News

The Pitch: A few months before Donald Trump’s election rocked the US, the UK had its own shocking 2016 election result in a referendum on whether or not to leave the European Union. The movement known as “Brexit” passed with a 51.9 percent majority, thanks to some eccentric politicians and some lesser-known behind-the-scenes machinations. HBO’s new original film Brexit focuses on the latter half of the equation, telling the largely untold story of Dominic Cummings (Benedict Cumberbatch), the director of the official Vote Leave campaign, who, at least according to this film, may have singlehandedly changed the course of modern British history. The Controversy: The release of Brexit has been accompanied by a lot of controversy — particularly in the UK — about whether it’s too soon for a darkly comedic exploration of a major political event that’s still very much in flux. (The most recent Brexit-related parliamentary vote took place this week.) Brexit writer James Graham has argued that storytelling is “a vital weapon in making sense of the chaos”. Indeed, for those who know little about Brexit itself, Brexit is certainly far more interesting than reading the Wikipedia page about the event. It casts a wide net when it comes to exploring the many factors that may have played a role in Vote Leave’s unexpected success — from the broad appeal of its “take back control” slogan, to Cambridge Analytica-related social media micro-targeting that managed to engage a whole base of non-voters. Yet in giving all of those factors equal weight at a time when the real story of Brexit is still unfolding (including an ongoing investigation into Vote Leave’s possible campaign-finance transgressions), Brexit also runs the risk of missing the forest for the trees. The Man Behind the Movement: Playing the only three-dimensional character in the film, Brexit is very much Benedict Cumberbatch’s show. He turns in a characteristically captivating performance as yet another prickly genius with questionable people skills. Dominic Cummings is a man who’s guided less so by any kind of inner morality than by the question of whether or not he can achieve the unachievable. A few attempts to humanize Dominic with some domestic drama are thunderously clunky, but the film otherwise paints a compelling portrait of a man smart enough to see that the Brexit referendum is a terrible idea, and immoral enough to try to push it through by any means necessary anyway. The Verdict: Like Adam McKay’s Vice, Brexit director Toby Haynes uses a darkly comedic, heightened style to make a complex socio-political story more engaging to watch. Corrupt politicians become comedic buffoons. Classical music provides an ironic sense of pomp and circumstance. Wide-angle lenses add to the film’s heightened sense of unreality. It makes for a film that’s entertaining, but at time frustratingly smug. Brexit turns into comedic folly a political subject on which real lives and livelihoods hang in the balance. In its attempts to be “non-partisan”, Brexit also winds up giving more weight to working class economic woes than it does to forces like racism and xenophobia. And as funny as it is to watch politicians like Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson rendered as clowns, it’s hard not to feel like the film is letting them off the hook for their role in Britain’s current political mess. Because it covers so much ground, Brexit can’t help but stumble across some fascinating ideas along the way, particularly when it delves into data-mining and social media micro-targeting. But for as engaging as the film is in its best moments, its breadth-over-depth approach leaves the whole thing feeling glossy but a little hollow. Where’s It Playing? Having already aired in the UK, Brexit debuts stateside on HBO on Saturday, January 19 at 9 p.m. ET. Trailer: Source

Another iconic venue in NYC is shutting down. The Highline Ballroom just announced it’s being forced to shut down after the landlord decided to not renew the lease. After 12 years of music and memories, Highline Ballroom will close. At least, for now. The team fully plans on reopening its doors at a new location in the Chelsea/Meatpacking District. “Unfortunately after 12 years our landlord has decided not to renew Highline Ballroom’s lease,” the venue shares in a statement. “For over a year we were led to believe that a renewal was imminent, however it is now clear that the landlord has other plans for the building.” Over the years, Highline Ballroom has hosted leading acts including Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, The Killers, Rihanna, The Black Keys, Artic Monkeys, Lou Reed and The Roots, just to name a few. Stay tuned for the final show date and programming. Announcement coming soon. Highline Ballroom Closing Photo via Highline Ballroom This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Iconic NYC Venue Forced To Shut Down, Seeks New Location Source

I’m used to seeing ridiculously high mark-ups on brands like Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga and the like, even on products as simple as money clips shaped like a paperclip. It’s also not uncommon for items like headphones to fetch high price tags with special components and superior quality and build. But somehow, I feel like the new $995 Horizon earphones from Louis Vuitton aren’t worth the components they’re made of. That being said, the earphones are designed in partnership with Master & Dynamic, whose own headphones range from $200-600, so I could be wrong on that. They’re compatible with any Bluetooth device, though they’re “optimized” to be used with LV’s Tambour Horizon watch (starting at $2,450). And because LV is focused on high quality and integrated fashion, the earphones come with a matching carrying and charging case that is très chic. The earphones will be available in four colors — black, white, red monogram, and yellow and blue LV stripes. Stay tuned for an official release day to come later in January. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Louis Vuitton Drop New Wireless Earphones For $995 Source

Raz Simone is making power moves in 2019. He kicked off the year with a silent listening party, complete with Raz branded headphones at a building he owns in downtown Seattle, where friends and fans were surprised and delighted by an exclusive preview of his latest album, Still Love. Following the drop of Forever Don’t Last, the Still Love campaign continued to build a surge of momentum with the release of Hurting Painters, another Worldstar exclusive. Hurting Painters is a groundbreaking masterpiece, beautifully and melodically structuring a platform for dialogue around some of the most divisive issues such as stereotypes and racial inequality. At its heart, the song is rooted in love, thematically aligned with the rest of the project. Still Love is Raz’s most extensive body of work to date. It is also an extreme diversion from what most listeners may have expected from Raz, composed of mainly acoustic instruments and soothing melodies, cementing his status as a significantly dynamic artist. Still Love is now available in its entirety on all streaming platforms. The post Raz Simone Releases His Highly Anticipated Project ‘Still Love’ appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

Holy Ship! is notorious for some unexpected back-to-back sets, and this one ranks up among the most unexpected. Both ZHU and Tchami were booked for Holy Ship! 13.0, but it’s safe to say that no one expected them to take to the decks together one afternoon. For over an hour, the deep and sensual house legends played out some serious vibes in the hot ocean sun. Sometimes, it’s nice to just dance without a care without the need to lay it all out and go home sweaty and tired. That’s one of the benefits of Ship, though — your bed is never that far away. Also catch that surprise horn line from Griz at 25:10! Check out the full set below. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: WATCH: Zhu Goes B2B With Tchami On Holy Ship Source

In just one month, Elrow will be returning to Brooklyn’s Avant Gardner for their biggest North American show to date. This is following the announcement of “El Bowsque Encantado” as theme for the launch of their 2019 NYC residency. The just released lineup will feature artists from all over the globe including DJ’s from Spain, Greece, Germany, the U.K., and the US. The lineup is thriving with artists such as Paco Osuna, Victor Calderone, Charles Meyer, Audiojack, Bastian Bux, Detlef, Mathias Kaden, Joeski, special guest Matthias Tanzmann, Sante, Miss Jennifer, Toni Varga, and Westend. Performers will provide over 10 hours of house and techno music between two rooms from 7:30 PM till Dawn on February 23rd. Avant Gardner will be completely transformed into The Enchanted Forest with theatrical performances, dazzling artwork and stupendous costumes. The event organizers claimed: In this otherworldly dimension, the wildest parts of your subconscious are brought to life, rendering you giddy and delirious. Attendees will interact with magical exotic creatures and mysterious beasts that roam the mystical surroundings where a myriad of pixies, fairies and elves will be riding sunbeams through the dense foliage of the trees and giant toadstools. Unicorns fleetingly emerge from the dappled shade as butterflies float from one brightly colored blossom to another in a parallel universe.” Get tickets for Elrow’s NYC Show by clicking here. The post elrow Announces Huge Lineup for Biggest US Show Yet appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

LSD is a new band consisting of Australian singer Sia, British singer Labrinth and American producer Diplo. A collaborative group, LSD fuses pop, EDM and hip-hop music. The team has four songs “Audio”, ‘Thundercat”, “Mountains” and “Genius” out now. “Genius” is LSD’s latest single and it’s a stylish record that’s upbeat, also. “Genius” receives remix treatment from Lil Wayne. The ‘Carter V’ rapper opens the remix and ignites the pop record with his energetic verse. Lil Wayne is fiery on this track adding welcomed hip-hop flavor. He flows brilliantly over the catchy beat by Diplo and leads the way into Sia and Labrinth‘s confident and mesmerizing lyrics. Take a listen to LSD’s “Genius Remix” featuring Lil Wayne, Sia, Diplo, and Labrinth. Download on iTunes: LSD – Genius (Lil Wayne Remix) ft. Lil Wayne, Sia, Diplo, Labrinth | Apple Music | Spotify The post Take A Listen to LSD’s “Genius Remix” Featuring Lil Wayne, Sia, Diplo, and Labrinth appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

The announce of a new James Blake album, his fourth studio release certainly got fans in a trance heightened again by the long list of collaborators that included Andre 3000, Travis Scott, Rosalia, Metro Boomin, Moses Sumney and more. For those able to keep themselves composed since the announce of ‘Assume Form’ can finally dive into the new work for the British composer and producer in full. Initial thoughts are pretty glowing with a carefully constructed 12-track release that showcases Blakes bubbling electronica as well as moodier cuts and lulls, both traits of the rather enigmatic 30-year old. James Blake ‘Assume Form’ tracklisting 1. “Assume Form” 2. “Mile High” 3. “Tell Them” 4. “Into The Red” 5. “Barefoot In The Park” 6. “Can’t Believe The Way We Flow” 7. “Are You In Love?” 8. “Where’s The Catch?” 9. “I’ll Come Too” 10. “Power On” 11. “Don’t Miss It” 12. “Lullaby For My Insomniac” James Blake has announced a string of European tour dates but no Australian stops although we have seen the him play a previous Splendour in the Grass so the timing could work pretty well to see him later this year. Source

After six long years, the wait for a new Vampire Weekend album is almost over. In a lengthy Instagram post this afternoon, frontman Ezra Koenig reveals a number of important tidbits regarding the upcoming record, including the initials of its title, its length, and the very, very imminent release of new songs. According to Koenig, the Modern Vampires of the City follow-up is no longer titled Mitsubishi Macchiato, which had been its previous working title. Instead, the album bears the initials “FOTB”. The full title remains to be seen, but Koenig did mention tha tthe band actually “picked the name a few years ago.” (Read: The 10 Most Anticipated Indie Rock Albums of 2019) In terms of length, the record is considered a double album, as it features 18 songs spread across 59 minutes. “It’s a lot of songs but they all belong there,” Koenig remarks. A forthcoming vinyl edition will also be comprised of two LPs. A release date for the album hasn’t been confirmed, but there is new music just around the corner. Koenig says Vampire Weekend plan to unveil three two-song drops every month until the record finally arrives, beginning next week. That’s a total of six new tracks each month (!), which if my math is right, means that all 18 songs of the album should be here in three months, aka around May (!). Check out Koenig’s full post below. Let the excitement begin. Source

