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Their latest downtempo chill track has a positive outlook on music and its effects on life. MC EM Lowe showcases his songwriting with uplifting lyrics. This upbeat, conscious single seamlessly combines elements of hip-hop, downtempo, funk, rap, R&B, pop, and bass music to create a positive atmosphere of luscious sound that permeates your soul. Inspired by GangStarr and Gramatik, the vocals mix a pop-stylized rap vocal with Drishti’s chill electronic style. Written by Drishti Beats member MC Em Lowe, this authentic song carries a highly positive message about following your soul’s purpose and being true to yourself. In Lowe’s case, his purpose is music. Drishti Beats is best known for its electro-acoustic that fuse together hip-hop, jam, electronica, DJ mixing, and live yoga performances. In 2018 the group performed at major festivals such as Lightning in a Bottle, Electric Daisy Carnival Las Vegas, and Mysteryland. The post WITH DRISHTI BEATS “IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC” : Listen appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

An eclectic and intriguing year for heavy music has come to an end, and it’s time to look back at the songs that stood out in 2018. We recently posted our picks for the Top 25 Hard Rock + Metal Albums of 2018, and now we’re singling out the individual songs that struck a chord with us over the past 12 months. From mainstream rock and extreme metal to experimental noise and a new wave of hardcore, and beyond, 2018 marked a breakthrough year for many young acts while a few veteran bands released their finest works in years. [See Also: Top 25 Metal + Hard Rock Albums of 2018] It was tough narrowing down the list to 30 songs, as a number of solid tracks were painfully excluded, but with that said, here is the Heavy Consequence staff list of the Top 30 Metal + Hard Rock Songs of 2018. –Spencer Kaufman Managing Editor, Heavy Consequence __________________________________________________________ Source

Without warning, Avicii passed away this year on April 20. The news of his death traveled quickly through the dance music community and shook nearly everyone to their core. The producer/DJ had health troubles over the previous couple years, but seemed to be on an upward trend. Still, the news was true and the rest of this year just hasn’t felt the same for it. Now at the end of 2018, we want to look back at some of the stories that have come as a result of Avicii’s passing. News of Avicii’s death first broke on April 20, 2018. He was found at Muscat Hills Resort in Oman, where he’d been vacationing. The hotel released a statement following news of his death: Avicii definitely did seem to be in good spirits while enjoying his time and he was also very friendly with everyone. As much as we enjoyed his company here at Muscat Hills Resort, we are extremely sad to hear and read all the recent news and therefore we would like to express our sincere condolences to his family, friends and all his fans. The day following the news of his death, Billboard published an article outlining the various health issues that Avicii had been facing, since his acute pancreatitis in January 2012 to the announcement of his retirement from touring in March 2016 and his final show in August that year. His ex-manager, Ash Pournouri, released a statement on Instagram, though the post has since been deleted. “Shock. Grief. Anger. Rage. Apathy. Despair. Misery. Pain. Pain. Pain. I don’t even know what this feeling is called,” Ash wrote. His family, too, released their own statement. We would like to thank you for the support and the loving words about our son and brother. We are so grateful for everyone who loved Tim’s music and have precious memories of his songs. Thank you for all the initiatives taken to honor Tim, with public gatherings, church bells ringing out his music, tributes at Coachella and moments of silence around the world.” We are grateful for the privacy during this difficult time. Our wish is that it continues that way. It wasn’t until a week after his death that news began to circulate that Avicii’s cause of death was likely suicide. The following day, Avicii’s girlfriend, Tereza Kačerová, whom he’d been dating in relative secrecy, spoke out. “I was always very set on keeping our relationship private because I wanted it to be OUR and ours only and wanted no part in that madness. But I thought, if I’m going to share this with the world, it will be when I’m pregnant with our child. Ohhh how that plan went awry.” All of this, again, happened within just the span of a week following his death. Soon, the tributes began. Nicky Romero played their unreleased song “Heaven” at Kingsland Festival, Kygo got a new tattoo dedicated to Avicii, Don Diablo released a new track with Hilda, “Wake Me When It’s Quiet,” dedicated to Avicii, Arty debuted a new song, “For Tim,” later released as just “Tim,” and so on. Rumors stemming from an interview with Geffen Records president Neil Jacobson suggested that an Avicii album would be released this year; those were quickly cast aside. Avicii’s public relations representative Diana Baron says, “Tim had been working on new material and had posted 9-ish photos and Instagram stories about his sessions this year. As of this moment, these stories about a scheduled release are just rumors coming from hopeful fans who loved Tim and his music.” In July, a massive flag was waved at Tomorrowland in tribute to Avicii. That 16×10 meter, 20 kg flag is now being auctioned off with proceeds going to suicide prevention charity Suicide Zero. The current price is $1,725. You can bid on it here. So far, it’s been signed by Steve Angelo, Nicky Romero, Don Diablo, Dada Life, Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, Lost Frequencies, and Vini Vici, among others. Avicii won a posthumous award for Best Dance at VMAs 2018 for his song “Lonely Together” with Rita Ora. At the end of August, Avicii’s Los Angeles home was quietly sold for $17.5 million. His piano inside is being donated to a local museum in Stockholm, Sweden; the exact name of the museum was never disclosed. Last month, Avicii was awarded the MTV EMA for Best Swedish Act, another posthumous award among many. It was also revealed that the Netflix documentary Avicii: True Stories is to return to the streaming service this month, after it was removed in April following his death. The Guardian confirmed the doc will release on US, UK and Australia Netflix on December 28. All of this to culminate in the fact that Avicii was the #2 most-Googled topic in all the world in 2018. Clearly, his legacy continues to live on in his fans, friends, and family. RIP Avicii, September 8, 1989 – April 20, 2018 Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: LOOKING BACK: Avicii’s Death & Everything That Has Happened Since Source

