Culture
Bad Omens and Chris Malinchak Headline Next Week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream
In case you forgot, we still have Field Medic coming live to you today on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream, and that wraps up our announced week for the stream. However, what we couldn’t tell you at this time last week was that we’ve got a very special episode of Kat Calls tomorrow, in which our fearless host will be sitting down with the one and only Wave Racer to learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know and more about the electronic artist. Once you’re done watching this week’s streams on Twitch, next week has so much content we can barely squeeze it all in. We kick things off with a performance from the Darcys on Monday, and then a doubleheader on Tuesday (including an exclusive interview between Alice Longyu Gao and her friend REI AMI). Molly Moore, Bad Omens, a...
Nigeria ratifies membership of AfCFTA
The Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday ratified Nigeria’s membership of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, as the implementation of the agreement formally takes-off on January 1, 2021. This is as the Council has approved N62.7 billion for the construction of Kano-Dawakin-Tofa-Gwarzo-Dariyo road in Kano. Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the 23rd virtual FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said whereas the implementation of the agreement was initially scheduled to commence in July, this year, the plan was stalled by the spread of COVID-19. Alhaji Mohammed, who briefed on behalf of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Inves...
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S Bring Spatial Audio to the Forefront of Gaming
With the Microsoft Xbox Series X and Series S releasing today and the Sony PlayStation 5 joining it in less than 48 hours, gamers are preparing to sink hundreds — if not thousands — of hours into the new hardware over the next handful of years. But while most of the headlines will focus on the 4K visuals, significantly increased framerates, and effectively nonexistent loading times, one of the major upgrades for audiophiles out there is the improvement in spatial audio — or 3D sound, as most marketing teams are phrasing it. In layman’s terms, what that means is effectively the next step up in tying sound sources to specific locations and directions. Although you may not get the full experience without a home theater “surround sound” kind of setup or a good pair of headphones (Astro’s new A...
MISSIO and More Headline Next Week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream
Don’t sleep through lunch or you may miss FELIN’s performance on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream later today, but while this week has been stellar, we want to prepare you for what’s coming down the pipeline as well. Aside from catching this week’s videos on Twitch (or YouTube in the future), next week’s streams bring everything from concerts to DJ sets to some Call of Duty action live on your streaming device. You won’t want to miss performances from the likes of MISSIO, Niiko x SWAE, Charming Liars, or Field Medic, and Michigander is dropping right into the middle of the week with a little hangout and gaming session. As always, our Twitter and Instagram will both have more updates and reminders over the course of the week. Don’t forget you c...
Heavy Culture: Living Colour on Their Upbringings, Pandemic Life, and Getting Out the Vote
Heavy Culture is a monthly column from journalist Liz Ramanand, focusing on artists of different cultural backgrounds in heavy music as they offer their perspectives on race, society, and more as it intersects with and affects their music. The latest installment of this column features an interview with the Living Colour drummer Will Calhoun, guitarist Vernon Reid and bassist Doug Wimbish. Since 1985, Living Colour have blended rock, metal, and blues to form a sound all their own, inspiring many artists along the way. This year, the rock pioneers are celebrating 30 years of their sophomore album, Time’s Up, which yielded such hits as “Type”, “Love Rears Its Ugly Head”, and “Elvis Is Dead”. This edition of “Heavy Culture” spans several months, as we first caught up with the members of Livin...
Concerts, Voting, and More Next Week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream
There’s still plenty to look forward to this week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream (particularly considering that Dave Hause will be performing some new tracks later today), but we already wanted to prepare you for all of the action coming next week as well. After you watch this week’s videos on Twitch (or YouTube in the future), get ready for live concerts from the likes of Gvllow, FELIN, and Edwin Raphael. Add in a doubleheader of Jesse Ruben and Bre Kennedy (who will each be performing their brand new singles, among others) and an empty Tuesday slot so all of the American viewers out there can vote in an attempt to save the country, and it’s sure to be a remarkable week. Don’t forget to hit our Twitter and Instagram for more updates and reminders,...