Doritos booted one right through the uprights with last year’s Super Bowl ad, putting Peter Dinklage and Busta Rhymes together for a fiery mashup (while Morgan Freeman spit Missy Elliot bars for Mountain Dew, no less). The chip company clearly realizes how high of a bar it has set for itself, and it’s going all out for 2019’s Big Game. This year, Doritos is introducing a new Flamin’ Hot Nacho flavor, which is described as “a combination of hot and spicy with original nacho cheese.” But the combo we’re really curious about is the collaboration between Chance the Rapper and Backstreet Boys put together to promote the new snack. Exactly what the Chicago hip-hop star and the ’90s boyband icons have in store is being kept under wraps until Super Bowl LIII kicks off on February 3rd from Atlanta. Doritos has teased the anticipated ad with a short new video, however, and you can watch it below. Maroon 5 are set to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show along with Travis Scott and Atlanta native Big Boi. A number of artists — including Rihanna, Pink, JAY-Z, and Nicki Minaj turned down the headlining spot as an act of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, the former QB blackballed from the NFL for his vocal protests against police brutality. For what it’s worth, Kaep did not give Scott his blessing to perform, as had been previously reported. Source

First we got Sundance, now South by Southwest has announced its feature film lineup for 2019. Set to take place from March 8th to 17th, the Austin-based festival will screen more than a hundred new features. Among the many highlights are the world premiere of Jordan Peele’s Us, Harmony Korine’s long-awaited Spring Breakers follow-up The Beach Bum, Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut Booksmart, Elle Fanning’s Teen Spirit, and an untitled comedy starring Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron. There are also a number episodic premieres in the television medium, including the highly anticipated adaptation of Joe Hill’s NOS4A2, Taika Waititi’s spinoff series What We Do in the Shadows, and Aidy Bryant’s new comedy Shrill. As expected, the lineup has a strong focus on music features, specifically The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story, The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash, Boy Howdy! The Story of CREEM Magazine, and a special screening of True Stories with David Byrne. “As we head into our 26th edition, we couldn’t be more excited to once again share a completely fresh SXSW 2019 slate with our uniquely smart and enthusiastic SXSW audience,” says Janet Pierson, Director of Film. “As always, we looked for a wide range of work, contemplating scale, style, tenor and tone. We hope that this year’s outstanding array of films from accomplished to emerging talent will entertain, surprise, and provoke.” Consult the full lineup below. As if the following weren’t enough, a second wave of announcements will follow on February 6th, which includes all the horror fare in their Midnighters section. Though, we do love that Joe Bob Briggs is already confirmed to be down in Texas. Yahoo, indeed. NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION Ten world premieres, 10 unique ways to celebrate the art of storytelling. Selected from 1,346 narrative feature submissions in 2019. Alice (France) Director/Screenwriter: Josephine Mackerras She did everything right until it all went wrong. Cast: Emilie Piponnier, Martin Swabey, Chloe Boreham (World Premiere) Extra Ordinary (Belgium) Directors/Screenwriters: Mike Ahern, Enda Loughman Rose, a mostly sweet and mostly lonely small-town driving instructor, must use her supernatural talent to save the daughter of Martin (also mostly sweet and lonely), from a washed-up rockstar who is using her in a satanic pact that will reignite his fame. Cast: Maeve Higgins, Barry Ward, Will Forte, Claudia Doherty (World Premiere) Go Back to China (China, U.S.) Director/Screenwriter: Emily Ting After spoiled rich girl Sasha Li (Anna Akana) blows through half of her trust fund, she is cut off by her father (Richard Ng) and forced to go back to China and work for the family toy business. Cast: Anna Akana, Richard Ng, Lynn Chen, Kelly Hu, Kendy Cheung, Aviva Wang (World Premiere) Mickey and the Bear Director/Screenwriter: Annabelle Attanasio Faced with the responsibility to take care of her addict, veteran father, headstrong teen Mickey Peck keeps her household afloat. When she has the opportunity to leave for good, she must choose between familial obligation and personal fulfillment. Cast: Camila Morrone, James Badge Dale, Calvin Demba, Ben Rosenfield, Rebecca Henderson (World Premiere) Ms. White Light Director/Screenwriter: Paul Shoulberg Lex Cordova’s business is dying. She has a unique ability to connect with her clients that are terminally ill. It’s just everyone else that she has a problem with. Valerie is a no bullshit woman who loves living her life. Her only way out is thru Lex. Cast: Roberta Colindrez, John Ortiz, Judith Light, Carson Meyer, Zachary Spicer(World Premiere) Pig Hag Directors: Sam Probst, Colby Holt, Screenwriter: Colby Holt Jodie, a woman in her mid-thirties, struggles with the pressure to find a partner and have children. When she attends a Guns N’ Roses concert, she thinks she may have met a potential match — until he immediately ghosts on her. Cast: Anna T Schlegel, Tony Jaksha, Pete Zias, Michael Henry, Nate Stoner, Maxwell Esposito, Amanda DeSimone, Alex Myerchin, Andrew Kudla (World Premiere) Porno Director: Keola Racela, Screenwriters: Matt Black, Laurence Vannicelli When a group of naive teens working at a movie theater in a small Christian town discover a mysterious film hidden in its basement, they unleash an alluring succubus who gives them a sex education…written in blood. Cast: Evan Daves, Larry Saperstein, Jillian Mueller, Glenn Stott, Robert Tann, Bill Phillips, Katelyn Pearce, Peter Reznikoff (World Premiere) Saint Frances Director: Alex Thompson, Screenwriter: Kelly O’Sullivan At the start of the summer, Bridget has an abortion just as she lands a much-needed job in affluent Evanston, Illinois — nannying a six-year old. Cast: Ramona Edith-Williams, Kelly O’Sullivan, Lily Mojekwu, Charin Alvarez, Jim True-Frost, Max Lipchitz, Mary Beth Fisher, Francis Guinan, Bradley Grant Smith (World Premiere) South Mountain Director/Screenwriter: Hilary Brougher When her teenagers head off to camp and her husband abruptly leaves her to begin a new family, Lila is left to her own curious and chaotic devices for a summer in her rural home in the Catskill mountains. Cast: Talia Balsam, Scott Cohen, Andrus Nichols, Michael Oberholtzer, Naian Gonzalez, Midori Francis, Macaulee Rusnak Cassaday, Isis Masoud, Violet Rea, Guthrie Mass (World Premiere) Yes, God, Yes Director/Screenwriter: Karen Maine After an innocent AOL chat turns racy, a Catholic teenager in the early 00s discovers masturbating and struggles to suppress her urges in the face of eternal damnation. Cast: Natalia Dyer, Timothy Simons, Wolfgang Novogratz, Francesca Reale, Susan Blackwell, Parker Wierling, Alisha Boe, Donna Lynne Champlin (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION Ten world premieres: 10 real world stories that demonstrate innovation, energy and bold voices. Selected from 1,005 feature documentary submissions in 2018. Ernie & Joe Director: Jenifer McShane Ernie & Joe follows two officers with the San Antonio Police Department mental health unit who are diverting people away from jail and into mental health treatment — one 911 call at a time. (World Premiere) For Sama (United Kingdom) Directors: Waad al-Khateab, Edward Watts For Sama tells the epic story of a young woman’s journey through love, war and motherhood across five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria. (World Premiere) Museum Town Director: Jennifer Trainer, Screenwriters: Noah Bashevkin, Pola Rapaport, Jennifer Trainer From the ashes of a deserted factory, an ambitious center for contemporary art has emerged. With MASS MoCA, a familiar story of deindustrialization in a rural American town finds an unconventional route to recovery. (World Premiere) Nothing Fancy: Diana Kennedy (United Kingdom, U.S.) Director: Elizabeth Carroll Award-winning cookbook author, diehard environmentalist and feisty British nonagenarian Diana Kennedy reflects on an unconventional life spent mastering the cuisines of Mexico. (World Premiere) Stuffed (Canada, U.S.) Director: Erin Derham Stuffed is a documentary feature film about the surprising world of taxidermy and the passionate artists across the world who see life where others only see death. (World Premiere) Tread Director: Paul Solet Pushed to his breaking point, a master welder in a small town at the foot of the Rocky Mountains quietly fortifies a bulldozer with 30 tons of concrete and steel and seeks to destroy those he believes have wronged him. (World Premiere) Vision Portraits Director/Screenwriter: Rodney Evans A feature-length documentary that chronicles the creative paths of blind and visually impaired artists including a photographer (John Dugdale), dancer (Kayla Hamilton), writer (Ryan Knighton) and the film’s director, Rodney Evans. (World Premiere) We Are The Radical Monarchs Director: Linda Goldstein Knowlton Meet the Radical Monarchs, a group of young girls of color at the front lines of social justice. Set in Oakland, the film documents the journey of the group as they form, grow, and earn badges for units like “Black Lives Matter” and “Radical Beauty” (World Premiere) Well Groomed Director/Screenwriter: Rebecca Stern Well Groomed travels the humorous, visually stunning world of Competitive Creative Dog Grooming alongside the colorful women transforming their beloved poodles into living sculptures. (World Premiere) Why Can’t I Be Me? Around You Directors/Screenwriters: Harrod Blank, Sjoerd Dijk Rusty, a male race enthusiast, decides at 53 to get breasts. His father cuts his pay, his motorcycle friends abandon him and the women he dates all reject him. Rusty pursues her new identity and only hopes to gain acceptance from others. (World Premiere) Documentary Feature Competition Jury: Karen Han, Entertainment Reporter at Polygon; Adam B. Vary, Senior Film Reporter for BuzzFeed News; Katie Walsh, Film Critic for the Tribune News Service HEADLINERS Big names, big talent: Headliners bring star power to SXSW, featuring red carpet premieres and gala film events with major and rising names in cinema. The Beach Bum Director/Screenwriter: Harmony Korine The Beach Bum follows the hilarious misadventures of Moondog (Matthew McConaughey), a rebellious rogue who always lives life by his own rules. Co-starring Snoop Dogg, Zac Efron, and Isla Fisher, The Beach Bum is a refreshingly original and subversive. Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Snoop Dogg, Isla Fisher, Stefania Lavie Owen, Jimmy Buffett, Zac Efron, Martin Lawrence (World Premiere) Booksmart Director: Olivia Wilde, Screenwriters: Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, Katie Silberman On the eve of graduating high school, two academic superstars and best friends realize they should have worked less and played more. Determined to not fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night. Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Jessica Williams, Will Forte, Lisa Kudrow, Jason Sudeikis (World Premiere) Good Boys Director: Gene Stupnitsky, Screenwriters: Lee Eisenberg, Gene Stupnitsky, Beth Stelling, John Phillips The writers of Superbad and the producers of Sausage Party take on sixth grade in Universal Pictures’ Good Boys, an R-rated comedy about three friends on an epic one-day odyssey of bad decisions. Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon, Molly Gordon, Midori Francis, Josh Caras (World Premiere) The Highwaymen Director: John Lee Hancock, Screenwriter: John Fusco Texas Ranger Frank Hamer reflects on what made him a great lawman as he comes out of retirement to hunt down Bonnie and Clyde. Cast: Kevin Costner, Woody Harrelson, Kathy Bates, Kim Dickinson (World Premiere) Untitled Seth Rogen/ Charlize Theron Comedy Director: Jonathan Levine, Screenwriter: Dan Sterling An ambitious diplomat with a spotless reputation and a hard-partying journalist hilariously redefine “international relations” as they try to keep their red-hot romance under wraps. Cast: Seth Rogen, Charlize Theron, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Andy Serkis, June Diane Raphael, Ravi Patel and Alexander Skarsgård (World Premiere) Us Director/Screenwriter: Jordan Peele An original nightmare from Oscar-winner Jordan Peele (Get Out), starring Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke, Us pits an average American family against a terrifying opponent: doppelgängers of themselves. Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Anna Diop, Evan Alex, Shahadi Wright-Joseph, Madison Curry, Cali Sheldon (World Premiere) NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT High profile narrative features receiving their World, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW. Adopt a Highway Director/Screenwriter: Logan Marshall-Green After being released from prison following a twenty year sentence for a minor offense, an ex-con must learn to navigate the world while coming to terms with his own life which has moved on — all while caring for an abandoned baby he finds in a dumpster. Cast: Ethan Hawke, Elaine Hendrix, Diana Gaeta Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Mo McRae, Chris Sullivan, Nate Mooney, Christopher Heyerdahl, Anne Marie Johnson (World Premiere) The Art of Self-Defense Director/Screenwriter: Riley Stearns The Art of Self-Defense stars Jesse Eisenberg and is set in the world of karate. Eisenberg plays a man who is attacked on the street and enlists in a local dojo, led by a charismatic Sensei (Nivola), in an effort to learn how to defend himself. Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Alessandro Nivola, Imogen Poots (World Premiere) Come As You Are Director: Richard Wong, Screenwriter: Erik Linthorst Three young men with disabilities embark on a road trip to a brothel in Montreal catering to people with special needs to lose their virginity and embrace their independence. Inspired by a true story and remake of the Belgian film Hasta La Vista. Cast: Grant Rosenmeyer, Hayden Szeto, Ravi Patel, Gabourey Sidibe, Janeane Garofalo, C.S. Lee, Jennifer Jelsema, Martha Kuwahara, Delaney Feener, Asta Philpot(World Premiere) The Day Shall Come (United Kingdom, U. S.) Director: Chris Morris, Screenwriters: Chris Morris, Jesse Armstrong An impoverished preacher who brings hope to the Miami projects is offered cash to save his family from eviction. He has no idea his sponsor works for the FBI who plan to turn him into a criminal by fueling his madcap revolutionary dreams. Cast: Marchánt Davis, Anna Kendrick, Danielle Brooks, Denis O’Hare (World Premiere) Frances Ferguson Director: Bob Byington, Screenwriter: Scott King A small town’s reaction to scandal. Cast: Kaley Wheless, Nick Offerman, Keith Poulson, David Krumholtz (World Premiere) I’m Just F*cking With You Director: Adam Mason, Screenwriters: Gregg Zehenter, Scott Barkan A young man and his sister endure a night of increasingly frightening practical jokes while spending the night at a secluded motel. Cast: Keir O’Donnell, Hayes MacArthur, Jessica McNamee (World Premiere) Mother’s Little Helpers Director/Screenwriter: Kestrin Pantera When Joy Pride, a groovy 70’s burn-out on the caboose of the flower power movement learns she has weeks to live, her estranged children come together to do right by a mother who always did them wrong. Cast: Breeda Wool, Melanie Hutsell, David Giuntoli, Sam Littlefield, Kestrin Pantera (World Premiere) Olympic Dreams Director: Jeremy Teicher, Screenwriters: Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher, Nick Kroll In the Athlete Village at the Olympic Winter Games, Penelope (Alexi Pappas), a cross-country skier, befriends Ezra (Nick Kroll), a volunteer dentist, after a disappointing finish in her race. Penelope and Ezra share a special but limited time together. Cast: Nick Kroll, Alexi Pappas, Gus Kenworthy, Morgan Schild, Jamie Anderson (World Premiere) The Peanut Butter Falcon Directors/Screenwriters: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz A young man with Down syndrome runs away from the retirement home where he lives to chase his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, Zack Gottsagen, John Hawkes, Bruce Dern, Thomas Haden Church, Jon Bernthal, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Mick Foley (World Premiere) Pink Wall (United Kingdom) Director/Screenwriter: Tom Cullen Six scenes. Six years. Six moments that shaped the relationship of Jenna and Leon. Pink Wall examines what defines us, the pressures of gender expectations, and our perpetual struggle between life and ambition. Cast: Tatiana Maslany, Jay Duplass (World Premiere) Run This Town (Canada) Director/Screenwriter: Ricky Tollman A political aide tries to corral his brash, outspoken boss when a young researcher at a newspaper gets word of a scandal that could make or break both of their careers. Cast: Ben Platt, Nina Dobrev, Mena Massoud, Damian Lewis, Jennifer Ehle, Scott Speedman (World Premiere) Sword of Trust Director: Lynn Shelton, Screenwriters: Lynn Shelton, Mike O’Brien A curmudgeonly pawnshop owner and his man-child sidekick team up with an out of town couple to cash in on a family heirloom: a sword believed by alt history conspiracy nuts to be proof that the South won the Civil War. Cast: Marc Maron, Jon Bass, Michaela Watkins, Jillian Bell, Toby Huss, Dan Bakkedahl, Tim Paul, Whitmer Thomas (World Premiere) Villains Directors/Screenwriters: Dan Berk, Robert Olsen When a pair of amateur criminals break into a suburban home, they stumble upon a dark secret and two sadistic homeowners who will do anything to keep it from getting out. Cast: Bill Skarsgard, Maika Monroe, Kyra Sedgwick, Jeffrey Donovan(World Premiere) The Wall of Mexico (U.S., Mexico) Directors: Zachary Cotler, Magdalena Zyzak, Screenwriter: Zachary Cotler A young white handyman, hired by a wealthy Mexican-American family to upkeep their ranch, finds himself caught between disgruntled locals and the family’s outrageously decadent daughters and discovers that something quite unusual is happening at the ranch. Cast: Jackson Rathbone, Esai Morales, Marisol Sacramento, Carmela Zumbado, Alex Meneses, Moises Arias, with Mariel Hemingway, and Xander Berkeley (World Premiere) DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHT Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW. Any One Of Us Director: Fernando Villena Through the inspiring journey of a recovering athlete, Any One of Us offers an unprecedented glimpse into the traumatic world of spinal cord injuries. (World Premiere) Autonomy Director: Alex Horwitz A feature documentary about the emerging technology of self-driving vehicles and the big questions they raise: what is control and who do we become as we relinquish it to machines? (World Premiere) Bellingcat — Truth in a Post-Truth World (Netherlands) Director/Screenwriter: Hans Pool Bellingcat — Truth in a Post-Truth World explores the exclusive world of Bellingcat, a highly-skilled and controversial collective of “citizen investigative journalists” dedicated to redefining breaking news in the 21st century. (North American Premiere) Breakthrough Director/Screenwriter: Bill Haney Breakthrough tells the story of a renegade, blues-playing, Nobel prize-winning Texas scientist who created a cure for the world’s deadliest disease. Narrated by Woody Harrelson with a country-blues soundtrack. (World Premiere) Building the American Dream Director: Chelsea Hernandez In Texas, construction workers face the deadliest conditions in the country. Building the American Dream follows three immigrant families who are rising up to seek justice and equality in an industry rife with exploitation. (World Premiere) Community First, A Home for the Homeless Director: Layton Blaylock Community First, A Home for the Homeless, is a feature documentary about a totally unique concept for mitigating homelessness. Conceived and created in Austin, Texas, Community First! Village is truly transforming the lives of homeless people. (World Premiere) Human Nature Director: Adam Bolt, Screenwriters: Adam Bolt, Regina Sobel A once-in-a-lifetime scientific discovery called CRISPR gives us the power to change what it means to be human. Now it’s up to us to decide how far we should go. (World Premiere) I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs. Michelle Carter Director: Erin Lee Carr Teen Michelle Carter’s actions shocked a nation — but what really happened behind closed doors? This HBO special showcases the prosecution’s point of view and alternately the defense’s. Which side do you fall on? (World Premiere) It Started As a Joke Directors: Julie Smith Clem, Ken Druckerman It Started As a Joke documents the decade-long run of the Eugene Mirman Comedy Festival. The film celebrates Eugene’s unique brand of humor and reminds us of the healing properties of comedy – even in the most challenging of life’s circumstances. (World Premiere) Jump Shot Director: Jacob Ryan Hamilton Jump Shot uncovers the inspiring true story of Kenny Sailors, the developer of the modern day jump shot in basketball, and how he defined the game, but why the game never defined him. (World Premiere) Kathy Griffin: A Hell of a Story Director: Troy Miller, Screenwriter: Kathy Griffin In her first ever comedy concert film, Comedian Kathy Griffin details the aftermath of lost work and being the subject of a federal investigation following the release of her now infamous photo depicting President Donald J Trump. (World Premiere) Qualified Director: Jenna Ricker In the world of motorsports, the Indianapolis 500 has long been considered the only race. In May 1977, Janet Guthrie — the first woman to attempt Indy — earned herself a spot in the prestigious field of 33. (World Premiere) Red Dog Directors: Casey Pinkston, Luke Dick In the early 1980’s, the only family that toddler Luke knew were the strippers, bouncers, and outcasts that made OKC’s rowdiest strip club their home. (World Premiere) The River and the Wall Director: Ben Masters Five friends venture into the unknown wilds of the Texas borderlands to document the environment before a wall is built. As the wilderness gives way to the bustling Rio Grande Valley, they encounter the unexpected and enter uncharted emotional waters. (World Premiere) Running with Beto Director: David Modigliani Follow Beto O’Rourke behind the scenes of his breakaway campaign to unseat Ted Cruz in the US Senate. With intimate access to the candidate, his family and team, the film captures Beto’s rise from a virtual unknown to a national political sensation. (World Premiere) Sunset over Mulholland Drive (Germany) Director: Uli Gaulke, Screenwriters: Uli Gaulke, Marc Pitzke The vital power of creativity — a behind the scenes look into Hollywood’s retirement home. (North American Premiere) VISIONS Visions filmmakers are audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape who demonstrate raw innovation and creativity in documentary and narrative filmmaking. Becoming Leslie Director: Tracy Frazier, Screenwriters: Sandra Guardado, Tracy Frazier Becoming LESLIE reveals the inner and bizarre world of Leslie Cochran, a cross-dressing homeless misfit who became the most iconic and unlikely civic symbol of Austin, Texas. (World Premiere) The Garden Left Behind Director: Flavio Alves, Screenwriters: John Rotondo, Flavio Alves A Mexican trans woman struggles to build a life for herself as an undocumented immigrant in New York City. Cast: Michael Madsen, Ed Asner, Carlie Guevara, Danny Flaherty, Alex Kruz, Anthony Abdo, Dawn Young, Tamara M. Williams, Miriam Cruz, Brock Yurich (World Premiere) J.R. “Bob” Dobbs and The Church of the SubGenius Director: Sandy K Boone, Screenwriters: Sandy K Boone, Jason Wehling This film explores the underground movement that has galvanized the imaginative, the artistic, the nerdy, even the deranged – to examine the simmering dystopia in their culture, and do absolutely nothing about it… except, maybe, poke fun at it all. (World Premiere) Jezebel Director/Screenwriter: Numa Perrier A true story. In the last days of her mother’s life, 19-year-old Tiffany crashes with five family members in a Las Vegas studio apartment. In order to make ends meet, her sister, a phone sex operator, introduces her to the world of fetish cam girls. Cast: Tiffany Tenille, Numa Perrier, Stephen Barrington, Bobby Field, Brett Gelman, Rockwelle Dortch, Zoe Tyson, Dennis Jaffee, Jessa Zarubica (World Premiere) Leave the Bus Through the Broken Window (Hong Kong, U.S.) Director: Andrew Hevia A broken-hearted filmmaker navigates an unfamiliar city, an international art fair and his personal baggage in this intimate, playful and unexpectedly comedic documentary. (World Premiere) One Man Dies a Million Times (Belarus) Director/Screenwriter: Jessica Oreck Set in the future, a story about seeds and genetic diversity, about growth and decay, about love and war, and about hunger of all kinds. Cast: Alyssa Lozovskaya, Maksim Blinov (World Premiere) Red 11 Director: Robert Rodriguez, Screenwriters: Robert Rodriguez, Racer Rodriguez Rob, an independent filmmaker, loses his investor’s money only to find out his investors are the Cartel. He checks himself into a medical research facility to pay off his debt, but quickly realizes it won’t be that easy. Cast: Roby Attal, Lauren Hatfield, Carlos Gallardo, Alejandro Rose Garcia, Rebel Rodriguez, Racer Rodriguez, Eman Esfandi, Steven Brudniak, Brently Heilbron, Pierce Foster Bailey (World Premiere) Romantic Comedy (United Kingdom) Director: Elizabeth Sankey Musician and writer Elizabeth Sankey investigates the past, present and future of romantic comedies, assisted by a chorus of critics, actors and filmmakers. (World Premiere) Sakawa (Belgium, Netherlands) Director/Screenwriter: Ben Asamoah What human story