Underground Vibes | 048

Taw, Chace, Zanski and more are featured on this week's installment of Underground Vibes.

Numerous artists, industry professionals and fans consider SoundCloud the best platform for unheralded music to reach its true potential. Its direct, artist-centric approach has enabled bedroom artists to reach fanbases all over the world, and it has equipped emerging talent to turn their SoundCloud game into longterm careers.

In this series, our aim is to showcase the best new music we discover on the platform—music that oftentimes can’t be found anywhere else. In addition, we shine a light on talented artists who are either breaking through on the platform or have used it to attract an active following in the past.

Underground Vibes 048 includes explosive gems from Taw and Late June, atmospheric soundscapes by Duke & Jones, club-ready tracks by Chace and Sparkee x LIINKS, and more. 

“Faith“ - Taw, Veronica Bravo & Harley Bird

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In contrast to his latest singles that displayed a much harder side of his production, Taw’s latest release, “Faith,” which is out via Lacuna, is a perfect combination of pop and future bass. Enlisting in-demand vocalists Veronica Bravo and Harley Bird, "Faith" makes for a bright duet that is undoubtedly an exciting step forward for the young producer.

“Us” - Chace

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Coming in with heavy, UK-influenced production, Shanghai-based producer Chace has released one of his strongest tunes to date with “Us,” fusing together infectious basslines and heavenly vocals to create a radio-ready hit.

“’84” - Sparkee & LIINKS

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Sparkee gathered massive online attention when he programmed a “technically impossible” bass line for a remix of deadmau5’s iconic track “Strobe,” and now alongside LIINKS, he is back with another funky house tune titled “’84.”

“Cheesin’” (with Remi Wolf, Still Woozy, Sophie Meiers, Claud, Melanie Faye & HXNS) - Cautious Clay

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Produced by Cautious Clay and HXNS, “Cheesin” is a short yet massive collaboration. As noted by Cautious Clay, all proceeds from the laid-back song will go to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

“Consequence” - Zanski

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Gearing up for the release of his forthcoming EP, Zanski displays his true talent once again with his latest single "Consequence," combining soulful instrumentation with expert songwriting and vocal work.

“Battered and Broken” - Sofasound

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Sofasound just released his 7-track album on San Holo’s imprint bitbird, and “Battered and Broken” couldn’t be a better introduction to the artist’s world. Filling it with lush chords and synths, as well as hard-knocking drums, Sofasound perfectly displays his creativity and production skills.

“Self-Isolate” - Duke & Jones

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Though mostly known for their unique take on bass music, UK production duo Duke & Jones just proved their versatility and talent with their recent single “Self-Isolate,” creating a melodic, lo-fi gem.

“Departure” - Late June

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Late June has been going harder than ever this year, already having released an EP as well as a couple more singles. His latest work is one of his best to date, and comes in the form of “Departure,” a stunning, high-energy effort.

“Leave” - Gareth Donkin

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In recent years, Lucid Monday has made a point of showcasing the hottest rising talents in the producer community, and Gareth Donkin is no exception. The young producer and songwriter recently released his single “Leave,” displaying his promising potential as well as his taste for catchy production.

“…she smiled and left” - camoufly

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camoufly has been consistently putting out high-quality beats and flips, and continues to do so with his recent release “...she smiled and left," a lush instrumental filled with hard-knocking 808s and heavenly, melodic samples. 

Underground Vibes / 047
Underground Vibes / 046
Underground Vibes / 045

source https://edm.com/features/underground-vibes-048

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Freelancers Union Reports 84% of Applicants Have Yet to Receive Financial Assistance

Despite the original intentions of the CARES Act, economic relief has not reached the majority of freelancers.

Despite the ratification of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) over a month ago in the United States, new data from the Freelancers Union shows the majority of independent workers still have yet to receive financial assistance. 

The $2.2 trillion economic stimulus plan was believed to be especially essential to supporting freelance workers given the notion that this segment of the workforce is often ineligible for unemployment insurance. Freelancers constitute at least one-third of the US workforce, according to a recent report by Fast Company. 