For fans needing a refresher on KISS’ biggest hits before the legendary band embarks on it final tour, a new collection titled KISSWORLD – The Best of KISS will arrive on January 25th, just six days before the trek launches January 31st in Vancouver, Canada. The 20-song compilation features such KISS staples as “Rock and Roll All Nite”, “Detroit Rock City”, “Beth”, “Love Gun” and more. What’s interesting, though, is that the cover artwork depicts the current KISS lineup with Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, as opposed the classic lineup with former members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. The CD and digital versions of the collection come out January 25th, but fans who want the standard black and limited-edition color vinyl will have to wait until March 29th. All pre-orders are available here. KISS’ already announced a second North American leg of their “End of the Road Tour” before the first leg has even started. Their current itinerary can be seen here. KISSWORLD – The Best of KISS Tracklist 01. Crazy Crazy Nights 02. Rock and Roll All Nite 03. I Was Made For Lovin’ You 04. God Gave Rock ‘N’ Roll To You II 05. Detroit Rock City 06. Beth 07. Lick It Up 08. Heaven’s On Fire 09. Tears Are Falling 10. Unholy 11. Hard Luck Woman 12. Psycho Circus 13. Shout It Out Loud 14. Calling Dr. Love 15. Christine Sixteen 16. Love Gun 17. Shandi 18. I’m A Legend Tonight 19. Modern Day Delilah 20. Hell Or Hallelujah Source

It has been an absolutely crazy year in dance music if you really think about everything that’s happened, even just looking at music releases. Some huge artists have made a name for themselves this year, and others have established their presence as behemoths in their own rights. We named k?d one of our Artists to Watch in 2017 and he hasn’t let us down yet. We just named 1788-L one of our Artists to Watch in 2019 and we have the utmost confidence that we haven’t even seen the best they have to offer, either. Though Kayzo never made it into one of our Artists to Watch lists, it was only because between the two years we felt he was most eligible, he had already become far more than an artist to watch and was actually a huge breakthough success. Now in 2019, Kayzo will be putting out collaborations with both of these rising stars, and we couldn’t be more excited. Though his debut album OVERLOAD wasn’t quite what we expected, his newer tracks with Underoath and xo sad paint a stellar picture for Kayzo’s 2019. Now with these two tracks teased, it looks like 2019 is full of unexpected possibilities. No word yet on when we might get these tracks, but we’ll be keeping our eyes open! So @whoskid and I are gonna make some wild music — kayzo (@KayzoMusic) December 15, 2018 The song I’m doing with @l_1788 is a reaaaaaal winner — kayzo (@KayzoMusic) December 18, 2018 Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Kayzo Announces Collaborations With 1788-L & K?D Source

Dance music heavyweight David Guetta has strengthened his brand and his artistry throughout the last two decades. Guetta has consistently put out epic tracks, including “Love Don’t Let Me Go” (2001), “When Love Takes Over” (2009), “Titanium” (2011), and “So Far Away” (with Martin Garrix) (2017). He has headlined major events like Amsterdam Music Festival, Ultra Music Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Tomorrowland over the years. This New Years soak in David Guetta’s glorious vibes at the Brooklyn Warehouse. David Guetta New Years 2018 Guetta continues to put on highly-anticipated shows that create a unique fan experience. This distinguished French DJ will be bringing his epic talent to New York City later this month. Guetta will put on what is surely going to be an unforgettable show for attendees on New Years’ Eve (December 31). He notably played a NYE show in New York last year, and truly had the crowd dancing its way into 2018. David Guetta NYE 2018 via Light & Life David Guetta NYE 2018 via Light & Life At last year’s NYE show, Guetta had CID and Michael Calfan on the roster, and they definitely helped turn the night into an iconic, non-stop party. With Guetta likely to bring along similarly awesome supporting talent, this year’s NYE show will surely be a night filled with great music, stellar production, and good vibes. Make sure to get your tickets here. Follow David Guetta: facebook | SoundCloud | Instagram | The post David Guetta Takes Over Brooklyn Warehouse for New Years 2018 appeared first on EDM | Electronic Music | EDM Music | EDM Festivals | EDM Events. Source