lies behind the phenomenon of ‘internet fraud’? In Sakawa we meet three Ghanaian youngsters who, out of desperation, turn to internet scamming with the help of black magic. (North American Premiere) Tito (Canada) Director/Screenwriter: Grace Glowicki A desperate man seeks refuge from the predators hunting him by befriending a cheerful intruder. Cast: Grace Glowicki, Ben Petrie (World Premiere) EPISODIC PREMIERES Presenting world premieres of prestige serials slated for release and accompanied by show-runners, directors and cast members featuring extended Q&As. David Makes Man Showrunner: Dee Harris-Lawrence, Screenwriter: Tarell Alvin McCraney A richly layered, deeply personal work about a 14-year-old prodigy from the projects who is haunted by the death of his closest friend. Set in South Florida, the series is inspired by events in McCraney’s own life, exploring childhood trauma and the power of imagination. Cast: Akili McDowell, Nathaniel McIntyre, Isaiah Johnson, Ade Chike Torbert, Cayden Williams, Jordan Bolger, Travis Coles, Phylicia Rashad, Alana Arenas (World Premiere) NOS4A2 Showrunner/Screenwriter: Jami O’Brien NOS4A2 introduces Vic, a young woman who has a supernatural ability to find lost things. This ability puts her on a collision course with the evil and immortal Charlie Manx, a supernatural villain who feeds off the souls of children. Cast List: Zachary Quinto, Ashleigh Cummings, Jahkara J. Smith, Olafur Olafsson, Virginia Kull, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (World Premiere) Ramy Showrunner: Bridget Bedard, Screenwriter: Ramy Youssef Ramy, a first generation American Muslim on a spiritual journey, explores the challenges of being caught in between an Egyptian community that thinks life is moral a test, and a millennial generation that thinks life has no consequences. Cast: Ramy Youssef, Mohammed Amer, Hiam Abbass, Amr Waked, May Calamawy, David Merheje, Laith Nakli, Steve Way (World Premiere) Shrill Showrunner: Alexandra Rushfield, Screenwriters: Alexandra Rushfield, Lindy West and Aidy Bryant From Executive Producers Lorne Michaels and Elizabeth Banks comes Shrill, a comedy series starring Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) as Annie, a fat young woman who wants to change her life — but not her body. Annie is trying to start her career while juggling bad boyfriends, a sick parent, and a perfectionist boss. Cast: Aidy Bryant, Lolly Adefope, Luka Jones, Ian Owens, John Cameron Mitchell (World Premiere) What We Do in the Shadows Showrunners: Jemaine Clement, Paul Simms, Screenplay: Jemaine Clement Based on the feature film of the same name from Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi, FX’s new comedy What We Do in the Shadows follows vampire roommates who have lived together for hundreds and hundreds of years. Cast: Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén, Mark Proksch (World Premiere) 24 BEATS PER SECOND Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary. Amazônia Groove Director/Screenwriter: Bruno Murtinho Leaving Belem and crossing much of the Para State Amazon region, its towns and riverside villages, Amazônia Groove reveals artists and their traditions, faith and mysticism, music and life that pound in the northern region of Brazil. (North American Premiere) Bluebird Director: Brian Loschiavo Discover the origin stories of megastars like Garth Brooks and Taylor Swift while following emerging singer-songwriters as they chase their dreams inside The Bluebird Cafe, Nashville’s accidental landmark that has altered the course of music history. (World Premiere) The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story Director: Aaron Kunkel The Boy Band Con: The Lou Pearlman Story charts the life and crimes of boy band impresario Lou Pearlman. The film tracks his life from discovering NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, to his perpetration of one of the largest ponzi schemes in US history. (World Premiere) Boy Howdy! The Story of CREEM Magazine Director: Scott Crawford, Screenwriters: Scott Crawford, Jaan Uhelszki Ripping back the curtain on legendary rock rag CREEM Magazine‘s wild and disruptive newsroom; a dysfunctional band of unruly outsiders who weren’t all that different from the artists they covered. (World Premiere) Brainiac: Transmissions After Zero Director: Eric Mahoney The film explores the seminal 90’s band Brainiac from Dayton, OH and its creative force Tim Taylor. Just days before signing a major record contract Taylor was killed in a bizarre auto accident leaving his family and bandmates to pick up the pieces. (World Premiere) Carmine Street Guitars (Canada) Director: Ron Mann, Screenwriter: Len Blum Five Days in the life of Greenwich Village guitar shop Carmine Street Guitars. The Chills: The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps (New Zealand) Director: Julia Parnell, Rob Curry New Zealand music genius Martin Phillipps fights his creative demons, conquers the music world, inspires a generation, and then retreats into depression, addiction and anonymity. (World Premiere) David Crosby: Remember My Name Director: A.J. Eaton David Crosby reflects on his life of music stardom, while forging new paths to relevancy at his age of 77 in this deeply personal documentary. (World Premiere) Everybody’s Everything Directors: Sebastian Jones, Ramez Silyan Everybody’s Everything is the story of artist Lil Peep (Gustav Ahr) from his birth in Long Island and meteoric rise as a genre blending pop star & style icon, to his death due to an accidental opioid overdose in Arizona at just 21 years of age. (World Premiere) The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash Director: Thom Zimny, Screenwriter: Warren Zanes Johnny Cash stands among the giants of 20th century American life. But his story remains tangled in mystery and myth. This documentary brings Cash the man out from behind the legend. (World Premiere) Mr. Jimmy Director: Peter Michael Dowd Dowd Akio Sakurai has dedicated his life to honoring Jimmy Page. For 30 years he recreated vintage Zeppelin concerts note-for-note in small Tokyo clubs. Moving to L.A. to pursue his tribute dream, cultures clash and Akio’s idyllic vision meets reality. (World Premiere) Nothing Stays The Same: The Story of The Saxon Pub Director: Jeff Sandmann, Screenwriters: Jeff Sandmann, Jeffrey Brown, Lisa Kay Pfannenstiel Nothing Stays the Same celebrates the last 30 years of live music in Austin, while also examining the challenges faced by musicians and music venues in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, all through the lens of the legendary Saxon Pub. (World Premiere) Show Me The Picture: The Story of Jim Marshall (United Kingdom) Director: Alfred George Bailey Jim Marshall was a maverick with a camera. An outsider who captured the heights of Rock’N’Roll music and the seismic changes of an era, from the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, to the civil rights movements and some of the most iconic moments of the 60’s. (World Premiere) Strange Negotiations Director: Brandon Vedder A documentary exploring the existential, artistic and family life of musician and former evangelical, David Bazan (Pedro The Lion), set against America’s own crisis of faith highlighted during the 2016 presidential election. (World Premiere) Teen Spirit (United Kingdom) Director/Screenwriter: Max Minghella The film follows Violet, a shy teenager who enters an international singing competition with the help of an unlikely mentor. Driven by a pop-fueled soundtrack, Teen Spirit is a visceral and stylish spin on the Cinderella story. Cast: Elle Fanning, Zlatko Buricteent, Rebecca Hall (U.S. Premiere) Who Let The Dogs Out (Canada) Director: Brent Hodge, Screenwriters: Brent Hodge, John Diemer, Jasleen Kaur< The origin story of the smash hit “Who Let the Dogs Out” goes back further than anyone could have imagined; steeped in legal battles, female empowerment and artist integrity, which beckons the question: will we ever know who let the dogs out? (World Premiere) Wild Rose (United Kingdom) Director: Tom Harper, Screenwriter: Nicole Taylor A musician from Glasgow dreams of becoming a Nashville star. Cast: Jessie Buckley, Julie Walters, Sophie Okonedo (U.S. Premiere) GLOBAL A diverse selection of international filmmaking talent, featuring innovative narratives, artful documentaries, premieres, festival favorites and more. Aleksi (Serbia) Director/Screenwriter: Barbara Vekarić A character piece about funny and troubled girl in her 20s, forced to move back in with her overbearing family. Cast: Tihana Lazović, Goran Marković, Sebastian Cavazza, Nataša Janjić, Jason Mann, Aljoša Vučović, Neda Arnerić, Leon Lučev(North American Premiere) Aurora (Finland) Director/Screenwriter: Miia Tervo Aurora, a commitment-phobic party animal, meets Iranian Amir one night at a hot-dog stand in Lapland. Amir is running from death and Aurora is running from love. They need each other in order to finally stop running. Cast: Mimosa Willamo, Amir Escandari, Oona Airola, Hannu-Pekka Björkman, Miitta Sorvali (North American Premiere) Being Impossible (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of) Director: Patricia Ortega, Screenwriters: Patricia Ortega, Enmanuel Chávez A young woman discovers she was submitted to several surgeries to correct her intersexual body as a baby. She has to find her own self outside gender binaries. (North American Premiere) Cachada: The Opportunity (El Salvador) Director/Screenwriter: Marlén Viñayo< Five Salvadoran saleswomen want to take their cruel life stories to the stage. During the rehearsal process of their play, they’ll discover themselves as victims and victimizers in a cycle of violence that has plagued their families for generations. (World Premiere) Days of the Whale (Colombia) Director/Screenwriter: Catalina Arroyave Restrepo Two young graffiti artists of Medellín defy a criminal gang when they decide to paint the mural of a whale over a threat written in a wall. Cast: Laura Tobón, David Escallón, Carlos Fonnegra, Christian Tappan, Julián Giraldo, Natalia Castaño, Margarita Restrepo (World Premiere) La Mala Noche (Ecuador, Mexico) Director/Screenwriter: Gabriela Calvache She is the perfect woman until she decides to be free. Cast: Nöelle Schönwald, Cristian Mercado, Jaime Tamariz, Ariana Freire (World Premiere) Vai (New Zealand) Directors: Nicole Whippy, ‘Ofa-Ki-Levuka Guttenbeil-Likiliki, Matasila Freshwater, Amberley Jo Aumua, Mīria George, Marina Alofagia McCartney, Dianna Fuemana, Becs Arahanga Vai is a portmanteau feature film by nine Polynesian directors and filmed on seven different pacific islands. It is about the journey of empowerment through culture, over the lifetime of one woman, Vai. (World Premiere) X&Y (Denmark, Sweden) Director: Anna Odell, Screenwriters: Anna Odell, Jakob Beckman Swedish director and visual artist, Anna Odell (The Reunion), conducts a social experiment in which she aims to challenge the gender roles that men and women have in the society of today. Cast: Anna Odell, Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Vera Vitali, Shanti Roney, Sofie Gråbøl, Jens Albinus, Thure Lindhardt (North American Premiere) SPECIAL EVENTS Live soundtracks, cult re-issues & much more. Our Special Events section offers unusual, unexpected and unique one-off film events. How Rednecks Saved Hollywood with Joe Bob Briggs Director/Screenwriter: Joe Bob Briggs America’s drive-in movie critic uses 200 video clips and photos to tell the 500-year history of the American redneck in a multimedia comedy performance. Love, Death & Robots Showrunners: David Fincher, Tim Miller, Josh Donen, Jennifer Miller Love, Death & Robots, an animated anthology series presented by Tim Miller and David Fincher, is a genre orgy of Not-Suitable-For-Mainstream shorts. (World Premiere) Followed by extended Q&A with with Tim Miller and David Fincher. Ra: Path of the Sun God Director: Lesley Keen Austin based electronic and experimental label Holodeck Records is partnering with Austin Film Society for a special live re-score screening of the 1990 animated film Ra: Path of the Sun God, a beautiful re-telling of one of Ancient Egypt’s most famous myths. Rebel Without A Crew: Filmmaking Master Class with Robert Rodriguez Join Robert Rodriguez as he gives a master-class in micro-budget guerilla filmmaking, featuring behind the scenes moments from his new $7,000 film, RED 11. The event will be followed by the World Premiere of RED 11. Shangri-La ( Work-in-Progress) Directors: Morgan Neville, Jeff Malmberg An intimate look at the creative process through the lens of legendary music producer Rick Rubin. True Stories Director: David Byrne, Screenwriters: Stephen Tobolowsky, Beth Henley, David Byrne David Byrne’s 1986 musical comedy, inspired by theater director Robert Wilson, tabloid newspapers, and filmmakers Robert Altman and Federico Fellini, remains a unique artistic vision that celebrates the singular citizens of a fictional Texas town. David Byrne will appear in-person for Q&A following screening of new 4K restoration. Source

