Crosses in RaleighCrosses is currently on tour in North America and Europe, showcasing their sophomore LP, “Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.”

Crosses (stylized as †††) is an electronic alternative rock music group featuring vocalist Chino Moreno and producer/guitarist Shaun Lopez. Their music project seamlessly blends elements of alternative rock, synth-pop, trip-hop, and ambient music, emphasizing melody and mood. Despite the protentional for dark undertones, the duo characterizes their sound as “contemporary.” They draw influence from notable bands such as Nine Inch Nails and The Cure, which adds depth and richness to their musical pallet.

Crosses recently emerged from a self-described “hiatus.” Although there hasn’t been much public news or releases, Chino Moreno and Shaun Lopez have been quietly immersed in music production for the past four years. In 2022, the band made a comeback with a new EP titled “Permanent Radiant,” signaling to fans that they are back with their signature sound. Shaun Lopez highlighted that the success of this release bolstered their confidence, leading to the creation of tracks that eventually found their place on the 2023 sophomore album, “Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.”

Chino Moreno, producer and vocalist of Deftones, brings his distinctive vocals to Crosses, contributing to a new and ethereal atmospheric sound.  Producer and multi-instrumentalist Shaun Lopez carries his own weight within the group, boasting a strong background in music production, guitars, and synthesizers. Shaun intuitively knows when to step up, making his sounds heard, and this ability can be particularly impressive at times.

The 18-song setlist you’ll experience on most tour night offers a blend of old and new tracks, including classics such as “This Is a Trick,” “Bitches Brew,” and “Telepathy” from their self-titled 2014 debut LP. The lineup also features big hits like “Invisible Hand” and “Big Youth” from their 2023 LP, “Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete.” One of the standout moments of the show was the Depeche Mode-influenced track “Vivien” from the 2022 ‘PERMANENT.RADIANT – EP,’ boasting a captivating mix of fluttering electronic and ‘80s new wave sounds.

Crosses continues on tour in North America until March of 2024 with upcoming shows in Sacramento, California; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington. After a brief break, the band will embark on a European tour in June 2024 with shows in Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

You can find additional tour dates and music at crossesmusic.com

An ESP32 MultiFactor TOTP GeneratorMFA, or multifactor authentication, is a standard security feature these days. However, it can be a drag to constantly reach into one’s pocket, scroll to Google Authenticator (other MFA applications are available!), and find the correct TOTP code to log in to a site for a short while. [Allan Oricil] felt this pain point, so they took the problem by the horns and created a desktop MFA TOTP generator to make life just that little bit easier.
TOTP, which stands for Time-based One-Time Password, is a security measure that uses a device or application to provide unique codes that expire after a short time. Two-factor authentication requires a physical item (something you have), such as a key or swipe card, and knowledge of a fact (something you know), like a password, rather than relying on a single factor. This approach ensures a higher level of security. [Allan]’s project is a physical thing one would use with a password or key file.

Utilising the snappily titled Sunton ESP32-2432S028 EVB, based around the Espressif ESP32-WROVER-32 module and a generic touch screen, the neat little package is intended for custom IoT projects. However, we can use it for practically anything. The project uses the PlatformIO infrastructure and associated plugins for VSCode, which are a winning combination if you ask us. The service details and associated secret strings are stored as plain text files on an SD card, so moving from one physical device to another and adding new services is simple. If you’re wondering why a physical device needs a Wi-Fi connection, this is to sync the RTC (the local measure of ‘time’ for that TOTP) with a downstream NTP server. If you don’t do this, you quickly get out of sync with your target services, and your codes could expire prematurely or even fail outright.
If you want to read more, see our guide to Two-Factor Authentication. Regarding hardware implementations, here’s a sweet macropad-based solution, and a tiny one using a BadUSB for good.

Micro Jeep Model Kit is Both Business Card and PortfolioWhen finding work in product design and prototyping, two things are important to have at hand: a business card, and a sample of one’s work. If one can combine those, even better. Make it unique and eye-catching, and you’re really onto something. That seems to  have been the idea behind [agepbiz]’s 1:64 scale micro Jeep model kit that serves as an  “overcomplicated” business card.
Complete with box and labels in a shrink-wrapped package.
At its heart, the kit is a little print-in-place model kit that looks a lot like larger injection-molded model kits. Completing it is a custom-made box with custom labels, and it’s even shrink-wrapped. The whole thing fits easily in the palm of a hand.
There’s a lot of different tools effectively used to make the whole thing. The model card itself is 3D printed in multiple filament colors, and the box is constructed from carefully glued cardstock. The labels are custom printed, and a craft cutter (which has multiple uses for a hobbyist) takes care of all the precise cutting. It’s an awfully slick presentation, and the contents do not disappoint.
Get a closer look in the video, embedded just below. And if you like what you see, you’re in luck because we’ve seen [agepbiz]’s work before in this mini jet fighter, complete with blister pack.

Interscope Geffen A&M and Capitol Music Group are now officially consolidated under the ‘Interscope Capitol Labels Group’; Steve Berman and Annie Lee both promoted to new rolesInterscope Capitol Labels Group is headed up by Chairman and CEO, John Janick
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Sound Particles’ International Women’s Day sale Sound Particles have announced that they are offering a 30% discount on all of their products until 9 March 2024 in celebration of International Women's Day.