Feed Me has been laying relatively low and now we know why. The producer just announced he has finished and turned in his latest album. “I shut up recently because I’ve been finishing an album and I hate this idea that I’m supposed to hire some idiot company to ‘keep up appearances’ on my social media stuff,” he explains in the post below. “I handed it in this weekend and I think it’s the best thing I’ve done.” Feed Me says he’s excited to play it, create a live show around it, and follow up with other material he has made. Next up, he plans on gearing up for NYE gigs. Best believe he’ll have plenty of new music to play! We last heard from Feed Me with his 2017 Existential Crisis EP. His last full album as Feed Me released back in 2013 with Calamari Tuesday. Feed Me Announces New Album Photo via Rukes.com This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Feed Me Teases A New Album Full Of His Best Work, Coming Soon Source

Penny Marshall, the star of TV comedy Laverne & Shirley who went on to become an acclaimed film director, has died at the age of 75. According to TMZ, Marshall, born Carole Penny Marshall, passed away at her Hollywood Hills home on Monday night. The cause of death is believed to have been the result of complications from diabetes. From humble beginnings as one of three children born to a tap dance teaching mother and a director/producer father in the Bronx, Marshall went on to become a trailblazing woman in entertainment. Struggling early in her career — including appearing as the “before” girl in a beauty ad that featured Farrah Fawcett as the “after” — her big break came with the help of her brother, Garry Marshall, himself an influential writer, producer, directer, and actor. He got her a role on The Odd Couple as Myrna Turner, her first major recurring part, in 1972. Three years later, Marshall was cast in her iconic role as Laverne DeFazio on Happy Days, a program which Garry created. The part became a defining one for Marhsall, her dynamic with Cindy Williams’ Shirley Feeney leading to spin-off series in 1976. Over the course of Laverne & Shirley’s eight seasons, Marshall earned three Golden Globe nominations. However, Laverne and her memorable cursive “L” on her sweater became so definable for Marshall that acting roles became harder to come by when the show was canceled in 1983. Marshall moved behind the lens (as she had for a handful of Laverne & Shirley episodes), becoming a groundbreaking film director. Her first feature was the 1986 Whoopi Golderbg-starrer Jumpin’ Jack Flash, but her landmark production came two years later with Big. The movie led to Marshall becoming the first female director with a film that grossed over $100 million at the box office. It also earned star Tom Hanks his first Oscar nomination and Golden Globe win. She followed Big up with her adaptation of Awakenings, starring Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams, which received Best Picture and Best Actor Oscar nominations. Marshall then reunited with Hanks for the classic A League of Their Own, which saw her directing her own daughter with ex-husband Rob Reiner, Tracy Reiner, who played Betty. (Tracy also had a bit part in Jumpin’ Jack Flash, incidentally as a secretary, which is what Marhsall’s character did in The Odd Couple.) Marshall gave Mark Wahlberg his first major acting role in Renaissance Man, and would later helm acclaimed films The Preacher’s Wife and Riding in Cars with Boys. Though she never returned to acting on a regular basis, she did have a number of notable appearances in film and TV throughout the ’90s and ’00s. She was the first-ever celebrity guest to voice a character on The Simpsons, playing the criminal babysitter Ms. Botz in what was meant to be the show’s pilot (animation issues led to a delay that made it the first season finale). In 1993, she cameoed in Hocus Pocus as the wife of The Master/The Devil, a part played by her brother, Garry. She also had roles as herself in Get Shorty, as well as episodes of Bones and Entourage. She returned to play Myrna in the 1993 TV movie The Odd Couple: Together Again, and cameoed in the 2016 reboot series as Patty. Marshall was a close friend of Carrie Fisher. She was the godmother to Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd. In a statement, Marshall’s family said, “Our family is heartbroken over the passing of Penny Marshall. Penny was a tomboy who loved sports, doing puzzles of any kind, drinking milk and Pepsi together and being with her family. As an actress, her work on Laverne & Shirley broke ground featuring blue-collar women entertaining America in prime time. She was a comedic natural with a photographic memory and an instinct for slapstick. We hope her life continues to inspire other to spend time with family, work hard and make of their dreams come true.” Source

Drummer Jeremy Spencer is parting ways with Five Finger Death Punch after 14 years in the band, it was announced today (December 18th). The stickman, who sat out the band’s most recent tour to recover from back surgery, is now leaving the FFDP permanently, saying he unable to physically continue as a member of the hit-making rock act. “This decision has been weighing on me for months; and now the time has finally come,” explained Spencer in a statement. “I started to play when I was 6 years old, and I feel fortunate that my body has provided me with several decades of doing what I love most: drumming. However, the rigorous physical wear and tear has got me to the point where I feel I can no longer deliver a performance that brings me satisfaction and joy.” He added, “I feel the band deserves to get someone with the fire and energy, capable of delivering the performance that the fans deserve. Like you, I will be cheering them on to continue making great music as they tour the world and bring exciting shows to all our cherished fans.” It’s been another big year for Five Finger Death Punch, having just been named the most-played artist on mainstream-rock radio for 2018, thanks to their latest album, And Justice for None. They just released a video for their cover of Kenny Wayne Shepherd’s “Blue on Black”, which can be seen below. Drummer Charlie “The Engine” Engen filled in for Spencer on the band’s recent fall tour with Breaking Benjamin, but as of now, no permanent replacement has been named. Source