Even since the release of his sophomore album Awake in 2017, Illenium has been pumping out new music. In 2018, he released “Don’t Give Up On Me” with Kill The Noise and Mako, “Sound of Where’d U Go” with 1788-L, “Gold (Stupid Love)” with Excision, “Take You Down,” “God Damnit” with Call Me Karizma, and a remix of Halsey’s “Without Me.” Now in 2019, Illenium is starting off the year with a huge collaboration featuring Bahari entitled “Crashing.” The last we heard of Bahari in dance music was their 2017 collaboration with Grey, “I Miss You.” We’ve tried finding a preview of this one but have come up empty handed. No doubt Illenium will slowly reveal some teasers over the course of the next week; but no matter what, we’re excited for this one. Check out the track art for “Crashing” below, and pre-save it here. Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Illenium Announces New Collaboration With Bahari, “Crashing,” Out Next Week Source

The Labrinth, Sia, and Diplo project LSD just got a whole lot more thug. After releasing their song “Genius” in May last year, the trio have brought on an unexpected guest to amp up a new remix: Lil Wayne. Of the original, Your EDM wrote, “‘Genius’ is a sexy, playful lovers’ anthem with a smooth, funky rhythm that’s destined to get stuck in your head after just one listen. The lyrics, the mood, well, everything is completely, uniquely original — with just the right amount of weird.” The “remix” keeps the original beat for the most part, but replaces Labrinth’s verses with Lil Wayne. The effect is a lot less sultry and sexy, and more, well… Lil Wayne-ish. The Cash Money rapper puts his own special spin on the track that gives it an entirely different vibe and we’re all about. Lil Wayne’s remix gets its own special music video, which you can see below. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: LSD Brings On Lil Wayne For New Remix Of “Genius” Source

For the first time , Eric Prydz is slated to debut his latest project at a festival. EPIC: HOLOSPHERE will premiere at this year’s 15th anniversary of Tomorrowland in Belgium. What a time to be alive! Prydz will show off a brand new concept that will put him in the center of a 3D holographic sphere, according to an official Tomorrowland press release. Over the years, his EPIC productions put him at the top of the game when it comes to providing a unique show experience. This year, he will incorporate new proprietary technologies into the next phase for EPIC, the EPIC: HOLOSPHERE show. When asked about the new project, Prydz said: “My team and I had a vision that has taken over 2 years to develop. It is now so exciting to be able to announce this, and show you the next chapter of EPIC.” EPIC: HOLOSPHERE will be shown off to the world during this year’s Tomorrowland 2019 festival in Boom, Belgium. The dates this year are July 19-21 and July 26-28. The festival will celebrate its 15th anniversary in grand style with over 1,000 performances and surprises that you won’t want to miss. For more information about HOLO, click here. And for more information about Tomorrowland 2019, click here. The post Eric Prydz To Debut New Hologram Show At Tomorrowland appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

Minimal Effort has become something of New Years Eve tradition for me. This year was my third year in a row attending the event put on by Underrated Presents. And out of the three years I attended, I would say it was easily my favorite. Unfortunately, I don’t know that everyone in attendance would agree with that statement. Between this year’s treat of a well-executed Halloween event and the new open bar option for VIP, I had high hopes for Minimal’s NYE. Unfortunately, adding the new VIP packages and heavily promoting them seemed to be one new element too many for Minimal. I am not sure if there was a breakdown in communication with the security at the Belasco, but around 11:30 the GA line to enter was wrapped around one side of the block and the VIP line was spilling into the space of the venue next door. Once inside, with five different stages and the always refreshing and visually stimulating vendor area at the center, Minimal Effort NYE was a blast! I started my night off in the dungeon of The Belasco with SuperFlu before quickly racing up to the ballroom to try and meet up with my friends to ring in NYE with Justin Jay. Unfortunately, I do not have the best sense of direction and ended up getting lost along the way (which isn’t a difficult situation to find yourself in the maze that is the Belasco) and I ended up at the main stage dancing 2018 out of my system to Sasha as the clock struck midnight. Personally, I actually enjoyed having this moment just to myself and felt like it kind of set the tone for the new year. I had a sense of well-being knowing I could take my life and happiness into my own hands and not sweat the small stuff such as getting lost in a maze of a venue. After Sasha, I split the next couple hours again going up and down the Belasco stairs so I could see both Hats & Klaps and one of my favorite Dirtybirds, Will Clarke, before ending the night with a bassy, grimy set by Skream. If there is one thing that Minimal Effort has managed to always get right it is always having a killer lineup that makes each year an irresistible techno retreat. But, having been to a handful of Minimal Effort events over the years, there are still some issues they need to iron out as they continue to grow and bring in larger and louder crowds. This leads to the only other complaint I heard throughout the night: the open bar. While this seemed like a great idea when it was first announced, this new perk just didn’t quite live up to the hopes of those who spent the extra money. While I did not have access to the open bar, a couple of my friends purchased VIP tickets and their report of the new “Open Bar” was overwhelmingly unimpressed. Overzealous security, again, was the main source of complaint. Once in the bar area, you could not leave with any sort of liquid (including water) which meant anyone who had a mix of GA tickets and VIP tickets had to choose between being with their friends or staying where they could get a free drink. While I understand they don’t want one person in a group getting a VIP ticket and then supplying a large group of friends who purchased GA tickets with drinks throughout the night, the way it was handled made anyone I knew who had the VIP option not want to use it. Also, if an artist is DJing an event, I think we can all agree they should be able to access the VIP open bar. If not to get a free drink for their hard work, then as an extra perk for the fans in the VIP area who would have had a kick out of hanging out with them. While neither the long line nor open bar missteps had much of an effect on my night, it was a sore spot amongst many who attended leading to several dissatisfied comments on the event’s social media. Overall, Minimal Effort NYE definitely has room to improve as far as organization and perhaps choice in staff and venue. But with the lineup these guys bring year after year, I honestly can’t imagine ringing New Years Eve at any other festival. Note: I did not come up with the title to this review. I have to dedicate that to an amazing group of weirdos that have been my friends, family, and whose support was the only thing that kept me sane in 2018. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Disco. Techno. Laser Beam. Minimal Effort NYE 2019 [Event Review+Gallery] Source

