GEAR + TECH
How Sensorium Galaxy Is Adopting EDM to Spearhead the Next Generation of Virtual Entertainment
Sensorium Galaxy’s behind-the scenes teasers are about to become the highlight reel of the live music industry. Despite devastating economic impact to the broader sector, the past 15 months could not have proven to be a better case study for one of the most powerful emerging startups at the intersection of music and tech. The stars are beginning to align for Sensorium Galaxy, a next-generation concert platform where users can explore virtual worlds while enjoying performances from their favorite artists in industry-leading, triple-A quality. The company has yet to launch its first digital concert environment, PRISM, but will do so later this year. Even so, a cascade of high quality teasers and headline generating talent acquisitions have hit the public eye over t...
Sensorium Galaxy Announces Metaverse DJ Sets from Charlotte de Witte
Sensorium Galaxy is leading the charge as the premier virtual destination in the electronic music space. Since announcing in 2020 they’ve cultivated a formidable lineup ahead of the platform’s hotly anticipated launch, teaming up with David Guetta, Carl Cox, Armin van Buuren, Black Coffee, and Eric Prydz. The latest artist to join the lineup, dubbed “The Chosen Ones,” is Charlotte de Witte. The esteemed Belgian techno artist has been confirmed to headline a series of exclusive performances in PRISM, a world within the Sensorium Galaxy metaverse. “Whether DJing or producing, I am always searching for new ways to use my creativity and tap into deeper layers of emotion in electronic music,” de Witte said in a press release shared with EDM.com....
Steve Aoki and Bulgari Launch New Luxury Watch Collab
From clothing and wakesurf boards to baseball cards and a restaurant, Steve Aoki‘s line of branded collabs is second to none when it comes to EDM influencers. Now, the world renowned DJ is expanding into luxury accessories with a special edition Bulgari timepiece. Described by the brand as “a beam of light at night,” Aoki’s watch is made of aluminum and coated in Superluminova, a photo-luminescent that glows in the dark. “I think one of the most important things that denotes who I am is nightlife. I thrive at night. My parties are live at night, my shows,” Aoki told Hodinkee of the watch’s inspiration. “We wanted to make the watch something you wear when you go out and get active at night. That’s what the Superluminova is all...
New Inclusivity Initiative Seeks to Eliminate Audio Terms Like “Master / Slave”
“Master / Slave” and “Male / Female” are terms that those in the pro audio industry are undoubtedly familiar with. The former refers to a communication protocol in which one device controls information (the Master) and another follows its direction (the Slave). “Male” and “Female,” on the other hand, are common terms for the topology of connectors of many kinds, referencing biological anatomy in relation to the shapes of certain cables and other apparatuses. But a new initiative by the Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) seeks to make that type of terminology obsolete. PAMA’s members include some of the most recognizable names in pro audio technology, such as Shure, Sennheiser, and Audio-Technica, all of whom back the ̶...
Eric Prydz Announces Exclusive VR Concert Series With Sensorium Galaxy
Sensorium Galaxy has added another exciting talent acquisition to their stacked offering of artist residencies. The one and only Eric Prydz will join the Sensorium VR experience and is slated to perform on the platform’s virtual PRISM venue when it goes public later this year. Hype continues to build for the inevitable launch with a stellar lineup of artists including David Guetta, Carl Cox, Black Coffee, and Armin van Buuren. “I believe metaverses are taking digital events to the next stage, which is one of the main elements that has drawn me to this project,” Prydz said in a statement shared with EDM.com. “Working with cutting edge technology to deliver special performances has always been mine and my team’s goal, but to now take what we do in a physical spac...
Spotify Patent Filing Signals New Karaoke Feature
While digital streaming platforms have given us music to sing along with, it’s not often that the technology sings back. That might change with a patent recently filed by Spotify for a “Karaoke Query Processing System.” The news follows a September discovery by reverse engineer Jane Manchun Wong, who found an unreleased in-app feature that would allow users to adjust the vocal levels of songs. Paired with this patent request, it seems Spotify is making serious plans to extend their reach into karaoke, though the company has not publicly addressed its plans for the technology. According to patent application, which was submitted on June 24th, this system is capable of matching audio clips of songs with their instrumental versions in order to play a ...