In what is quickly becoming one of Los Angeles’s most lit holiday traditions, L.A. Gives Back, presented by IHeartComix, is back for a third edition on Wednesday, December 19 at Catch One. Eight of L.A.’s most influential music curators, including Brownies & Lemonade, Mad Decent, Ninja Tune, and Emo Nite, will be programming five rooms of music. As always, all proceeds will go to benefit homeless charities here in Los Angeles. There is also an online auction featuring such cool items as a VIP meet & greet with Grumpy Cat, a Justin Bieber signed merch bundle, a one-night stay at the Ace Hotel, and a case of ranch signed by Eric Andre, among other things. The lineup is a secret as always, but past guests have included Diplo, Party Favor, Valentino Khan, Boys Noize. You never know who might show up to spread some holiday cheer. Get your tickets to L.A. Gives Back 3 here and check out the official trailer to get an idea of what’s in store! This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: IHEARTCOMIX Presents L.A. Gives Back Returns for Third Annual Holiday Charity Event [Event Preview] Source

Cardi B made the news this past weekend for, among other reasons, her set at Rolling Loud festival in California. In the middle of her set, her (still) husband Offset, of Migos, crashed the performance and begged for her back after the two split following his own impropriety. Though we couldn’t hear what was being said, it was pretty clear from Cardi’s body language that she was pissed about Offset interrupting her headlining performance, and her answer wasn’t what he wanted to hear. That hasn’t stopped other men from sliding into her DMs in the meantime – or in this case, her comments. On a photo posted two days ago, none other than Diplo slid in with a simple “I’m single btw” in the comments. The post was caught by @commentsbycelebs who shared it on Instagram yesterday. As far as “too soon” moments go, this one gets a “yikes” from us. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Diplo to Cardi B: “I’m single btw” Source

The Lowdown: Entering the 10th year of his musical career, Chicago native Vic Mensa has become one of the most genuine acts in contemporary rap. This recognition is due in part to his remarkable ability to weave creative wordplay into personal and socially conscious storytelling. Like A Tribe Called Quest or fellow Chicagoan Lupe Fiasco before him, Mensa consistently delivers a balance in his art that is both entertaining and rich with insight. His latest EP, Hooligans, offers further proof of the artist’s emotional depth and talent. The Good: In “Dancing in the Streetz”, Mensa states, “If the law don’t kill me first, the doors commit suicide/ They gon’ shoot me if I don’t or if I do comply.” In the track’s short runtime, Mensa dives into police brutality and violent street life. The lyrics make for a bombardment of sensory detail, alluding to violent crime scenes and cries of heartache. In “Dark Things”, he shares his struggles with mental health and addiction. Brilliant lines such as, “Fuck the pain away, beat it like a 808,” along with, “I need you to love me like I never loved me,” tap into the loneliness and desperation brought on by such struggles. When Mensa speaks, it feels like he’s giving a part of himself (and a variety of emotions) to the listener. In “Klonopin”, Mensa shares his difficulties dealing with anxiety while also referencing medication use. The song’s instrumental has a semi-playful nature, with the lyricism establishing a somber edge to the material. “Deserve It” is a superb finisher, summing up the artistic integrity of the EP. Stepping away from being a generic hype track, Mensa provides a more realistic and sincere depiction of fame and determination (“Even when I’m feelin’ worthless, underneath the surface/ I know that I deserve it.”) It’s a level of introspection listeners have come to appreciate from him. The Bad: At times, Hooligans suffers from monotony. Tracks like “In Some Trouble”, “Reverse”, and “Rowdy” lack the intrigue of their neighbors; while one can feel the adrenaline and mood of each song, the lyrics don’t get across the same sincerity that comes with Mensa’s more revealing moments or his social commentary. The Verdict: While Hooligans is not without its bland moments, it’s still a work that displays what makes Vic Mensa an important voice in today’s rap scene. Whether it’s through his lyrics about addiction, police brutality, or mental health, he’s an artist that writes authentic stories with intimate depth. Hooligans is an honest and emotional addition to Mensa’s catalog, the type that should keep listeners excited for the next installment in his story. Essential Tracks: “Dark Things”, “Klonopin”, and “Deserve It” Source

Earlier this year, Waxwork Records released a 40th anniversary vinyl reissue of the score to George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. With the reissue, Italian prog legends Goblin saw all 17 of their tracks for the film released on vinyl for the first time. Now, the band itself has returned for the true Dead heads, releasing a 40th anniversary release that’s distinctly their own. (Read: 10 Essential Horror Movie Scores) The commemorative studio album, Fearless (37513 Zombie Ave), includes “reimagined versions” of the best tunes from the iconic soundtrack, as well as new arrangements of two tracks from their also-seminal Suspiria score. It will be a merry, bloody Christmas indeed, as the album is slated to arrive this December 24th on both vinyl and CD. Pre-orders are ongoing here. Source