Welcome to Dissected, where we disassemble a band’s catalog, a director’s filmography, or some other critical pop-culture collection in the abstract. It’s exact science by way of a few beers. This time, we follow Metallica’s roller-coaster ride from Kill ‘Em All to Hardwired … To Self-Destruct. Metaphors alone don’t do justice to the career path of Metallica, mostly because there are so many that could be applied to their unusual trajectory: treacherous ocean voyage, marathon, following Billy from the “Family Circus” on one of his dotted-line adventures. Metallica have wound their way out of the underground metal scene in the early ‘80s, earning the respect and admiration from their peers and fans for their awe-inspiring talent and hard-nosed view of the traditional paths of music promotion. They survived the death of their beloved bassist Cliff Burton and the arrival and acrimonious departure of his replacement, Jason Newsted, finding untold levels of success along the way. They became something of a punchline around the time that they took on Napster and decided to let a film crew capture their album/group therapy sessions in Some Kind of Monster. And they’ve slowly grinded away since, reaching a level of fame that even the most begrudging metalhead has to respect. That they’ve made it this long after watching one of their best friends die, being called “Alternica” for seemingly abandoning their thrash roots, and recording an almost universally reviled album with Lou Reed is something that deserves some measure of admiration. What has never been up for debate is the work that Metallica has put into every song they’ve recorded. Whether that’s a bone-crunching cover of a Diamond Head classic or a challenging original song that nimbly jumps between time signatures, they are as hard-nosed about making it as great as they can. That it sometimes becomes an instant classic like “Creeping Death” or an unfortunate belly flop like “St. Anger” is simply the dull truth about creativity. Eventually, the biggest bands can fail amidst their many successes. Looked at in total, the scales are tipped in Metallica’s favor. Even tossing out a good portion of the work they did during that fraught middle period that resulted in Load, Reload, and St. Anger, still leaves the world with one of the most inventive and respected catalogs of heavy music ever created. __________________________________________________________ 10. Reload (1997) Pounding Out Aggression, Turns Into Obsession (Analysis): Metallica had all the clout, goodwill and money to burn following the world-beating success of their 1991 self-titled disc (aka “The Black Album”). They responded as every headbanger feared they would: they squandered it. The quartet hit The Plant Studios in Sausalito, California with grand ambitions to release a double album. When they couldn’t finish all the songs in time, they split the material up, releasing Load in 1996 and Reload a year later and justifying the decision as best they could. (“[If] we did a double album, it would have been a lot more material for people to digest, and some of it might have gotten lost in the shuffle,” Kirk Hammett told Guitar World in 1997.) What they couldn’t justify was how leaden and lost they sounded on Reload. The thrash had now been completely stripped away, replaced by grunge-inspired tempos and atmospheres that hung on the band members like an ill-fitting suit. And, too often, it sounded like Metallica had just run out of ideas and went into recycle mode. They weren’t casual about it either. They wrote an actual sequel to their Top 40 hit “The Unforgiven” with none of the sinew and grit. “Devil’s Dance” and “Better Than You” looked to hit the same lane as “Sad But True” with a touch of Black Sabbath psych wound around the core with middling results. Even “Enter Sandman” gets flipped with little wit into the silly “Slither” (“Hey, tie your tap shoes tightly”). The worst offense though was muzzling Hammett. Throughout Reload, he is reduced to the role of a better-than-average rhythm guitarist. What air he does find to soar in quickly gets swallowed up by the inky black fog his bandmates were in. Whether letting him loose could have saved this album is arguable, but stuffing him in the band’s collective pocket still feels unforgivable. Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire (Best Song): Metallica rarely get self-reflective which instantly sets “The Memory Remains” apart from the pack. This slinky mid-tempo tune comments on the filthy side of their success, offering small threads, like a lyrical reference to “Fade To Black”, that keep them connected to their past glories. They also let British goddess Marianne Faithfull swoop in like an angel of mercy to offer a small wordless bridge vocal that cuts right through the gloom. The Thing That Should Not Be (Worst Song): For the best example of just how puffed up Metallica was feeling at this time, look no further than “Low Man’s Lyric”, a hurdy-gurdy laden power ballad that carries on for seven-and-a-half interminable minutes and features one of James Hetfield’s most goofily impassioned vocal performances. __________________________________________________________ 09. St. Anger (2003) Pounding Out Aggression, Turns Into Obsession (Analysis): The “post-Jason Newsted” album. The “Phil Towle, group therapy” album. The “I would say: delete that…for me, it doesn’t cut it” album. The “Lars Ulrich sounds like he’s playing drums made out of old oil barrel while wearing weighted gloves” album. The “madly in anger with you” album. The non-guitar solo album. The “Bob Rock scorching the last remnants of goodwill he had accrued with Metallica through a recording process that seemed unbearably long and a mixing/editing process that pushed his thudding bass parts into the spotlight and left all the seams showing” album. The “frantic-tick-tick-tick-tick-tock” album. The “I’m more important than Metallica” album. This is Metallica at its nadir. A once powerful force reduced to a squabbling herd set off by the departure of Newsted and confusion about where they stood in a rock scene that was still shivering from the post-grunge fallout and the rise of nü-metal. The desire to make new music was there but was muddied by internal tensions, Hetfield’s battles with addiction, and a bizarre decision to tell Hammett to forget about soloing this time around. St. Anger slides in one spot better than Reload on this list because underneath the ugly production job by Rock there are sparks of the Metallica that once reigned o’er all. Crank up the tempo of “My World” and “Dirty Window” and thrash anthems emerge. And when they do go for a bit of the old ultrametalviolence on “Sweet Amber”, it’s easier to stomach the lack of a fleet-fingered, squealing solo by Hammett. Try as they might, Metallica can’t fight their instincts. Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire (Best Song): Metallica and Rock find something close to parity on “Purify”, a torrid late-album tune. The pace of the song is a little janky, as if the steady tumble the band settles into is being held together by pure force of will. They make it to the end in one piece, with the rising throb of Rock’s bass feeling justified. It all works in service of a truly inspired Hetfield vocal and lyrical turn that expresses the torture and relief at his path to sobriety. The Thing That Should Not Be (Worst Song): It’s not just the half-assed lyrics and laughable vocal intrusions (“You flush it out, you flush it out”) that sinks this album’s title track. If you listen closely, you can catch the effort that Rock and co. put into this to salvage the song from different sessions. The copious edits almost never connect up smoothly, giving it the feel of a failed ProTools experiment or a mixing session hurried along so the band could meet some kind of deadline. __________________________________________________________ 08. Load (1996) Pounding Out Aggression, Turns Into Obsession (Analysis): After “The Black Album” pushed them into a new income tax bracket, Metallica had a blank check from Elektra Records when they started work on what would become their sixth and seventh studio albums. Every record they had released up to that point had sold better than the last. Why wouldn’t it just keep going up?!? It’s that kind of hubris that results in albums like Load, a nearly 80-minute CD of indulgences like odes to Southern rock, misguided blues rock, plodding “Enter Sandman” rewrites, and errors in judgement only the most bloated of egos and bank accounts would allow. The bitter truth is that there’s a taut, vicious album that could be molded out of the tracks from this and Reload. Metallica had spent their entire lives absorbing the riffs and rhythms of others and cranking out their own. Lightning was bound to strike. Surrounded as they are by the grinding mediocrity of the power ballad “Bleeding Me” and the go nowhere “Until It Sleeps” are the glaring flashes of tunes like “Cure” and “The House Jack Built” that succeed in finding a comfortable place for the band within the paradigm shift of grunge while also leaving space for nuance and small bits of softness amid the flint-edged riffs and Hetfield’s thickening growl. Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire (Best Song): You have to dig a long way to find the real gemstone buried at the core of Load. All the way to the end of the album, in fact. Metallica saved its finest moment for the very end with “The Outlaw Torn”. A rumination on death and the ways in which we fill the hole left by a loved one with other people or pursuits, the song could have been a guiding force for the band to follow what with its subtle mood shifts, prominent bass tone, and a performance by Hetfield that proved he could be less muscular with his voice without it sounding weak. The acid rock guitar solos in the last few minutes and the triumphant return to heavy rock form at the end help stick the landing. The Thing That Should Not Be (Worst Song): “Until It Sleeps” plays out like the photo negative of “The Outlaw Torn”. Hetfield tries on an ill-fitting croon. Ulrich stutters through his drum fills. And the whole band applies a “quiet/loud/quiet/loud” approach that says, “We’re gonna beat those Nirvana punks at their own game.” __________________________________________________________ 07. Hardwired … To Self-Destruct (2016) Pounding Out Aggression, Turns Into Obsession (Analysis): Metallica’s most recent album could be considered a kind of capitulation to their legions of fans. A thank you for sticking with the band after diversions like Lulu and Lars Ulrich’s acting career and the critically lauded but box-office failure, Through the Never. Here’s the thrash metal and snarling anger you were hoping for. But two years and change after its release, Hardwired sounds more like a band that has collectively won its hard fought battle with maturity. They’re ramping up the fury and the tempos because they could, not because someone like Rick Rubin (who did not work on this album) insisted that they should. By doing so, they found the perfect sweet spot where the blitzkriegs of their earliest days and the more tempered sound of their complicated middle period could safely co-exist. The whole thing flowed better than any album had since “The Black Album”, the whizbang opening title track steering a course right to the fist-pumping “Atlas, Rise!” and the slow simmer of “Now That We’re Dead.” And on it went with the only necessary pause coming when, if you bought a physical copy, you had to switch out disc one for disc two. The overall success of the album only forces the flaws further out into the open. The lyrics throughout have a kind of wooden simplicity even when the sentiments are solid. As well, Hammett, supposedly forced to start from scratch after losing all his riff ideas when his phone vanished, can’t seem to push his solos over the top where they need to be. When he does hit the stratosphere, like the cluster bombs he drops in the path of “Murder One”, the whole album elevates with him. Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire (Best Song): The lyrics might be as subtle as a kick to the shins and that kick drum sound a little too splashy but the title track to Hardwired sets the tone early. On this album, Metallica aren’t in the mood to screw around. But considering the subject matter of the song — a look at the world’s environmental degradation and not seeing any clear solutions — why mince words and why faff about with showy intros and moments of calm. It hits hard and fast and without warning. The Thing That Should Not Be (Worst Song): The only justification for the existence of “Am I Savage?”, a six-and-a-half minute slog is Kirk Hammett’s slicing and rambling guitar solo. The rest of the tune cribs from the lyrics and sheet music of the last 15 years of sludge and doom metal, trying to mix magical imagery with personal explorations of one’s failings as a parent and human. A valiant effort but a total bore. __________________________________________________________ 06. Death Magnetic (2008) Pounding Out Aggression, Turns Into Obsession (Analysis): After absorbing the poor reviews and comments from frustrated fans about St. Anger, and sensing the ironic laughter emerging from the wings about how they came across in Some Kind of Monster, Metallica were looking for a course correction with their next album. Leave it to producer Rick Rubin to provide the road map that led them to Death Magnetic. His working methods — including, as Ulrich told Revolver in 2007, an insistence that every song the band brought into the studio be “as close to 100 percent as we can get it” — and his highly attuned ear helped sharpen the edges of a suite of songs that served to reaffirm their place as one of the world’s greatest thrash metal bands. For the most part, they succeeded at that lofty goal. Death Magnetic marked bassist Robert Trujillo’s first turn on a full-length effort with Metallica (Bob Rock played bass on St. Anger), and the music was daring and brutal, with a welcome complexity that made the songs’ length and breadth feel completely warranted. Getting to the moment of collective explosion that ends the album requires that they go through every halting and craggy moment of the speedy “My Apocalypse”. The move from the machine-like chug of “Broken, Beat & Scarred” is ably replaced by the splashy punk rhythm that bursts through the door around the four minute mark. They even deke their fans a bit, opening up “All Nightmare Long” with a moody gallop that is interrupted and then slapped down by a fusillade of downstroke riffs and tom-tom flutters. Metallica hadn’t sounded this focused and intense in ages. Gimme Fuel, Gimme Fire (Best Song): Death Magnetic opens with a statement of purpose and a reassurance to any and all within their blast radius that things were going to be different this time around. As “That Was Just Your Life” groans into existence, Metallica takes to the skies with the terrifying beauty of a missile mid flight or a squadron of tanks emerging over a lush hillside. For the next six minutes, it’s an all out assault only made more deadly by an egregiously compressed sound that made every note feel like a piece of shrapnel in the skin. The Thing That Should Not Be (Worst Song): The world may have to suffer many more variations of “The Unforgiven” before the band splits or the planet is destroyed by a meteor the size of China. The chapter that landed on this album is the third (“The Unforgiven III”), and by this point, Metallica had squeezed all the subtlety and tragedy out of the first installment from “The Black Album”. Maybe they meant this string-dappled power ballad as a moment of calm before the brutality of the final four tracks. Instead, it’s the soundtrack to a million metal fans heading for the bathroom and the bar. __________________________________________________________ Source