This Techno Artist Is Releasing His New Album As a Game Boy Cartridge
Fans of techno artist Remute may have to dig deep into their keepsakes for the proper modality to play his latest album. The innovative chiptune artist is set to release his upcoming Living Electronics album as a physical release exclusively playable as a cartridge on Nintendo’s iconic 8-bit Game Boy console. Remute is no stranger to porting his musical works on retro hardware systems, frequently retrofitting his sounds to work within the limitations of old technologies. His 2019 Technoptimistic album saw its physical release on the Mega Drive and The Cult Of Remute landed on the SNES a year later. “As with all systems I’ve done albums on before, it was quite challenging to compress my vision down to its pure essence,” Remute told NME. ...
Watch Carl Cox Work With Sensorium Galaxy to Create Cutting-Edge Virtual Avatar
Carl Cox‘s storied career is about to traverse this plane of existence. The veteran producer has effectively been immortalized in the metaverse with the help of Sensorium Galaxy. Ahead of its launch later this year, the cutting-edge VR platform has been aggressively courting dance music’s finest producers, signing them to residencies within their digital concert platform. That list includes David Guetta, Armin van Buuren, Black Coffee, and Cox. Ahead of his debut at the PRISM metaverse venue, Cox has been in Melbourne working with the team to help create his virtual avatar. In a new behind-the-scenes video, the fabled techno producer and DJ shares his insights on the exciting new technology and his impressions on how this venture will reshape the live music...
Latest Splice Update Features Three Exciting New Plugins
Esteemed music production utility Splice has just released its latest update, and it’s making integration with digital audio workstations (DAWs) easier than ever. Sounds+, Creator, and Creator+ subscribers will gain access to three new plugins after the platform shared the first major update to its playable sample library. Among the new plugins is Bridge, a tool that deepens Splice integration with DAWs. Bridge is built for streamlining sampling and enabling a new function that allows users to “audition” samples directly from the Splice browser. Samples can be transposed and synced to the user’s project before being dragged and dropped into the project, saving time and making it easier than ever to select the perfect sample. Splice has also introduced a new mu...
You Can Make Beats By Bouncing This Innovative MIDI Ball
The music hardware market isn’t lacking in creative instruments that make for a unique songwriting experience. A few years ago, Roli delivered their modular Songmaker Kit, which included their Seaboard Block, Lightpad Block, and Loop Block. This time around, ODD has developed a feature-packed MIDI instrument that provides a unique beat-making experience. The ODD Ball is fairly self-explanatory. It’s a spherical device that can be tapped, hit, or bounced to produce a sound. It connects via Bluetooth to a compatible device and is controlled by its own proprietary app. Through the app, users are able to record samples such as kicks, claps, and snares as well as loops or entire beats. Those songs can be shared with other users, allowing for easy and efficient c...
AI-Powered “Passion Flower” DJ Art Car Coming to Austin, Texas
After first debuting at Burning Man 2019, the technologically advanced, AI-powered vehicle known as Passion Flower will go back out on the town for the first time in Austin, Texas. The roving car is capable of effectively delivering a multi-sensory experience through the use of AI. Decked out in layers of dichroic film, the colored glass mirrors the vehicle’s surroundings vibrantly. However, it’s getting even more of a read on its audience than some bystanders may initially realize. The AI-powered Passion Flower art car and multi-sensory mobile DJ platform. c/o Shore Fire Media The internal workings of the vehicle’s music and visuals are governed by AiMi, a platform with the ability to generate an endless stream of AI-crafted electronic music in a variety of moo...
Amazon Music Launches “DJ Mode” Experience With Debut Takeover From Billie Eilish
In a possible bid to compete with competitive hosted listening services such as Apple Music’s Apple Music One, Amazon Music’s newly launched “DJ Mode” function finds a balance between the modalities of yesteryear’s radio and today’s on demand streaming. “DJ Mode” has launched with an offering of four curated listening experiences, each led by DJs, artists, and music commentators. This most notably includes an artist takeover channel piloted by none other than the barnstorming Billie Eilish. Titled “The Billie Eilish Takeover,” the playlist—curated by the Grammy-winning pop star herself—brings listeners closer to her music than ever before. Eilish shares her favorite songs, stories, and influences behind her music during a...