Steve Perry returned in October with Traces, his first studio album in almost 30 years. Proving he won’t be going into hiding again anytime soon, the former Journey frontman has now shared a cover of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. “This has been a big year of firsts for me. In keeping with that spirit, I thought I’d record a little Christmas card song and send it out to you to thank you for all of your kindness in welcoming me back,” Perry wrote on Twitter. While the veteran rocker’s rendition comes in just under two minutes, it does see him sprinkling the holiday classic with a little bit of his own unique charisma. The velvety piano accompanying Perry’s signature vocals also makes for an extra toasty affair. Take a listen below. This has been a big year of firsts for me. In keeping with that spirit, I thought I'd record a little Christmas card song and send it out to you to thank you for all of your kindness in welcoming me back. Have yourself a merry little Christmas. I hope you enjoy it. pic.twitter.com/8KFAxxS5Ug — Steve Perry (@StevePerryMusic) December 17, 2018 Prior to relaunching his solo career, Perry reunited with Journey in 2017 for the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but opted against joining his former bandmates on stage. He’s maintained that a full-fledged Journey reunion is still not in the cards, and that he’d rather focus on his own material. “I think that we’ve gone on our separate ways and we’re doing great,” he told radio station 106.7 Lite FM in September. “Arnel [Pineda] is a great singer and he’s been in the band for ten years, but yeah, I don’t think that’s where I’m at right now. It took forever for me to find the passion for music again because I felt it was kind of damaged. I thought I would never feel that love again for music, so I had to walk. Now that I’ve found that again — I have so many other songs ready to be recorded.” Source

One of the (many) great things about Nick Offerman’s character Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec was that so much of it was true-to-life for the actor. Offerman really is an outdoorsy, wood-crafting, whiskey lover. Sure, he was playing a part, but the skills required to convincingly portray the character were real. Some might say that such prowess would make Swanson an excellent Survivor contestant — and Offerman would agree. It turns out the actor once came very close to participating in CBS’ reality competition, as he and his wife, Megan Mullally, revealed on Conan O’Brien’s new podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. During the latest episode, O’Brien recalled a time when he watched Offerman mend his exploded bike chain with nothing but a flat rock, and Mullally noted his survival skills go beyond simple vehicular repair. “We have always said that we thought that Nick would kill on Survivor,” she said. “Not even Celebrity [Survivor]; regular Survivor.” “It’s been discussed,” added Offerman. “We’ve sincerely looked at it in reality.” They considered it so closely, in fact, that he apparently almost appeared on the show, but had to back out when he got an acting job. “I would love to. I think it would be really fun,” Offerman said of the possibility of appearing on the show in the future. “I think I’d be good at some things, but I’m not certain that… I’m not sure how well I’d fair at the social aspect of the game.” Mullally pointed out that everyone loves him, but O’Brien noted that he has “no guile” and wouldn’t fair well at the mind games. “His brain, he’s not effed up enough to think of how to screw everybody over,” said Mullally. Whether or not Offerman ever ends up competing on Survivor remains to be seen. In the meantime, he’s currently hosting his own reality series, Making It, with former Parks and Rec co-star Amy Poehler. Recently, the show was picked up for a second season. Listen to the Offerman and Mullally’s appearance on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend: Source

Jorja Smith performs at House of Blues Boston on tour for her debut album Lost & Found. Photo by Adrian ThomasJorja Smith brought her tour supporting her debut album, Lost & Found to Boston in front of a sold out crowd. And yeah, we were all emotionally reborn by the end of her set. The British singer-songwriter graced Boston with a stunning performance. Smith’s vocals, combined with an elegant yet simple stage design, and overall presence as performer, proved why she is on her way to being a great artist of her generation. Fresh off of a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, Smith is playing sold out shows and continuing to enthrall fans with her unique vocal ability and unabashedly honest lyrics. She doesn’t hold back in her ballads about love, rejection, and the frustration that comes with it. Jorja Smith performs at Boston’s House of Blues on her Lost & Found tour. Photo by Adrian Thomas.The first time I heard Jorja Smith I thought, “Wow, whoever this singer is, she should sing the opening song for the next James Bond movie.” Smith’s vocals provide the mystery, power, and comfort needed to sing a successful Bond song. We’ve seen it from artists like Paul McCartney, and more recently Sam Smith and Adele. My point with this bit about Jorja Smith needing to sing the next Bond song is that she’s extremely talented and truly has the ability to cement herself as one of the greats. Smith’s show in Boston concludes her U.S. tour dates for now, but she’s slated to play Australia and New Zealand in January and February and is on the bill for Lollapalooza Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. Check out the rest of the photo story from her Boston show below! Jorja Smith performs at Boston’s House of Blues on her Lost & Found tour. Photo by Adrian Thomas.Jorja Smith performs at Boston’s House of Blues on her Lost & Found tour. Photo by Adrian Thomas.Jorja Smith performs at Boston’s House of Blues on her Lost & Found tour. Photo by Adrian Thomas.Jorja Smith performs at Boston’s House of Blues on her Lost & Found tour. Photo by Adrian Thomas.Jorja Smith takes in the sold out crowd at Boston’s House of Blues on her Lost & Found tour. Photo by Adrian Thomas. *Feature image by Adrian Thomas The post Photo Story: Jorja Smith Serenades Boston On Her Lost & Found Tour appeared first on Verge Campus. Source