The Chainsmokers are in the studio with Blink-182. Let’s just let that sink in for a little bit… Ready? Ok. It almost seems surreal, to see the group who once did “Selfie” in the studio with one of the greatest pop punk/alt rock bands of all time. Yet, here we are. That being said, even these types of collaborations aren’t entirely foreign to The Chainsmokers, who have worked with Coldplay and Florida Georgia Line, and even have a song inspired by Beach House. Not to mention the collaborations teased back in 2016 with Linkin Park, Big Sean, and Weezer. (These might never see the light of day.) While an Instagram post from Blink’s Matt Skiba simply shows them in a studio, a tweet from The Chainsmokers confirms that a song has indeed been written. “We can die happy now,” the duo writes. Turns out, dreams can come true. As one redditor put it, “They went from writing about them to writing with them. If that ain’t a success story idk what is.” Just did a session with blink182 and wrote an amazing song. We can die happy now — THE CHAINSMOKERS (@TheChainsmokers) January 17, 2019 Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: The Chainsmokers Are In The Studio With Blink-182 Source

Over the last 15 years, Tomorrowland has established itself as the ultimate destination for ravers. Simply put, this epic event embodies all the best parts of ascending festival culture. The stages are massive works of art which transport attendees to another world as they dance. DJs from every subgenre on the ever-expanding electronic spectrum are featured on the lineup. Most of all, Tomorrowland draws a truly international community with flags from all over the world flying high. It’s a ravers paradise. Now for their fifteenth anniversary, Tomorrowland has introduced a new theme: “The Book of Wisdom: The Return,” along with dozens of stage hosts to celebrate this important milestone in their history. The lineup, which is promised to include over 1,000 artists, has not been announced, but the stage hosts will offer a glimpse into what to expect this year in Boom, Belgium. Eric Prydz will deliver a brand new live show entitled “EPIC: HOLOSPHERE“. Those familiar with Prydz know his visuals are one-of-a-kind, and Tomorrowland attendees will be the first to view this spectacular production. A few other stage hosts include Claude Vonstroke & Dirtybird, Tale of Us & Afterlife, and Carl Cox with Space Ibiza. On a non-underground note as well, Shaq is back at Tomorrowland in 2019 with his own stage: Shaq’s Fun House. One can only imagine what sort of shenanigans will happen there. More artists will officially be revealed next week on Tomorrowland social media channels, so stay on the lookout for that. Check out the full schedule of stage hosts at tomorrowland.com. Afterlife Age of Love Alteza Records Anjuna Ants ASOT Axtone Barong Bonzai Cafe Mambo Ibiza Cafeina Carl Cox invites Space Ibiza Cocoon Contrair 10 Years Coincidence Crosstown Rebels Crystal Dirtybird Diynamic Do Not Sit On The Furniture Drumcode Ellum ERIC PRYDZ presents HOLOSHPERE Floorfiller Flow Footworxx Fuse and Dave Clarke Present Future Sound of Egypt Generation Smash Gianluca Vacchi presents Glitterbox Heldeep Hexagon I Love The 90’s Ketaloco KNTXT Kozzmozz Krankenhaus Lost & Found Lost Frequencies & Friends Martin Solveig & Friends Masquerade Monstercat Nervonation Netsky & Friends Nico Morano Nina Kraviz Onraad Oscar & The Wolf presents “Infinity” Paradise Potion Psygathering Rampage Robin Schulz & Friends Sexy By Nature Shaq’s Fun House Shine Shomi Sirkus Smash The House Spectrum StarWarz STMPD RCRDS The Book Of Wisdom Mainstage V Sessions vs Freakshow Winterclubbing Woody Weekend We Play House The post Tomorrowland Reveals Stage Hosts for 15th Anniversary Festival appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

Do you feel the butterflies yet? There’s a big CRUSH happening here, and we’re not talking about that cute English boy (or girl) from the party last week. Relentless Beats teams up with Insomniac to produce the final lineup for the 10th anniversary of CRUSH Music Festival and it has us smitten hard. Now considered the longest standing EDM music festival in Arizona, RB has decided to expand the festivities to two days. With two elite party brands at the helm you can count on pristine sound and production for CRUSH 2019. Photo via Relentless Beats Listen to Seven Lions’ ‘Freesol’: In past years, this Arizona-native event has hosted a tasteful group of artists such as Kaskade, Keys N Krates, DVBBS, Jauz, and Porter Robinson– each year lived bigger than its original. Photo via CRUSH Facebook Press play on CRUSH’s official 2018 after movie:  Relentless Beats founder, Thomas Turner, says, It’s exciting to see it enter its 10th year and still be so well received by our fans. I can’t wait to reveal everything we have in store for the RB faithful. With the news of a 2019 album from Joyryde, we are delving deep into the possibility of a sneak peak during his set. Photo via Joyryde Facebook Listen to Joyryde’s ‘Damn’ below:  You can all anticipate on shuffling your hearts out February 15th-16th. There is nothing more romantic than spending Valentine’s Day weekend adorned with the latest pasties- fancy af. Downside for all you tweens starting young, this is an 18+ event. On the upside though, single-day tickets are only a whopping $59! For more ticket information, click here. Photo via CRUSH Facebook Photo via CRUSH Facebook Follow CRUSH: Facebook Website The post CRUSH 2019 Lineup Has Us Smitten appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source

As everyone knows, Carl Cox has had a massive impact on the EDM scene, specifically techno. He’s most well known for his massive parties in Ibiza as was other music festivals. One of his most unique locations to spin at is in the desert. His camp at Burning Man, Playground, is always providing some of the best beats at the festival. Just last year, he announced that he would be hosting a party in San Francisco in order to raise funds for the annual trip to Burning Man. This event will be hosted at The Midway on Friday, March 22nd. This will be a Playground fundraiser you won’t want to miss. Returning to the fundraise will be Joseph Capritati, Syd Gris, and Brennen Grey, will also took the stage at Burning Man in 2018 as well. Joining all the fuss will be Pleasurekraft, Mark London, and Ben Seagren. Tickets are already at Tier 2, so grab them today by clicking here! The post Carl Cox Announces Lineup for San Francisco Burning Man Fundraiser Event appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

Tomorrow brings the release of Assume Form, the fourth studio album from James Blake. Earlier this afternoon, the UK crooner unveiled an initial teaser with “Mile High” featuring Travis Scott and Metro Boomin. Now, for his second track of the day, he’s premiered “Lullaby For My Insomniac”. Serving as the LP’s closing track, it’s an aptly more low-key affair, but one that still hits at the heart the way the best Blake songs do. Hear him croon down below. (Read: The 10 Most Anticipated Indie Rock Albums of 2019) Assume Form, which follows 2016’s The Colour in Anything, also boasts joint tracks with André 3000, Rosalía, and Moses Sumney. In our early review, Consequence of Sound called the record “a remarkable achievement by one of the most original songwriters of his generation.” Blake will support Assume Form with a North American tour that kicks off next month, and you can purchase tickets here. Source