The Mandalorian Returns With a Twist on Award-Winning Composer Ludwig Göransson’s Score
When Ludwig Göransson originally designed the theme and score for the first season of The Mandalorian, he wasn’t necessarily interested in keeping it traditionally “Star Wars-like.” Of course, the veteran composer and producer loves and respects the original music, but the Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy winner was more focused on capturing the magic and nostalgia that the most famous Star Wars tracks give off rather than simply recreating “The Imperial March” or the iconic main title theme. Needless to say, Göransson’s intergalactic Western vision worked, and The Mandalorian quickly became essential viewing and listening regardless of anyone’s feelings on previous Star Wars material. Having worked with a who’s who of music, film, and TV, Göransson’s expansions and twists on the music of The Manda...
Wizard of Legend’s Soundtrack Has Been Casting a Spell on Roguelike Fans for Over Two Years
If you’re not familiar with video games, the dedication many fans have to a title like Wizard of Legend is probably a bit confusing. With a retro look and feel not unlike something you might’ve seen back in the Super Nintendo days, the magic-slinging game is a prime example of what’s known as a roguelike — a short journey through a procedurally-generated dungeon that could be completed in a few short hours, except it’ll likely take many unfamiliar gamers several days just to get through the first couple of bosses. Roguelikes are games that are made to be played numerous times (with each playthrough varying in level design and getting the adventurer a little closer to their goal), so designing a soundtrack for them means coming up with a score that captures the emotion and tension of the fi...
Dave Hause and Tessa Violet Headline Next Week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream
This week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream was awesome. We had a Q&A with Mayday Parade, some Mario Kart action from Paper Jackets, a full-blown listening party with pluko (whose new EP is out now), and more. But let’s not live in the past (although you can still see those sets on our Twitch for a bit before they go up on YouTube), as next week could be even better. We’ll start things on Monday with Black Satellite, carry you through the midweek with Tessa Violet, and let Dave Hause rock us into the weekend to celebrate his new release – and that’s not even all of it. It’ll be a week full of unforgettable performances and intimate moments with your favorite artists, so head to our Twitter and Instagram for more updates and reminders as the d...
Street Fighter V’s Final Season Brings New Life to the Historic Series
It’s impossible to talk about the history of video games without mentioning Street Fighter. Whether in an arcade or on a home console, Street Fighter II and every successive iteration (the original Street Fighter didn’t catch on with most of the world) has become synonymous with video games of all types. Characters like Ryu, Chun-Li, and several other members of the roster are now pop culture symbols reaching far beyond the gaming community (just ask Nicki Minaj), and the series’ influence can be felt as widely as that of The Simpsons. As we near the end of the current generation of consoles, the gaming giants at Capcom have announced that the next season of new characters and content set to roll out for Street Fighter V over the next several months will be its last. But just because ...
Eddie Van Halen Guitars, Smashed Kurt Cobain Guitar to Be Auctioned
Two of the late Eddie Van Halen’s iconic guitars — his custom-designed, red-and-white-striped, stage-used 2004 EVH Charvel Art Series, and a black-and-white striped Fender Stratocaster-style headstock numbered on the back #54 — are going on the auction block. Each guitar is estimated to sell between $40,000 – $80,000 at the Icons & Idols Trilogy: Rock ‘N’ Roll annual music auction on Dec. 4 and 5, live at Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills and online here. The event will span over 700 historic artifacts of every genre, including items from the Beatles, Johnny Cash, Jim Morrison, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Guns N’ Roses, Little Richard, Cher, and many more. In 1991, the Charvel Art Series guitar with the red body, below, was gifted to Van Halen’s friend Bryan Cash, the o...
Mayday Parade Headlines Next Week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream
Surprise! We’ve got a last minute addition to this week’s entertainment on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream, which is a brand new episode of Kat Calls featuring an interview with the legendary Rusko. You can catch that tomorrow at 2pm PT / 5pm ET, and head to our Twitter and Instagram for more details. Of course, we still have the doubleheader today from ONR (12pm PT) and Kulick (4pm PT), so you won’t want to miss those, and the full sets from earlier in the week are still on Twitch for a few more days before they move to YouTube. As for next week, we’re bringing in the heavy hitters with Mayday Parade on Wednesday, following hangouts with Seaway, Mario Kart, and much more. Plus, we’ll be celebrating pluko’s official partnership with Twitch and brand new tra...
