New Release by Machinekit

Southern California based techno-punk outfit Machinekit returns with their latest track, "ANTIPATHY,” out now. Working alongside Producer Joseph Nova, Machinekit recalibrates their aggressive electronic-punk sound with fucked-up mood swings and penetrative instrumentation. With the tempo lowered a few notches from the four-on-the-floor stomps or the driving noise-rock outbursts that the band often offers, the emphasis is on a chillingly tense electro groove that percolates through the delicate verses and explodes in the deafening choruses. The vocals croon, coax, swirl, and shout atop a head-nodding concoction of electronics, percussion (both computerized and analog), and a real earworm of a heavy main riff. Bass played by Miko Miko. The single includes three versions: an original raw demo; a remix from Engineer and Producer Matt Miller, and the final version with Joseph Nova. This three-part single is a representation of the evolution of the track from inception to final product.

ANTIPATHY was engineered and originally produced by John Rojas at MachineHouse Audio. However, for the single, Rojas co-wrote and mixed the track with Joseph Nova. The single and demo track were both mastered by Sam Berdah at The Wall Studio. The track was then remixed by Matt Miller and mastered by Justin Weis at Trakwork Studio.

Artwork by William and Jaydee Buege at Wire Mark Design. Photo by 6ri Ramriez.

Founded by frontman, multi-instrumentalist John Rojas (La Bella , Brainfreeze, Badmouth) and William Buege (Brainfreeze), MACHINEKIT started in 2018. After periodically hibernating and writing two EPs, drummer Ryan Janke (Fun Game) joined in 2019 and became an integral member that would eventually help write their 2nd LP, I AM JACK’S LONELY HEART CLUB BAND (2022). Within the year, the band would experience more tumultuous times and undergo another line up change. During these hard times, MK toured with SHUT EYE, where guitar player Alexander Gillen and Bassist Jeremey Trujeque played for them. Their immediate connection proved to be irrevocably strong that after tour they continued playing together and eventually joining the band. Now, MK is new all over again. The quintet is a different energy, a different style, and a different animal that will continue to bring an agglomeration of chaos. 

Acquire release: https://machinekit.bandcamp.com/album/antipathy

 

Jacob Collier partners with Native Instruments to create a free choir instrument for everyone

 

Berlin, February 29, 2024 – Native Instruments today announced the Jacob Collier Audience Choir instrument to celebrate the launch of Collier’s new album, Djesse. Vol 4. 

Known for his genre-bending musical style and mastery of technology, six-time GRAMMY winner Jacob Collier rose to worldwide fame for his innovative live performances, where he "Conducts his audience like a choir", bringing together thousands of unique voices to create a one-of-a-kind improvised moment. Collier has taken this experience a step further, by partnering with Native Instruments to turn the voices of his audience into a free software instrument. 

Now anyone can experience what only Collier himself has up to now: playing his audience choir like an instrument, and adding a chorus of real-life voices from across the globe to any song. This new Kontakt instrument features moments from 22 different live shows – perfectly captured by Shure microphones – and is featured throughout Jacob Collier’s new album, Djesse Vol. 4. 

Key features

• Add motion and blend between vowel types using the Vowel Morph Pad. Choose from pre-designed presets or record your own movements for evolving choir arrangements
• Introduce unique percussion to your tracks with stomps, claps, and snaps recorded from the audience at each venue
• Customize your sound with built-in effects and controls, including delay, reverb, timbre, and stereo width
• Use the chord generator for instant harmony, or effortlessly blend between pre-built triads using the Triad Blend.

Get the sound of a real choir, with controls for different articulations, harmonies, and spaces. Or, find a new texture for your music with a subtle background chorus. 

Cathedral Bells, Haunt Me, and midi Memory live in Pomona

The dimly lit venue buzzed with anticipation as music enthusiasts gathered at The Haven in Pomona. The air was thick with excitement, and the promise of an unforgettable night hung in the atmosphere. On December 8, 2023, three remarkable bands took the stage, weaving melodies that would resonate long after the final chord faded away.

First up was Midi Memory who kicked off the evening, also lead singer of Cathedral Bells, known for his fusion of electronic beats and nostalgic melodies. His live performance was a sensory journey—a symphony of synths, drum machines, and heartfelt lyrics. The crowd danced freely, lost in the hypnotic rhythms.

Next up was Haunt Me with their hauntingly beautiful soundscapes. Their dreamy vocals and ethereal guitar riffs transported the audience to distant realms. As the crowd swayed to their music, it was evident that Haunt Me had cast a spell upon us.