Despite the original intent of the plan, the Freelancers Union recently stated that an overwhelming 84% of freelancers who have applied for relief have yet to receive monetary relief. While a similar majority, 86% of freelancers, have applied for relief in some capacity, the data suggests the process of applying has proven cumbersome, unintuitive, and confusing. Around half of applicants experienced problems with unresponsive phone lines or broken web systems.  

Freelance work is a staple of the music industry. Thousands of musicians, producers, songwriters, and tour crews would theoretically qualify for assistance under the terms of the CARES Act.

The Freelancers Union is making clear that this impactful sector of the workforce should not be treated as an afterthought, stating, "In the best of times, freelancers have operated without an economic safety net... We won’t let this crisis maintain the status quo, leaving desperate freelancers last in line for relief."

source https://edm.com/industry/freelancers-union-reports-most-applicants-have-not-received-assistance

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Annie Mac Is Launching a New Podcast About Overcoming Challenges and Navigating Change

"Changes With Annie Mac" will debut on May 4th, 2020.

Iconic Irish DJ and BBC Radio 1 host Annie Mac has announced the launch of a new podcast called "Changes With Annie Mac." Mac, whose eponymous radio show has grown to be one of the most esteemed in all of dance music since its 2004 inception, is set to debut the podcast this Monday, May 4th, 2020.

"Changes With Annie Mac" will examine the central motif of change, and its overarching effect on the way we choose to embrace it. Change can either define you or derail you, and the dichotomy between the two represents an absorbing topic of dialogue considering the harrowing times contrived by the COVID-19 pandemic. The show will feature in-depth conversations with illustrious singer Robyn, Syrian activist and filmmaker Waad Al-Kateab, and author Caitlin Moran, among others, who chatted with Mac for the podcast's first episode.

Taking to Twitter to announce the show, Mac rhapsodized about its background. "It is all about change, and how change can affect you. How it can completely derail you, knock you for six," she said. "Change the way you look at the world and yourself. How it can define you as a person."

You can listen to "Changes With Annie Mac" here.

FOLLOW ANNIE MAC:

Facebook: facebook.com/anniemac/
Twitter: twitter.com/AnnieMac
Instagram: instagram.com/anniemac/
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/annie-mac-presents

source https://edm.com/news/annie-mac-new-podcast

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MusiCares' COVID-19 Relief Fund Now Depleted of Financial Resources

The organization has seen double the average rate of annual applications in a matter of weeks.

The charitable foundation MusiCares, an organization dedicated towards supporting music industry professionals in need of financial assistance, has run out of monetary resources. Amid the ongoing pandemic, MusiCares launched their COVID-19 Relief Fund last month, which has drawn an unprecedented influx of applications. The depletion of funds has now caused the organization to halt new applications for the time being.

The fund, which was started with two $1 million donations from the organization itself as well as its affiliate, The Recording Academy, went on to raise $14 million in total. The resources were raised from individuals as well as charitable corporate partners including SiriusXM, Spotify, and Pandora. However, as the pandemic has persisted, the organization's funds have temporarily run dry. 

In a statement, MusiCares mentions that in the last several weeks they have vetted and approved over 20,200 applications for financial assistance. To put that into perspective, the organization says that is double the amount of applicants they typically service over an annual period.

MusiCares also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting applicants in need during these unprecedented times. "We aren't giving up and continue to work relentlessly to raise additional funds, while furthering our commitment to provide leadership in other ways," the statement said. "These initiatives include continuing our advocacy work in Washington D.C., providing guidance for artists as they navigate this new territory, and fostering discussions with a broad group of leaders about the future of our industry."

The organization is continuing to accept donations on its website, with charitable partner Spotify committed to matching 100% of the donations made for a limited time.

source https://edm.com/news/musicares-relief-fund-depleted-of-funds

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Boys Noize Surprises Fans With Raw Analog Album "STRICTLY BVNKER"

The 7-tracker arrived today seemingly out of the blue.

Boys Noize surprised his fans today with a brand new mini album called STRICTLY BVNKER. Recorded during livestreams via Twitch over the course of the last few days of April, the final project is a microcosm of Boys Noize's raw analogue sessions.

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Spanning 7 tracks, STRICTLY BVNKER oozes with the dark, ominous flavors that catapulted Boys Noize to the upper echelon of electronic music in the early 2000s. The project proves that he's still riding that pinnacle, representing a pristine song-cycle of electro house and breaks that are bursting at the seams with industrial flair.

Each track is ideal for an underground warehouse party and they encompass a broad range of electronic subgenres, including midtempo ("4TWNTY2"), breaks ("Mftrfckr"), and leftfield house ("Früh Gymnastik"). Boys Noize, who is also one-half of the duo Dog Blood alongside Skrillex, did a brilliant job of traversing the genre spectrum while steadfastly maintaining a crunchy sound all his own.

You can stream the project above and purchase it in support of Boys Noize via Bandcamp here.

FOLLOW BOYS NOIZE:

Facebook: facebook.com/boysnoize
Instagram: instagram.com/boysnoize
Twitter: twitter.com/boysnoize
SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/boysnoize

source https://edm.com/music-releases/boys-noize-strictly-bvnker

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Germany's BigCityBeats Hosted The World's First "Drive-In Rave" Amid COVID-19 Lockdown

German engineering at its finest.

Out of all the music genres, the electronic music scene has perhaps led the way in introducing innovative techniques to reach its audience. What began with livestreams have now blossomed into full-on car raving.

This creative approach was imagined by the German team behind the festival WORLD CLUB DOME. Since it was postponed to 2021 due to the current global pandemic, they put on their thinking caps and came up with the idea of bringing the event to a parking lot, allowing fans to experience the first-ever livestreaming event from inside the Autokino Düsseldorf Drive-In Cinema Stadium.

BigCityBeats' WORLD CLUB DOME Drive-In featured amazing pyrotechnics, fireworks, and artists like DJ Le Shuuk, Tiefblau, Plastikfunk, and Topic taking the stage in front of a line of cars filled with ravers, all safe in their respective cars. Attendees were instructed to tune into the sets, transmitted by FM radio, just as they would in drive-in movie theaters. Can you imagine how many car horns were blaring in excitement during this crazy experience? 

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With Germany's innovation leading the way, it's safe to assume festival companies across the globe might follow in their footsteps, setting this as the new standard of live entertainment during the age of social distancing. BigCityBeats is already gearing up for the second edition of the "Drive-In Rave," which is set to take place on May 20th, 2020. If you happen to live in Düsseldorf and want to attend one of these epic events, check here for more information.

FOLLOW WORLD CLUB DOME:

Facebook: facebook.com/pg/worldclubdome
Instagram: instagram.com/worldclubdome
Twitter: twitter.com/worldclubdome

H/T: EDMManiac

source https://edm.com/news/germany-hosted-the-worlds-first-drive-in-rave-amid-covid-19-lockdowns

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Lollapalooza Delves Into the Archives to Present New Livestream Events

Lollapalooza will be livestreaming highlights from its trove of performances in the coming weeks.

Lollapalooza's fate in 2020 remains uncertain. Due to COVID-19, organizers of the Chicago-based festival are working to reach a decision by the end of May as to whether the four-day event will take place this summer.

In the meantime, Lollapalooza is opening up the archives and livestreaming two unique weekly events, Lolla From The Vault and Perry's Power Hour. Lollapalooza was created by Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell in 1991 and today the festival's primary dance music destination, Perry's Stage, continues to bear his name. 

Lolla From The Vault kicked off yesterday as fans relived a 2010 headlining performance from The Strokes. For dance music fans, Perry's Power Hour starts this coming Sunday and will feature Alesso's 2019 headlining set. Both livestream events will continue weekly and will feature Lollapalooza sets not only from the Chicago flagship event, but also Argentina, Berlin, Brazil, Chile, Paris, and Stockholm respectively.

The livestream performances will be fundraising for CrewNation, a charitable organization with a mission to support venue and touring crews that have been kept out of work due to the pandemic. 

Perry's Power Hour featuring Alesso begins on Lollapalooza's official YouTube channel at 7PM CST this Sunday, May 3rd.

FOLLOW LOLLAPALOOZA:

Facebook: facebook.com/lollapalooza
Instagram: instagram.com/lollapalooza/
Twitter: twitter.com/lollapalooza

source https://edm.com/news/lollapalooza-new-livestream-events

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