Moby breaks down how he made his classic track Extreme WaysVeteran producer Moby has given a full multitrack breakdown of how he put together his popular 2002 song, Extreme Ways.
The song was originally released as part of his sixth studio album, 18, which landed that same year. It is also famously used across the Bourne film franchise.

READ MORE: “When you first start, you’re like, ‘I don’t know if I want another artist to see all the shit I have on my master chain’”: Rezz on approaching collaborations

In a new video shared to YouTube, Moby has given insight into how he built each layer of the song, including drums, bass, guitar, string pads, electric piano and other synth elements.
The track remains one of Moby’s most popular, with nearly 100 million streams on Spotify alone. In just three minutes, you can get a closer look behind the track. Watch the full video below:

Moby released Ambient 23 last year – a collection of sixteen ambient tracks that span two-and-a-half hours long in total, which are inspired by some of his ambient music heroes – from Brian Eno to Jean-Michel Jarre and Will Sergeant.
“[It is] made to help anxiety (my own, and hopefully yours, too),” he wrote following the release. “For 2023 may we all be less anxious (and may we all stop looking for validation from a culture we don’t respect…)”
It’s not uncommon these days for artists to give fans a deeper look into how their music is pieced together. In November last year James Hype released a 30-minute video showing how he pulls together a remix. In Ableton Live, the DJ and producer remixed the track Baby by Quality Control, Lil Baby and Da Baby in full.
Find out more about Moby.
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Unofficial Guide to Music Industry Events during SXSW 2024The Music Tectonics and Rock Paper Scissors team has pulled together an impressive list of official and unofficial music industry and music industry and music tech events happening next week in Austin during SXSW.....
The post Unofficial Guide to Music Industry Events during SXSW 2024 appeared first on Hypebot.

Warner Music makes $1.8B bid to buy Believe, TuneCore, Naïve, Nuclear BlastWarner Music Group (WMG) has confirmed its intention to acquire Believe for $1.8 billion, a price greater than one made by a consortium led by Believe founder Denis Ladegaillerie.....
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Ultimate Guide to how the Spotify Music Discovery Algorithm works [Janelle Borg]Even though streaming has become unimaginably easy for the user to discover new music, that does not mean the process isn't complicated. This guide breaks how the Spotify algorithm works its magic and how musicians can use it to their advantage.....
The post Ultimate Guide to how the Spotify Music Discovery Algorithm works [Janelle Borg] appeared first on Hypebot.

Lindell Audio announce LiNTEC Lindell Audio's latest hardware release sets its sights on Pultec’s famous EQP-1A equaliser unit. 

Roberto Neri appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Ivors Academy in the UKNeri was most recently CEO of the publishing arm of Believe
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Music labels suing Twitter/X for copyright infringement partially allowed to move forward with lawsuitThe coalition of music labels suing X (Twitter) for alleged copyright infringement are permitted to move forward with parts of their lawsuit, it has been reported.
In June 2023, it was revealed that 17 music industry bodies – including Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Group, Warner Chappell, BMG and more – were seeking to claim $250 million in damages for “hundreds of thousands” of alleged infringements of approximately 1,700 pieces of music.

READ MORE: “Music is on the right track”: UK recorded music revenues hit new high for the first time since 2001

Now, as The Verge reports, US District Judge Aleta A. Trauger has partially denied X’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit, stating that it’s still not clear “to what extent X Corp may be liable for the infringing acts of users on its platform” in a new filing.
X’s motion to dismiss claims that it allegedly failed to respond to infringement claims in a timely manner and didn’t take appropriate action against “repeat infringers” has also been denied.
However, the judge has also agreed to dismiss allegations put forth by the coalition (the National Music Publishers’ Association, or NMPA) that X engaged in direct copyright infringement and that the platform is “vicariously liable” for direct infringements by users.
As opposed to other social media platforms, X has reportedly not negotiated music licensing agreements with music copyright holders. This has also been addressed in the filing document.
It states, “The plaintiffs complain that, ‘[w]hile the Twitter platform began as a destination for short text-based messages,’ it has since become a ‘hot destination for multimedia content, with music- infused videos being of particular and paramount importance.’ There are lawful ways for a social media company to offer such media – particularly, by entering into licensing agreements with rights holders, as TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat have done.
“Copyright licences, though, typically must be paid for, and X/Twitter is, the plaintiffs suggest, effectively trying to generate the kind of revenue that one would expect as a lawful purveyor of music and other media, without incurring the cost of actually paying for the licences.”
Proceedings now remain ongoing. View the full document, as shared by The Verge, to find out more.
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“The tools that we now use to make music are made in the image of technicians, not musicians,” says Bronze.ai CEO Lex DromgooleAVA London Conference: Lex Dromgoole, CEO of AI music tech company Bronze.ai, has explored the theory that music today, made using tools that’ve been created “in the image of technicians”, sounds more machine-like. He’s also suggested that AI technology could allow us to “reevaluate what we can actually bring to the table as humans”.

