been talking about with last week’s most-read posts. We’ve got topics ranging from tour cancellations and ticket scams to top music blogs and AI streams. Continue reading
The post TOP POSTS: Last week’s most read posts on Hypebot appeared first on Hypebot.

Erica Synths unveil Resonant FB & FBEX Erica Synths have launched a new resonant filter bank that can be paired with an optional hands-on control module.

Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Peggy Gou up for DJ of the Year 2024The shortlist for DJ of the Year at the DJ Awards 2024 is in, and David Guetta, Peggy Gou and Calvin Harris are all in the running.
Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, Fisher, Martin Garrix and Swedish House Mafia complete the shortlist, and the winner will be chosen at the ceremony at Club Chinois Ibiza on 2 October, 2024.

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

The DJ Awards returns in 2024 after a four-year break. Founded by José Pascual and Lenny Krarup in 1998, the DJ Awards is now under new ownership with “substantial investment”, per Record of the Day.
“Music has power – the power to unite us, to cheer us up, to give us the chills, to instantly remind us of a long lost memory, to create a vibe, to set a mood, or to even motivate change,” says Andy Grant, new owner of the DJ Awards. 
“That is why we have chosen the theme of Unity for the DJ Awards 2024 reboot with the launch of our Best Dancefloor Memory user generated competition which will see everyone everywhere share their top memories via Instagram, tagging @thedjawards and our panel of judges will select someone from any corner of the globe to come to Ibiza and collect a genuine DJ Award that they can keep on the mantelpiece forever.”
Other categories at the awards will encompass genres including house, tech house, drum & bass, techno, progressive house and trance.
For more information, and to view a full list of nominees, head to djawards.com.
The post Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Peggy Gou up for DJ of the Year 2024 appeared first on MusicTech.

California’s Lucidity Festival is cancelled permanently – and nobody is getting refundedBack in June, music fans were devastated to hear that EDM festival Lucidity would no longer be taking place this year. Despite their best efforts, the team was forced to pull the plug due to fire safety concerns, promising to come back in 2025 with a new site by California’s Lake San Antonio.
However, that’s no longer the case. In a new Facebook announcement, Lucidity Festival says it’s ceasing operations forever. “After more than a decade of shared memories, healing, and dreaming, our journey together is coming to an end,” the festival’s statement reads.

READ MORE: Highfield Festival shares statement following Ferris wheel fire where 30 were injured

The statement is very upfront about why the festival is having to close its doors: money. “The 2020-2021 COVID-19 shutdown marked the beginning of our financial struggles, but we persevered,” the team write. “The severe weather of 2023 also tested out resilience, but we continued forward.”
“However, this year, just weeks before our 2024 event, unforeseen last-minute changes in requirements by the County made it impossible for us to proceed, leading to a postponement that we can not financially recover from,” the post continues.

Dear Beloved Community,It is with incredibly heavy hearts that we write you today. After more than a decade of shared…
Posted by Lucidity Festivals on Friday, August 30, 2024

The 2024 festival was set to be headlined by Jade ‘Godzilla’ Cicada, Detox Unit and Wajatta, with a flurry of other offerings like fire-dancers, art showcases, and DNB titans.
While punters will surely miss the Lucidity’s passion for art, spirituality and eco-friendly ethos, there’s one thing they might miss a little bit more: the money spent on their 2025 tickets.
Due to the festival’s financial struggles, the team have admitted they are unable to refund any ticket sales. “This decision was not made lightly and we have exhausted every possible option to avoid this outcome” the team write. “We sought government grants, loans, emergency funding, lines of credit, support from investors, and donations from out friends, family and community. We did everything within our power to keep this dream alive.”
The statement goes on to re-direct attention to the “magical moments” the festival provided for the “Lucid Family.”
Lucidity’s post is flooded with empathetic festival lovers. “This is so heartbreaking,” one comment reads. “Thank you for changing my life and the lives of many others… I’m sorry for the loss you’re experiencing.”
Another writes: “Lucidity Festivals have been a sacred space for growth, love, healing, and creativity, touching many lives in profound ways. This place has been a haven for dreamers, artists, and those embracing their true selves.”
Others are reminiscing, thanking the festival for hosting some brilliant memories. From proposals, to life-changing sets, to inspiring art, fans are keen to see the festival off with respect.
However, look outside of Lucidity’s Facebook page, and the frustration is evident. On Reddit, threads are filled with people wanting refunds. Most users are advising to file bank disputes to gain some compensation.
While people are aware the festival industry is struggling at the moment, the primary feeling is one of frustration. “The Sierra Nevada music festival 2024 [was also] cancelled in the 11th hour this year saying they didn’t sell enough tickets and that they had paid out all artists ahead of time thus making it impossible to refund anyone who prepaid,” one user notes. “Pretty lame.”
Over on another Facebook post sharing the news, the anger is also very clear. “This sounds like a class action lawsuit needs to happen!” someone writes. “I am entirely outraged, fight for your money back everyone! This is not acceptable!”
“So much for being a ‘beloved community,’” another user writes.
A quick look at Lucidity’s FAQ page also shows that the festival has always had a no refund policy. Yet, it is clear that this circumstance is quite different to the typical, one-off refund seeker.
While the festival is unable to refund its punters, the statement ends on a plea for aid. “If there is anyone reading this who thinks to themselves, ‘I know the solution’ please contact info@lucidityfestival.com immediately, as there is still a miracle chance to save Lucidity before we officially initiate the process of going out of business.”
The post California’s Lucidity Festival is cancelled permanently – and nobody is getting refunded appeared first on MusicTech.