And then, the moment we’d been waiting for: Cathedral Bells took the stage. Their shoegaze-infused indie rock enveloped us like a warm embrace. Lead singer Matthew Messore’s voice soared, echoing through the room. The crowd swayed, eyes closed, lost in the reverberating chords.

The Haven, with its intimate setting, allowed fans to connect with the artists on a personal level. Conversations flowed, friendships formed, and memories etched into our hearts. The dimly lit space became a sanctuary—a haven for music lovers.

The live show at The Haven was more than just music; it was an experience. Haunt Me, Midi Memory, and Cathedral Bells wove a tapestry of emotions, leaving us with a sense of wonder. As we stepped out into the cool Pomona night, we carried their melodies with us, forever etched in our souls.

 

 

Did you attend the show? Share your thoughts in the comments below! And stay tuned for more music adventures.

NAMM 2024

 

The winter NAMM Show is now back on track beginning the show in January after a few scheduling adjustments the previous years due to COVID-19. This year also begins with a new CEO and President, John Mlynczak, after Joe Lamond retired from his 21 years of leadership and tickets to the show are now open to the public. It is now the only annual global music industry trade show after Musikmesse ceased to exist in 2019.

It began with the traditional morning NAMM U Breakfast Session with many more events to follow including the MusicCares Safe Harbor Morning Meeting that provides 12-step support meetings and fellowship. The Women of NAMM also had a meetup for first-time attendees. Clean energy was a big topic for stages, audio, video, and lighting systems. Discussions on marketing popped up throughout the event on how to go from connections to clients on Instagram and creating content that the TikTok algorithm favors. Workshops on mixing and mastering were discussed as well as many other fantastic events. 

Thursday night had a magical ending with Stevie Wonder, the official mayor of NAMM, making a special appearance with Take 6 at the Yamaha Grand Plaza stage. The adjacent hotels, Hilton and Marriott, also had live performances all day and late into the night some of which included Eden and Thomas Claxton and the Seventh Realm All-Star Band. 

 

 

 

 

Stevie Wonder performing

Thomas Claxton and the Seventh Realm All-Star Band

Thomas Claxton and the Seventh Realm All-Star Band

The band Eden performing

Stevie Wonder performing

Take 6

Dr Freeclouds Record Store Celebrates 29 Years

Dr Freeclouds, located in Huntington Beach, California, celebrated 29 years in business on December 10, 2023. After sailing through the turbulence of music sales over the years, and being forced to change locations, they now remain in the same city just a few blocks away with the sale of vinyl now on the rise and are proud to be the, "Last Record Store Standing est. 1994"! In this celebration the performers included: 

• Ron D Core
• Remo 
• Thee-O
  
• Reel-Tech
• Scott Whitaker
• DJ Krylon
• Binz
  

See our recap video of the 29th anniversary below.

Go here to see their 20 year anniversary with Ron D Core, Remo, DJ Nickel, Frankie Bones, DJ Dan, Marcel Videla, Mr. Koolaid, DPSM, and many more!

Don't miss their 30th coming up in 2024!

ArroyoFest

ArroyoFest was revived on October 29th, 2023 by organizer Wes Reutimann of Active San Gabriel Valley, after a 20 year hiatus. A historic stretch of the 110 freeway spanning 7 miles was closed along the Arroyo Seco Parkway allowing only pedestrians, bikers, skaters, scooters, and other people-powered transportation to explore the freeway without cars. As pedestrians ran and walked on one side of the freeway, the other was filled with bicyclists and one particular piano player, David Cutter. He was performing with a sign leaned next to his instrument: "Pasadena Piano Institute. A small school of piano teams for students." Also spotted was Nathan Bowers, a designer of microphones currently creating for Ohma World, specializing in creating custom modular ribbon microphones. 

As travelers continued down their car-free path, other live music, food trucks, activity hubs, and cultural exhibits could be seen. Musicians from the bands of 3peaceX and Kindred Spirits were some of the other performing acts. ~45000 attended, some of which participated in the runners marathon. 

It was quite the event for a short period of time as it began at 7am and closed at 11am in Los Angeles, California. 

 

Watch our video recap below:

DataMind Audio Has Relased The Combobulator AI Plugin

The Combobulator is a style-transfer AI audio plugin providing Real-Time Neural Audio Synthesis in your DAW, the ability to input any audio signal, the timbre is recreated with AI trained on artist-created datasets, is artist-Powered: trained on audio by the world’s top sound designers / music producers, ethically-Sourced AI: Artists are paid for every Artist Brain you purchase, modern Synthesis Workflow for exploring Latent Space in an Artist Brain, and sounds are 100% generated by neural networks, no samples included. Watch the video below: