GEAR + TECH
New Skin-Reactive Analog Synthesizer Taps Into Users’ “Inner Energy”
For great musicians, their instruments become extensions of their bodies, acting as a conduit for creative expression. A new analog synthesizer from SOMA Laboratory seeks to do the same, applying this mind-body connection to electronic music. Blending together “inner” and “energy,” the ENNER synthesizer is described as a “body-patching synth” that connects a player’s emotional state to its metal pads through weak electrical currents. Its sounds are deeply sensitive to human touch, dependent on the pressure, speed and angle with which a performer uses the device. “Your hands become the central part of the circuitry,” the synth’s description reads. “Signals (passing) through your body define the mixing, volume, timbre, fe...
Watch Behind-the-Scenes Footage of Black Coffee’s VR Avatar Creation for Sensorium Galaxy
Since joining Sensorium Galaxy‘s star-studded lineup of DJs in late 2020, iconic South African electronic music artist Black Coffee has been getting acclimated to the future of virtual concerts. In a new behind-the-scenes cut, we take the journey with Black Coffee as he becomes immortalized in the mind-bending metaverse of Sensorium Galaxy’s PRISM world in virtual reality. As we’ve seen with the rest of Sensorium’s talent roster, which includes Eric Prydz, David Guetta, Carl Cox, and more, Black Coffee traveled to Moscow, where the team performed a complete 360° scan of the producer’s image. The comprehensive process utilizes motion capture technology to map each the precise movement patterns of each artist, including their ...
UNTOLD Festival Strikes Creative Partnership With $1 Billion Blockchain Unicorn Elrond
UNTOLD Festival has confirmed a landmark partnership with Elrond, an internet-scale blockchain giant. The two Romanian powerhouses will join forces for the 2021 festival set to take place from Thursday, September 9th to Sunday, September 12th. The lineup for the event includes performances from David Guetta, Martin Garrix, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, The Script, Tyga, and many more. According to a press release issued by Elrond, the creative collaboration will offer Untold attendees the chance to experience “a special ‘NFT moment,'” which organizers maintain is one-of-a-kind blockchain-music crossover. Each attendee will secure their own NFT via the Maiar marketplace. They’ll also be able to purchase tickets with EGLD, the cryptocurrency that...
This Random Pennsylvania Warehouse Preserves Electronic Gear Used by Kraftwerk, Jimi Hendrix, More
Located about an hour north of Philadelphia, Harleysville, Pennsylvania is not exactly an EDM destination town. However, a warehouse in the town of 9,500 is reportedly the resting place of a treasure trove of rare electronic music artifacts used by legendary artists from the 1930s through the late 80s. The nearly 3,000-piece collection was started 20 years ago by Vince Pupillo, a longtime fan and player of electronic music. Over time, he became known as “the guy who would buy instruments that otherwise might be thrown away,” according to a report by WHYY. “I did whatever I had to do to get those instruments under one roof and preserved,” Pupillo said. “A lot of musicians and folks in the music industry, they want to preserve their legacy, and they see what we’re doi...
Hands-On With the Exquisite ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition Gaming Laptop
It’s no secret that many of our favorite music producers are also hardcore gamers. We’ve seen countless video game and electronic music crossovers over the years, and even more so during the pandemic-induced live music shutdown. At this point, it’s not even the least bit surprising to hear your favorite artist’s music in a game or even see their image modeled into the action. Alan Walker has now decided to take things a step further and move from software to hardware. Enter the ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition, a custom gaming laptop created by ASUS and Republic of Gamers (ROG) in partnership with Walker. ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edition and case. ASUS Pretty and Powerful The ROG Zephyrus G14 Alan Walker Special Edit...
Is the Anonymous Creator of Bitcoin Communicating Through Music?
As the legend goes, Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto vanished from the Internet and was never heard from again in April 2011, now over a decade ago. However, there’s no doubt the world is more eager to hear from him than ever before. Today Bitcoin trades over $45,000, Tesla has the crypto on its balance sheet, and AMC Theaters recently announced they’re aiming to accept it as currency by the end of this year. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but we have to at least explore the possibility that Nakamoto is communicating to us another way: via music. An EP titled Bitcoin, released in February 2021 has gained some buzz due to the fact that the artist credited with the recordings is the elusive Bitcoin founder himself. Interestingly, Bitcoin is a lo-fi album...