Seattle Comes to Los Angeles: It was only fitting that the massive I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell would fall right in the heart of the most intense rainstorm Los Angeles has seen in years. With the Forum already a challenging destination situated deep in the heart of Inglewood, CA, the relentless rain reduced traffic to around the arena into one giant rock ‘n’ roll parking lot. It was a pilgrimage only for the hardcore and headstrong, as no one going in could have anticipated a nearly five-hour celebration that would include a host of superstar special guests ranging from Miley Cyrus to Peter Frampton. Emotions ran sky-high as friends, family and fans remembered the man who represented everything great about the early ‘90s Seattle rock scene. So impossibly talented, so unfathomably beautiful, blessed with a voice that could rip a portal into another dimension, according to Jack Black. His spirited introduction to Metallica’s set encapsulated the mood of the evening: always remembering the music and the memories that will live on into eternity. I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell, photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Chris Cornell Estate Birth Ritual: For those able to maneuver the treacherous rain-soaked L.A. roads in time get inside the Forum for the start of the show, Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron set the tone for the night with a simple introduction. He talked about the enormity of the night’s endeavor, and how for him, he found strength by going back to the music. Reeling off names of Soundgarden’s classic albums, and the bands Cornell fronted after that band initially broke up, was a sobering reminder of just how much the singer perpetually poured into his art and shared with the world. It’s a lot. A Cavalcade of Stars: Opening the show was Seattle scene stalwarts and pioneers The Melvins, with frontman Buzz Osborne replete in a fancy frock befitting of his deity-like status. Thunderous and unrelenting, The Melvins capped their six-song set with a storming run through Soundgarden’s “Spoonman”, capturing the intensity and angst of the original. But before one could get the idea that it was going to be a night of straight heavy metal thunder, Rita Wilson took to the stage with Pete Yorn in tow for an acoustic and heartfelt rendition of Cornell’s solo song, “The Promise.” That juxtaposition would set the stage for the rest of the evening and into the wee hours of the morning, as quiet, intimate moments would give way to earth-shaking bombast. A lot like Chris Cornell himself, really. Dave Grohl, I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell, photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Chris Cornell Estate Dave Grohl is Rock ‘n’ Roll: After crowd-warming turns from Nikka Costa and Chris Stapleton, it was Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters who really set the party off with a high-energy set early in the show. The band’s four-song set was damn near perfect, opening with Soundgarden’s “No Attention” followed by SG’s versions of Devo’s “Girl U Want” and the Cheech and Chong ‘70s stoner classic, “Earache My Eye”. Grohl finished the set solo, talking about his trepidation regarding the event, admitting that “I woke up a little sad today,” before dedicating an acoustic version of “Everlong” to Cornell. Josh Homme Shakes Off the Rust: Things have been kind of shaky around Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age ever since the singer’s unfortunate and physical outburst towards a female photographer in this very building a couple of years ago. But Homme was a picture of humility and emotion when he mounted the stage for a solo performance of Johnny Cash’s version of Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage”. Introduced by Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, Homme’s spiky guitar playing and impassioned vocals embodied the spirit of Cash and Presley as he cranked out the tune. Jesse Carmichael, Adam Levine and Stone Gossard, I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell, photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Chris Cornell Estate Put Some Respect on Adam Levine’s Name: There were definite murmurs of “what the…?” when Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine took the stage with a bandmate and Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard. But Levine won over the crowd with an impressive and frankly beautiful version of Chris Cornell’s “Seasons”, a standout track taken from 1992’s Singles soundtrack. Gossard’s fluid guitar playing was an ideal accompaniment to the unexpected moment. Chris Cornell Was Very Much in the House: During set changes, various clips of Cornell himself were played on the video screens. The full Soundgarden performance of “Birth Ritual” that was used in the aforementioned Singles was particularly poignant, highlighting the relevance of that moment in time, when they, along with Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Screaming Trees, et al, set the stage for a then-new rock revival. Such clips were played throughout the night, providing a stark context for the reason behind the concert. Tom Morello, I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell, photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Chris Cornell Estate Audioslave XXL: Tom Morello and Brad Wilk revived Audioslave for the occasion, and brought along some very special guest performers. Together, they kicked off their set with Jane’s Addiction singer Perry Farrell on vocals and none less than Black Sabbath’s Geezer Butler on bass as they raged through “Cochise”. A rotating cast of singers fronted each song, including Juliette Lewis, Tim McIlrath of Rise Against and X Ambassadors frontman Sam Harris. But it was Brandi Carlile who would steal the show, leading the band through a soul-stirring take on “Like A Stone”, turning into a giant arena-wide singalong. Carlile would prove to be one of the standout performers of the entire show, truly embracing the spirit of celebrating Cornell and his music. A Family Affair: Cornell’s family was front and center throughout the night, highlighted by daughter Toni taking the mike and performing Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” with Ziggy Marley on guitar and backing vocals. It was a lovely moment between the rock legacy progeny who share similar loss. Cornell’s widow, Vicky, took the stage towards the end of the marathon night to thank everyone for the ongoing support for her husband’s music and philanthropy. Peter Thorn and Miley Cyrus, Tom Morello, I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell, photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Chris Cornell Estate Women Ruled: Many of the night’s highlights came courtesy of the women who ruled the stage. Miley Cyrus was a powerhouse of energy, charging through Temple of the Dog’s “Say Hello to Heaven” in most impressive fashion. Taylor Momsen would join Soundgarden for “Drawing Flies” and “Loud Love”, the latter with Tom Morello and MC5 legend Wayne Kramer trading solos. The reclusive Fiona Apple showed up late in the night joined members of Temple of the Dog for a passionately cool take on “All Night Thing”. Carlile would return with Chris Stapleton for “Hunger Strike” and again later for the last song of the night, “Black Hole Sun”, with guitar legend Peter Frampton peeling off rapid-fire solo runs. Five Hours Was Not Enough: When a full-on greatest hits set from Metallica comes around the halfway mark of a show, it’s safe to say that the Chris Cornell tribute was a lot to take in. From Ryan Adams’ absolutely gorgeous version of “Fell on Black Days” with Don Was on a bass and a string section to Miguel joining Temple of the Dog along with Jeff Ament and Gossard of Pearl Jam for “Reach Down”, the show took on the air of a lawless all night rock ‘n’ roll jam session. Jimmy Kimmel played host, Jack Black was hilarious, even Brad Pitt came out to say hi. For the true diehard fans of Chris Cornell and his music, however, it was just a drop in the bucket. Josh Brolin and Brad Pitt, Tom Morello, I Am The Highway: A Tribute To Chris Cornell, photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Chris Cornell Estate A majority of the crowd stuck around and rocked into the early morning hours as Soundgarden introduced special guest singer after special guest singer, culminating in the “Black Hole Sun” super-jam finale. Matt Cameron had taken on the roll of MC by the end of the night, with Gossard taking the mike to provide some honest and emotional commentary. He talked about the pain and anger and devastation left in the wake of Cornell’s death, and how shows like I Am the Highway are just a part of the healing that still needs to be done for the singer’s family, friends, bandmates and fans. It was a somber and necessary perspective that was handled with candor and grace. Setlist: The Melvins Kicking Machine With Your Heart Not Your Hands Leech Heart Of Honey Spoonman Rita Wilson The Promise Nikka Costa and Alain Johannes Disappearing One Chris Stapleton The Keeper Foo Fighters No Attention Earache My Eye Girl You Want Everlong (Acoustic) Josh Homme Rusty Cage Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, and Stone Gossard Seasons Miley Cyrus Two Drink Minimum Audioslave (Tom Morello and Brad Wilk) Cochise (with Geezer Butler and Perry Farrell) Be Yourself (with Geezer Butler and Juliette Lewis) Set It Off (with Chris Chaney, Sam Harris and Tim Mcllrath) Like A Stone (with Chris Chaney and Brandi Carlile) Show Me How To Live (with Robert Trujillo and Dave Grohl) Toni Cornell and Ziggy Marley Redemption Song Metallica All Your Lies For Whom The Bell Tolls Master of Puppets Head Injury Ryan Adams Dead Wishes Fell On Black Days Temple Of The Dog Preaching The End Of The World Can’t Change Me (with Alain Johannes, Eric Avery, and Josh Freese) Hunted Down (with William DuVall, Jerry Cantrell, and Josh Freese) All Night Thing (with Fiona Apple, Brendan O’Brien, David Garza, and Matt Chamberlain) Reach Down (with Miguel, Nikka Costa, and Brendan O’Brien) Say Hello 2 Heaven (with Miley Cyrus, Brendan O’Brien, and Josh Freese) Hunger Strike (with Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, and Brendan O’Brien) Soundgarden Rusty Cage (with Taylor Momsen) Flower (with Marcus Durant) Outshined (with Marcus Durant and Stone Gossard) Drawing Flies (with Taylor Momsen, Buzz Osbourne, Matt Demeritt, and Tracy Wanamae) Loud Love (with Taylor Momsen, Tom Morello, and Wayne Kramer) I Awake (with Taylor Hawkins and Buzz Osbourne) The Day I Tried To Live (with Taylor Hawkins and Buzz Osbourne) Black Hole Sun (with Brandi Carlile, Peter Frampton, Tim Hanseroth, and Phil Hanseroth) Source

Australia has been blessed to be home to the infamous indie-electronic trio RUFUS DU SOL. They have finally announced a new US headlining tour as their newest record SOLACE has come to the surface. Although the group has been around for quite some time, they continue to grow with each and every song they put out. As this tour will surely be a sell out, they have included three nights at LA’s Shrine Expo Hall as well as three nights at Terminal 5 NY. Finally, they will make an incredible return to Coachella Music Festival in April. Below you’ll find the announced dates at places like Red Rocks Amphitheater, Santa Barbara Bowl, Brooklyn Mirage, and headliners at Shaky Beats Festival. Buy tickets here! The post RUFUS DU SOL Announces 2019 US Tour appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

In 2015, Ultra introduced Resistance as their brand for everything underground, and in an instant, the notorious Miami festival rejected the sensationalized EDM image that engulfed numerous other events at the time. Now in 2019, after years of expanding to international events and acclaimed Ibiza residencies, Resistance will take over an entire island at this year’s Ultra. When Ultra confirmed they would have to move from their decades-long home at Bayfront Park, there was understandably a cloud of uncertainty surrounding the event. After all, a venue change is probably the toughest challenge any event will ever have to face. Luckily, Ultra quickly secured a relocation to Virginia Key which hosted similar events in the past. Many attendees and staff would have preferred the festival not move for the sake of nostalgia and logistics. However, this new venue offers an exciting opportunity for Resistance. One section of the venue is the island Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, which will house not one, not two, but three stages dedicated to underground dance music with some of the most recognizable DJs on the planet. Carl Cox will host his mega structure for all three days. Richie Hawtin and his ‘PlayDifferently‘ brand will have their own stage. Finally, the third stage will be known as ‘The Arrival’, which comes straight from the Burning Man camp PLAYGROUND. Even better, the festival will now have extended hours until 2 am, allowing for plenty of sets to be properly enjoyed in the dark. Check out the full lineup for Resistance 2019 below and get tickets for Ultra Music Festival 2019 here The post Resistance Will Takeover Its Own Island at Ultra 2019 appeared first on EDM Maniac. Source

The year of 2018 was pretty exciting for the hip hop scene; major albums have been dropped, great singles have been released, and new kids on the block made it big. But, it’s 2019, and we’re already looking forward to our favorite artists dropping new fire. Some of them haven’t released new material in a long time, and some of them have merely set a high standard and great expectations for their future work, and their fans. Therefore, we’ve created a list of the hip-hop albums we’re really looking forward to listening to this year. But, before continuing with the list, make sure to hop over to edusson.com, for exceptional writing services. Kanye West, Yandhi (TBD) What better way to begin this list than with Kanye West’s oft-delayed, much-hyped ninth studio album Yandhi. Kanye has announced the album in mid-September 2018; however, the album has seen numerous release dates come and go. He has been focusing on producing and few other projects related to his fashion brand, but when it comes to his music, Kanye has been leaving us wanting a new album more than ever. Ye has been in the studio a lot during the year, so hopefully, 2019 is the year we will see the fruits of his labor. Rihanna, R9 During December, Rihanna has been secretly hinting that a new album might be on its way. With her focusing on Fenty Beauty and a lingerie collection, Rihanna has been delaying any new releases for quite a while. However, her loyal fans were getting impatient, and one of them asked Rihanna on her Fenty Instagram account about the new album. Rihanna has actually responded to the comment, only to write ‘2019’. To be even more serious about a new album, Rihanna’s vocal producer Kuk Harrell also teased by responding to a social media comment, saying ‘R9 is great. R9 is amazing. It’s incredible…’. This is definitely giving us hope that RiRi will be topping the charts of 2019 very soon. All we can do is sit back and let the queen do her work. Future, The Wizard (Jan.18) Future has had quite an active 2018, dropping two collaborative projects; Beast Mode 2 mixtape and Wrld on Drugs together with Juice WRLD. However, the trap lovers don’t think this was enough from Future. His infectious tunes should be seeing a follow-up actually in a few days, so his fans will finally be able to tune in with the upcoming seventh solo album. Future has also already given his fans a taste of what they can expect from the album with ‘Jumpin on a Jet,’ and ‘Crushed Up.’ Frank Ocean, Blonde Follow-Up Being a Frank Ocean fan must be really painful, mostly because Ocean spends so much time in between the releases working on new projects. His fans are definitely desperate for some new projects and fire tunes. Ocean has, nevertheless, kept the hopes up throughout 2018 with a beautiful ‘Moon River’ cover, as well as with the cameos on A$AP Rocky and Travis Scott’s summer bangers. Hopefully, Frank Ocean won’t leave his fans disappointed in this year and finally make a surprise release, as soon as possible. Everyone is so eager to see what masterpiece Frank Ocean has in his sleeve yet again. The Weeknd, Chapter 6 In 2018, Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, has taken things slowly. His appearance of Black Panther: The Album, and My Dear Melancholy, EP released in March, have been quite successful. Both of the releases warranted him two Platinum-certified, Billboard-charting singles; ‘Pray for me,’ and ‘Call out my Name,’ according to Consequence of Sound. However, In November of 2018, Abel has stated that he has been working on a new album and that he has never been as inspired as in the last year. So far, there hasn’t been much fuss about the actual album. The public only knows about the album is supposedly titled Chapter 6, and that it’s going to be an album rather than another EP. Hopefully, The Weeknd will keep his word and give us the album of his life. Childish Gambino, The Final-yet to be titled-LP So, Childish Gambino has done a fair share of great releases in 2018, with This is America and the-end-of-summer hit Feels like Summer. But, his fans seem to be expecting more, a follow-up album that is going to break the charts. There have been rumors that Gambino is preparing to release his final album this year, but no new projects of his have been surfacing out. All we can do is hope that Gambino being absent from the music scene at the moment is a sign of preparation for a grand entrance in 2019. Chance the Rapper Ever since he released Coloring Book in 2016, the fans of Chance the Rapper have been patiently expecting another banger. He has been releasing some side projects, but nothing came even close to the success and the quality of Acid Rap and Coloring Book. According to DJ Booth, this incredibly talented artist should be on his way of reviving his talent and musical abilities with a 2019 album, even though there is a slim chance that Chance might actually surprise us with a new release. Nevertheless, his fans aren’t losing the faith. Maybe Rapper will come from the shadows with the long-awaited Gambino collaboration, or even a more time-demanding, high-quality release this year. The post Hip-Hop Albums We’re Looking Forward to In 2019 appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source