Paul McCartney will not slow down. Not only did he just release a 50th anniversary edition of The White Album in addition to the lovely Egypt Station, but the one-time Beatle has also announced a 2019 world tour and a children’s book. Now, he’s capping off 2018 with “a musical short film” starring himself and Oscar-winning actress Emma Stone. The film, which finds Stone visiting a “Behavioral Hypnotist Meteorologist” played by McCartney, serves as a vessel for Egypt Station single “Who Cares”. It was shot on 65mm Kodak film with Panavision cameras, which gorgeously capture the pair’s dive into miming and prop comedy. In a press release, McCartney reveals that the clip, which was directed by Brantley Gutierrez and Ryan Heffington, was created with nonprofit Creative Visions, Artemis Rising Foundation, and the Blue Chip Foundation, among others, as part of the anti-bullying campaign #WhoCaresIDo. “My hope is that if there are kids being bullied — and there are,” McCartney says in a statement. “Maybe by listening to this song and watching this video, they might just think it’s not as bad…that it’s the kind of thing you can just stand up to and laugh off and get through.” Stone, meanwhile, just gave one of the year’s best performances in Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite. She’s currently poised to star as a young Cruella de Vil in 100 Dalmatians prequel Cruella. Source

All the media in this article are songs Dean contributed to in 2018, a small sampling of the writer and producer’s eclectic and game-changing work behind the scenes. Mike Dean might just outlast all of us. The veteran producer has survived countless trends and changes in taste. In fact, he’s been one of the innovators of those movements. A native of Houston, Dean got his start as a young man playing keyboards for Selena, one of the most influential Mexican-American music artists of all time. Soon he moved into hip-hop, producing for Scarface, UGK, and many more. Dean’s beats helped define the Dirty South sound of the early ‘90s. Since then, he’s worked with Kanye West many times, first as a mixer on College Dropout and Late Registration, then as a producer or co-executive producer on everything that followed. He’s said that he and West are “like a band.” Dean has been a hidden hand behind some of the most vibrant musical movements of the last two decades, and 2018 was one of his most accomplished years yet. Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD achieved widespread acclaim for the ambition and originality of its beats. Dean was a big part of that success, producing three tracks and co-producing many more. Perhaps even more impressive was his work on the Jackson Hole series: five albums released in five weeks, linked by their short length but musically distinct, all co-executive produced with Kanye West. Pusha T’s Daytona was one of the best hip-hop albums of the year, and all of ye, Kids See Ghosts, NASIR, and K.T.S.E. were interesting and worthy of critical discussion. In conversation, Dean has a voice like crushed gravel. He talks about his musical family. “My mom and dad had old records I used to go through, old jazz records,” he says. “My brother and sister both played. My sister played piano, my brother played saxophone. It made me want to do it.” But when he was starting out, he was aiming for a slightly different career. “I always wanted to be a musician. I was a keyboard player, multi-instrumental musician. I always wanted to be an artist, a keyboard artist. I was in a band before that. I was in rock bands and shit.” Becoming a producer, he says, happened in a “less planned way. You know we recorded with Selena. I started learning what producing was. At some point, I quit the rest of the bands and just started playing piano bars and making beats,” he recalls. “That was when I started getting into hip-hop, all that shit.” The way he makes music is similarly unplanned. “I just start playing things and shit happens,” he explains. “I don’t really hear it in my head or anything. I might have half an idea of what it might become. I don’t hear it until it comes out of my goddamn fingers, you know?” His workdays are unstructured. “My routine is pretty laid-back. If I’m on a deadline, it’s like, work the whole time you’re awake. And if I’m not, it’s pretty laid-back. I’ll wake up, hang out for hours, smoke weed, build up to working.” That all changes if he’s on a deadline. Then it’s “16, 18 hours a day. But it’s not all solid work, you know? It’s smoking weed, listening to music. Smoking weed is half the day, probably.” Dean is a master of the little details of a song: the mix, the balance, the subtle shading that makes music pop. He’s a producer in the classical sense, even as the term “producer” comes to mean more and less than it used to. “The producer used to be the person that put together the music before computers, put together the musicians, figured out who’s going to play what, did arrangements, all that: Execute the whole record,” he explains. “Now, a producer can be a loose term. Is it somebody that makes the beat and hands it off and never hears the song until it’s on iTunes? They call that a producer, but it’s not really a producer; that’s making a beat. That’s not producing the whole album.” Dean doesn’t just work with his own beats. He’s good with other people’s beats, too. “I’m the one that’s usually taking people’s stuff that’s half done and working on it. I’m kind of the finisher. I get a lot of people that are upset because I changed something of theirs. But it’s a collaborative thing, and it’s up to the artists how it comes out.” During our conversation, “collaboration” was one of his most-used words. That’s how he talks about Travis Scott and Kanye West, calling them “the kings of collaboration” and singling out Kanye as someone who “works out how to work with people.” It’s clear how important collaboration is to Dean. “Everybody’s not going to like your ideas. Can you accept that and move on and keep working with them? Some producers will make a part and fall in love with it. If you change it, they get their feelings hurt. You can’t be like that. You can’t be in your feelings and be a collaborative producer.” For the people who work with Kanye West, being a good collaborator means checking Twitter. That was the case with the Jackson Hole series of albums. Dean had been working with Kanye “doing all these albums for different artists” but without a clear timeline or end date. “One day, I woke up, I checked my Twitter, and I saw we were doing five albums in five weeks.” remembers Dean. “We just had to go in and work our asses off, doing 20-hour days.” Dean’s got a big personality. When I ask him how he got through 20-hour days, he says, “Smoke a lot of weed,” and when I ask him if he had any goals for the project, he shouted, “History!” and laughed. We ended our conversation with the adjustments he has made throughout his long career. He thought it was most pronounced in the mixing. Today, songs are “a lot more musical, a lot more bright. I was talking about this the other day, talking about the older producers from the ’90s and how they complain about how the new stuff sounds. You know, I could still make beats like I did in the ’90s,” he explains. “I don’t believe in sticking to your own era. You should always progress with the times. I could make beats like I did for the old records, but it would sound funny now, sound really dull and really muddy. You got to keep up with the times, the devices that are coming out. You got to mix for iPhones, iPads, laptop speakers.” The key to making it work, he says, is starting with a live instrument. “It makes it more authentic than something made completely on a computer. There’s nothing like a real piano. No fake piano will sound like a real piano. It has an emotion to it when you play it. It vibrates, it makes you feel things, as opposed to a keyboard that plugs into a computer. Same thing with old analog synths,” he continues. “Find something that’s really vibrating as opposed to coming from speakers on a computer.” It takes a great deal of skill to make a laptop speaker sound like a vibrating piano string, but certainly that’s not the only reason Dean has managed to stay relevant across so many musical paradigms. Before he went, I asked him again how he manages to keep things sounding fresh. He thinks it might have something to do with his unstructured work day and the importance he places on spontaneity. “I try to do shit differently all the time,” he says. “I start from scratch every time.” Source