SM Entertainment partners with telco LG Uplus on AI-driven content for virtual artist NaevisVirtual artists are taking off in popularity, particularly in the South Korean market
Source

“You see me living my best life – it’s easy to say, ‘F**k that guy’”: John Summit on dealing with hatersMost musicians – hell, most celebrities – have haters and detractors in one form or another; it’s just part and parcel of being in the limelight. And after dealing with criticism for long enough, most come up with strategies and methods to deal with it.
John Summit, for example, explains in a new interview with MusicTech how he deals with negative online commentary, which, incidentally, he seems entirely unphased by.

READ MORE: John Summit says Avicii comparisons are “extremely disrespectful”: “If there’s any way to honour his legacy, it’s by not making those same mistakes”

“I am very unapologetically myself,” he says. “And it’s not like I’m hiding behind a brand, so it’s really easy for people to talk shit. You’re gonna get haters no matter what, and as long as it’s a decent balance, it doesn’t affect me at all.
“It’s especially easy too, because you see the lifestyle, the partying, and if you have a job that you don’t like, and then you see me out there, living what it looks like to be my best life, it’s easy to be like, ‘Fuck that guy.’”
And having been in the game now for around eight years – releasing numerous chart-topping singles along the way – he’s now able to laugh off hate. “It used to affect me a little bit, but now I get more humour out of it,” he says.
“I’m living life to the fullest. That’s the way I say it,” Summit goes on. “The only thing is that, like you said, I haven’t been able to really sit back and look back on it all. But what drives me is that I want to wake up every morning. ‘Oh, I got this to do today. I got this. I have a purpose’. So, yeah, living a purposeful life is living my best life.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Summit looks back on his recent career highlights, which include releasing his debut album Comfort in Chaos, and playing over 220 shows in the past 12 months, including to a crowd of 20,000 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
“I took a few days off after the album and after the big MSG show – but as soon as I was done with that set, which I’d been working towards for months, I went to the green room, and I couldn’t even celebrate because then I played a three-hour after-party to 6,000 people. So, yeah, I don’t know, when I look back at these vlogs I’m doing, I’m like, ‘Oh, wow, this is kind of crazy.’”
Read the full interview now at MusicTech.
The post “You see me living my best life – it’s easy to say, ‘F**k that guy’”: John Summit on dealing with haters appeared first on MusicTech.

GameSoundCon returns for 15th year GameSoundCon will be taking place at the Marriott Burbank Convention Center in Burbank, California, USA, on 29 & 30 October 2024.

Windows previews ‘Intelligent Media Search’ that transcribes videos and audioThe feature could be very useful, but privacy analysts have raised concerns over its reach. 

These are the best music tech deals available at Thomann in SeptemberGerman music retail giant Thomann is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024, and is doing so in style by offering a selection of discounts for the first 10 days of the each month of the year. Its August sale saw big savings on music tech gear, including Korg pianos and a range of plugins, and this month sees similar deals to be taken advantage of.
We’ve picked out the best deals on synths, keyboards and more, saving you time so you don’t have to search for the best bargains from the first 10 days of August.

READ MORE: “Take your music back to the ’80s” with Solid State Logic’s new non-linear reverb plugin, GateVerb

First up, Korg’s King Korg Neo has had €200 sliced off its usual price, bringing its regular €1,099 tag down to only €898. The King Korg Neo is an analogue synthesizer with 37 velocity- and release-sensitive keys, 24-voice polyphony, 300 programmes, three oscillators, multiple filters, a 16-band vocoder, 8-step arpeggiator and loads more. Don’t miss this chance to get yours at a massive discount.
Elsewhere, if you’re in the market for a new pair of studio monitors, Behringer’s EPS500MP3 units are available now with a cool €60 knocked off. For €455 – down from a usual €515 – you get a pair of monitors, each equipped with an 8″ driver and 1″ tweeter, a built-in MP3 player with USB compatibility, four Micro/Line inputs with phantom power and two stereo channels, and a two-band EQ for all channels.
There’s also a host of discounted software to peruse, like the GForce OB-X – an emulation of the famous Oberheim OB-X – Celemony’s Melodyne 5 essential and Arturia’s Pigments Polychrome Software Synthesizer.
To browse the full 70th Anniversary range, head to Thomann.
The post These are the best music tech deals available at Thomann in September appeared first on MusicTech.

Apple may ditch those old familiar USB-A ports in the new Mac miniThe Mac mini will be the next Apple device to say goodbye to USB-A, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Apple customers have probably gotten used to seeing the familiar, rectangular USB-A ports replaced with their thinner USB-C siblings. And while USB-C has its advantages, the transition can sometimes leave users confused and scrambling for adapters. […]
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