Beats for Breakfast: Reese’s Puffs Transforms Cereal Boxes Into Augmented Reality Synths
It wasn’t long ago when kids would use cereal boxes to build imaginary cardboard worlds or play word puzzles. Now, these boxes have the capabilities of a gadget from a Spy Kids film. The General Mills brand has revealed three limited edition Reese’s Puffs cereal boxes that can be used to make music via a new web-based, augmented reality app. The only equipment—or shall we say ingredients—needed to create a tasty beat are the box, the cereal, and the app. Creators are able to utilize a Crunchy Drum Machine, Creamy Lead Synth, and Chocolatey Bass Synth to make beats. “As a kid I was obsessed with reading the back of cereal boxes,” said Josh Fell, partner and chief creative officer of Anomaly LA, in a statement. “Word search? Searched. Maze? Solved...
Giveaway: Enter to Win the Highly Customizable DDJ-FLX6 Controller From Pioneer DJ
Pioneer DJ and EDM.com have once again joined forces to empower the next generation of DJs. This time, we’re giving one lucky artist the opportunity to win a brand new DDJ-FLX6. This sleek, four-channel controller comes with several essential industry-leading software and hardware features as well as cutting-edge features unique to the device. The highlights of the unit include the ability to begin performing within Serato DJ Pro and Rekordbox. It’s as simple as plugging the controller in via USB to immediately begin accessing the features of dance music’s foremost performance softwares. The controller itself comes loaded with unmissable features. For starters, it includes full-size jog wheels outfitted with track-positioning displays so you never lo...
New FestFriends App Launches to Offer Secure Marketplace for Festival Tickets
With the goal of providing festival-goers a secure platform to buy and sell passes, FestFriends has launched a new virtual marketplace. FestFriends has been in the works for over two years, according to a press release issued to announce the brand’s new mobile app. Navigating the devastating impact of COVID-19, which forced countless music festivals across the world to shutter, the team behind FestFriends aims to provide a seamless way for fans to maneuver in a post-pandemic live music landscape. The brand’s new iOS app, available now on the App Store, offers a secure ticket marketplace for music fans to conveniently purchase and sell passes to the world’s most popular festivals, such as Coachella, Lollapalooza, EDC, and Ultra, among many others. According to Fe...
Slooply Offers Over a Million High-Quality Sounds for Producers to Level Up Their Game
For music producers on the hunt for fresh sounds and samples, Slooply is a new platform offering access to over a million sounds. Producers are able to expand their sample library on Slooply by accessing a myriad of instruments for their tracks, like brass, flutes, saxophones, and even unconventional ones like the quenacho and the piccolo. The service allows users to browse and select these sounds by genre, mood, type, key or artist—all in high-quality WAV format—and employ them in their compositions. The website also lets musicians cast a wide net by downloading MIDI files so they can plug and match their samples for seamless melody creation. They can also download free sample packs, which are rooted in hip-hop, trap, EDM, and virtually every contemporary music genre. Slooply’s...
These Cutting-Edge Audio Glasses Have Built-In Microphones and a Subwoofer
With two microphones, a touchpad, and a built-in woofer, Fauna‘s new audio glasses belong in a Kingsman film. The new wearable allows you to listen to music and take hands-free calls by connecting via Bluetooth to its fitted speakers, which are housed in the frame. However, unlike other audio glasses on the market, Fauna’s are not bulky or awkward-looking despite cutting-edge tech specs. Style has always been an elusive holy grail for products at the bleeding edge of the wearable technology space, but Fauna’s glasses are elegant. They also come in a sleek charging case, which contains a USB-C port, integrated power bank, and a tiny row of LED lights displaying battery life. They can be used for up to four hours on a single charge, so they’re...
Someone Is Selling a Rare Jacket Custom-Made for Daft Punk for $10,000
You can now own a piece of Daft Punk history—if you’ve got $10,000 to burn. We’ve discovered the listing of an ultra-rare jacket, designed in 2005 by former Dior Homme creative director Hedi Slimane, which the seller claims was custom-made for the legendary electronic music duo. According to the seller, who listed the item on eBay, the leather jacket was a prototype for the final model worn by Daft Punk for many years, including in the “Epilogue” video that signaled their shocking split. “This is as rare as it gets,” the listing reads. Rare leather jacket designed in 2005 for Daft Punk by former Dior Homme creative director Hedi Slimane. eBay Recommended Articles The forest green jacket features leather ribbing on the cuffs, sleeves, and p...