The Roots co-founder Black Thought dropped two collaborative EPs in 2018: Streams of Thought, Vol. 1 featuring 9th Wonder and Streams of Thoughts Vol. 2 – Black Thought x Salaam Remi Presents Traxploitation. In support of the latter release, Black Thought and Salaam Remi performed their song “Conception” on Monday’s episode of The Tonight Show. Black Thought also received support from Questlove and the rest of The Roots Crew. The captivating performance was also further enriched by a small string section. Catch the replay below. Source

Jackie Fuchs was once known as The Runaways’ Jackie Fox, but her new title is Jeopardy! champion. The former bassist first appeared on the trivia show this past Friday and became its new champion by winning $14,200. She returned on Monday night to defend her crown with another victory to add $19,889 to her pot. Update – Dec. 18th at 10:00 p.m.: Fox was again victorious on Tuesday night’s episode, winning an additional $12,200. Thus far, she’s earned a total of $58,689. Jeopardy! fan site J! Archive notes that Friday’s program saw Fuchs faced with several music-related questions on her way to her first win. One of them — “In this song by the B-52’s, ‘we were at the beach, everybody had matching towels’” (“What is ‘Rock Lobster?’”) — she answered correctly. The other — “Solana Imani Rowe performs under this 3-letter name, as on ‘All the Stars’ with Kendrick Lamar” (“Who is SZA?”) — she did not. Fuchs, it seems, has yet to spin K-Dot’s Black Panther soundtrack. (Read: Joan Jett on Fronting Nirvana and Covering The Replacements) Fuchs also nailed Monday’s Final Jeopardy! question, expressing confidence in her knowledge of Norse Mythology by wagering $9,889 of her $10,000 winnings. She knew it was Loki who turned himself into a mare and birthed an eight-legged horse (yo, Marvel, where’s that scene in Ragnarok?), bringing her two-day total to $34,089. Tuesday brought another music related category dedicated to No 1. songs. Fuchs successfully answered questions referencing Alicia Keys and Carly Rae Jepsen. Jackie Fuchs has a special message to share. pic.twitter.com/4xejOvVFxP — Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) December 15, 2018 As Pitchfork notes, Fuchs, who currently writes and practices law in Los Angeles, is a game show regular, having appeared on competitions like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and The Chase. She’ll be back for a fourth Jeopardy! match on Wednesday, so stay tuned. Replay video of all three episodes below. Source

On the heels of their appearance on Saturday Night Live this past weekend, Miley Cyrus and Mark Ronson visited BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge on Tuesday. Continuing a recent trend of artists covering songs from Ariana Grande’s catalog (see: Mumford & Sons, The 1975, and Alessia Cara), Cyrus and Ronson offered their take on “No Tears Left to Cry”, one of the many standout tracks from Grande’s latest album, Sweetener. The duo also showcased their own new single, “Nothing Breaks Like A Heart”. For both performances, which you can replay below, Cyrus and Ronson were were accompanied by a string section. “Nothing Breaks Like A Heart” serves as the first single off Ronson’s new album, which is set to arrive in 2019. Source