READ MORE: Adobe’s new Project Music GenAI tool is basically Photoshop for music

The AI industry leader made the statement during a recent panel at AVA London Conference at the British Library on Thursday 29 February. Entitled Surviving The AI Apocalype and hosted by AI company Voice Swap. The panel explored the benefits and issues posed by AI and problems that could arise in the future as a result of the technology.
“The current expectation for music makers now is that you have to have a serious level of technical proficiency in terms of software,” he said. “There are a lot of very imaginative people left on the sidelines.
“The tools that we now use to make music are made in the image of technicians, not musicians. AI gives us an opportunity to reevaluate all of that,” said Dromgoole. He went on to say how computational models like parameters and sliders were complex and rooted in technical music terminology, which many musicians can’t grasp. However, he believes AI can help design more intuitive and understandable interfaces for music production.
“I would argue that the tools that we use now to create music have made us as humans act more like computers because of how technical they are,” he said. “For the last 20 or 30 years, we’ve already been making music that sounds more and more like it’s been made by a computer.
“From an artistic point of view, as well, it actually gives us the opportunity to reevaluate what we can bring to the table as humans, that these models can’t.”
Lex Dromgoole, CEO of Bronze.ai, is a seasoned audio engineer with credits including Björk and Arcade Fire. Bronze.ai is a software platform where users can create AI models of their music, generating new iterations with each play. Collaborating with artists like Arca and Disclosure, Bronze offers endless variations, as seen in Disclosure’s anniversary version of Settle.
Keep an eye on AVA Festival for details about AVA’s upcoming festival in Belfast, and check out bronze.ai.
The post “The tools that we now use to make music are made in the image of technicians, not musicians,” says Bronze.ai CEO Lex Dromgoole appeared first on MusicTech.

Calvin Harris eats raw eggs while in-flight to avoid jet lagScottish DJ and producer Calvin Harris has revealed a bizarre in-flight ritual he engages in to avoid jet lag.
On a recent episode of BBC Radio 2’s Breakfast Show, the 40-year-old powerhouse DJ tells co-host Zoe Ball: “I was on a British Airways flight only a couple of weeks ago, and the air hostess told me she’d never seen anybody crack eggs and pour them into their mouth in their seat before.”

READ MORE: Brian Eno: “‘Why do we like music?’ is as interesting as ‘How did the universe start?’”

“But that was me. That’s what I do,” he adds.
For you brave souls out there looking to test out Harris’ flying tip, the DJ reveals that he uses six eggs in total: “I like to get rid of the whites, so I just do the raw yolk. I find it gets rid of jet lag.”
As for how he manages to get half a dozen eggs onto the plane without breaking any, Harris says: “You just stick them in your bag.”
“I’m surprised they get through security because for me, that’s liquid. But it’s never, ever been flagged.”
Watch the full exchange below.

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A post shared by BBC Radio 2 (@bbcradio2)

MusicTech bears no responsibility for any salmonella infection that may arise from trying this bizarre ritual yourself. You’ve been warned.
Unusual in-flight rituals aside, Calvin Harris recently mentioned that he might put a stop to his DJing career once he hits 50. Speaking to MistaJam on Capital Dance, Harris said, “I always said that, once I get past 50, I can’t see me DJing, man.”
Instead, fans can expect the man to be “in the studio making tunes,” something he much prefers over being on stage.
“I think that’s where the majority of my talent lies — making something sound good. So I would like to make other people’s records sound good.”
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You can now put Splice’s library of sounds in your pocket with its new mobile versionSplice has launched a mobile version, meaning users can now access their library of samples and AI tool Splice Create wherever they are, whenever inspiration strikes.
Splice Mobile is available now on iOS and Android, making it possible to browse and create from the cloud-based sample library’s 300 instruments across 140 genres of music while on the move.

READ MORE: Splice’s new AI-powered “Create” tool helps you find matching samples

To launch the mobile version, the company has partnered with producer Terrace Martin, who has previously worked with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes and Stevie Wonder. “I didn’t even need band members. What makes Splice’s Create function amazing, you don’t need a keyboard, you don’t need a computer, you don’t even need a studio. So long as your phone is charged,” he says in a press release.
“We believe that great ideas should never be confined by time or space,” adds Splice CEO, Kakul Srivastava. “We continue to be led by our customer’s desire to integrate Splice sounds deeper in their workflows. This new mobile experience is another path for our customers to bring new ideas to life anytime, anywhere – without losing any of the quality they’ve come to rely on from Splice.”

Users are able to browse, audition and create using the full Splice catalogue, curate sounds into Collections to make “mobile moodboards”. It’s also possible to add, swap and delete up to eight instrumental layers and fine-tune the mix using volume and BPM controls.
The mobile version is also designed to support collaboration, with a function to share creations with friends, followers and collaborators. Splice Mobile also promises to make it easy to save, share and export sounds to work on in any DAW and for users to be able to pick up where they left off whether working on mobile or desktop.
The launch of Splice Mobile follows the introduction of a new version of Splice Create, an AI-powered tool that generates arrangements using loops and sounds from its library.
For more information, head to Splice.
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