Roughly a month after Cardi B’s ex, Offset, spit bars on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke, the Invasion of Privacy rapper hopped in the passenger’s seat for her own appearance. Cardi performed her new single, “Money”, along with Invasion of Privacy tracks “Bodak Yellow”, “Drip”, and “Bartier Cardi”. It wasn’t all fun and games, however. Cardi, who owns several luxury cars despite not knowing how to drive, also got behind the wheel for a driving lesson. Eventually, Corden reclaimed the wheel and drove Cardi to her final destination — a senior citizen center. There, she soundtracked a dance lesson and possibly met her future soulmate. Replay the full segment below. Cardi’s had a tumultuous year, what with her split from Offset and that highly-publicized feud with Nicki Minaj, but her debut album was undoubtedly a delight, scoring a slew of Grammy nominations and landing on both our best albums and best songs of the year lists. She’s also become a sought-after guest, having appeared on Meek Mill’s Championships and City Girls’ Girl Code. Next year, she’ll serve as a judge on Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow and headline Primavera Sound and the Atlanta’s Bud Light Music Festival. Source

Hey Chicago bass fans, are you ready?! 2019 is around the corner and so are EIGHT heavy, bass-filled nights. We know making it to all of these events can be tough on the wallet which is why we have once again teamed up with React Presents to bring you the ultimate luxury in giveaways, the Chicago Winter ’19 Bass Pass. One, thats right ONE, lucky winner will win a pair (2) of tickets to EIGHT different shows hitting Chicago over the next few months. What shows might that be you ask? Well… take a look below. January 5th: Porn and Chicken Experience with HE$H, Bommer @ Bottom Lounge 18+ January 11th: Destructo Let’s Be Friends Again Tour 2019 @ Park West 18+ January 25th: Rusko @ Sound-bar 21+ February 8th: Zomboy Rott N Roll Tour w/ Skism, Trampa, Space Laces @ Aragon 18+ February 16th: Boombox Cartel The Cell Spring 2019 Tour @ Aragon 18+ March 8th: SAYMYNAME Merciless Tour @ Sound-Bar 21+ March 16th: Kayzo Doghouse Takeover presents Unleashed Tour @ Aragon 18+ March 30th: Excision Apex Tour 2019 w/ Doctor P, Bear Grillz, Phase One, Sullivan King, Yakz b2b Spock, HE$H @ Navy Pier 18+ Entering is simple, just follow the different links below in the contest widget to gain entries. A winner will be selected on January 3rd, the exact day that the contest ends on! So you’ve got plenty of time to enter, just be sure that you will be 21 years of age, or older, by the time of the first event on January 5th. The winner will be contacted via email, be sure to keep an eye out and check those spam folders! You don’t want to miss out of on this exclusive Winter Bass Pass experience. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Win the Ultimate Chicago Winter ’19 BASS Pass Source

It was back in October when Third Man Records announced that Jack White’s The Raconteurs would release a new album in 2019, their first full-length in more than a decade. The reveal was accompanied by the announcement of a 10th anniversary reissue of 2008’s Consolers of the Lonely, which was said to contain two brand new songs from the forthcoming record. Now, it appears the band is poised to make two new songs available online. (Read: What is Jack White’s Best Project?) As was revealed in a tweet from Third Man, the songs are called “Sunday Driver” and “Now That You’re Gone”. They’ll premiere digitally on Wednesday, December 19th. Below, you check out the video, which contains snippets of both songs. Wednesday. @stevensebring #raconteurs #brendanbenson @brendanbensongs #jacklawrence #jackwhite #patrickkeeler #theraconteurs #thirdmanrecords pic.twitter.com/Z6Q7wi3Zzz — Third Man Records (@thirdmanrecords) December 17, 2018 White recently wrapped an expansive world tour supporting his latest solo album, Boarding House Reach. Source

Slushii only just released an emotionally-charged Lo-Fi album this past Friday, but he’s already back on his usual grind with this troll remix of what is supposed to be Jauz’s interpretation of viral meme song “Baby Shark.” Let’s back up and explain for a second… Back in early November, Jauz vowed to remix “Baby Shark” if his tweet reached 20,000 retweets. The joke here being that Jauz is really heavy on the shark branding and “Baby Shark” was a viral meme at the time, so it made sense to conflate the two. Of course the tweet did end up reaching 20,000 retweets, and more, but we haven’t heard anything from Jauz about it since. Apparently, Slushii got tired of waiting, since he tweeted out, “yoooo @Jauzofficial snapped on this one,” and included a link of a “Baby Shark” bootleg from his old DJ Swoon account. yoooo @Jauzofficial snapped on this one https://t.co/UjnYhdGiqI — slushii (@SlushiiMusic) December 16, 2018 Funny enough, even though this was just meant as a troll, the remix actually bangs! From the melody excised from the original to the distorted bass synths in the drop, this is actually something I can imagine a crowd really going wild for. And if that isn’t a sure sign of the times in 2018, I don’t know what is. Check it out below. This article was first published on Your EDM. Source: Slushii Trolls Jauz With His Own Remix Of “Baby Shark” Source