Chemikkal returns to release his debut electronic self-titled EP. The big-room progressive house, four-track EP delivers atmospheric productions with transcending melodies, euphoric drops, and infectious vocals. The producer’s talent is elegantly spelled in the EP as the listeners will embark on a musical trance that will have them hooked. From the melody and energy-filled “Say My Name,” to the bass-heavy “Never Let You Go,” Chemikkal delivers pure melodic bliss with energy-heavy drops across the EP.
“Chemikkal” showcases the artist’s innate artistic talent as each track tells a story through its melodies, vocals, and soundscapes. Make sure to add “Chemikkal” to your daily rotation as it will uplift you, and take you into a musical escapade. Take a listen now!
About Chemikkal
Based in Tampa, FL Chemikkal is an up and coming DJ/Producer with a penchant for getting people on their feet and producing infectious tunes. With a military background and strongly influenced by real-life experiences, Chemikkal has developed a tenacious work ethic over the years, allowing him to progress to become the DJ/Producer he is today. Whilst many DJs and Producers are one-trick ponies, Chemikkal has a unique innate competency to ingeniously present music in multiple forms while maintaining a consistent brand. Apart from being fluid, the artist’s ability to appeal to a plethora of different audiences from all walks of life in the very same room is one of the primary factors that make Chemikkal so extraordinary. With big dreams and plenty of energy to spare, Chemikkal seeks to positively influence society with his music and is well on his way to becoming one of the most phenomenal DJs in the decade ahead.
Shame have today (November 18) shared new single ‘Water in the Well’ – you can listen to it below.
The song is taken from the band’s much-anticipated new album, ‘Drunk Tank Pink’, which will be released on January 15 via Dead Oceans.
The group also shared a new video to accompany ‘Water in the Well’, directed by Pedro Takahashi.
You can watch the video here:
The tracklist for ‘Drunk Tank Pink’ is as follows:
1. ‘Alphabet’ 2. ‘Nigel Hitter’ 3. ‘Born in Luton’ 4. ‘March Day’ 5. ‘Water in the Well’ 6. ‘Snow Day’ 7. ‘Human, for a Minute’ 8. ‘Great Dog’ 9. ‘6/1’ 10. ‘Harsh Degrees’ 11. ‘Station Wagon’
Frontman Charlie Steen said the new album emerged after the coronavirus lockdown proved a difficult adjustment, with the band having spent the last few years on the road.
“When you’re exposed to all of that for the first time you think you’re fucking indestructible,” Steen said. “After a few years you reach a point where you realise everyone needs a bath and a good night’s sleep sometimes.”
“You become very aware of yourself and when all of the music stops, you’re left with the silence. And that silence is a lot of what this record is about. The common theme when I was catching up with my mates was this identity crisis everyone was having. No one knows what the fuck is going on.”
Shame perform live (Pic: Getty)
Guitarist Sean Coyle-Smith added: “It didn’t matter that we’d just come back off tour thinking, ‘How do we deal with reality? I had mates that were working in a pub and they were also like, ‘How do I deal with reality?’ Everyone was going through it.
“For this album I was so bored of playing guitar. The thought of even playing it was mind-numbing. So I started to write and experiment in all these alternative tunings and not write or play in a conventional ‘rock’ way.”
The group have also announced details of a socially distanced tour in February. You can buy tickets for the events here and find the full schedule below.
Shame will play: February 2 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 2 – Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 3 – Teesside University, Middlesbrough 5 – YES, Manchester 5 – YES, Manchester 6 – SWG3, Glasgow 8 – The Crescent, York 9 – The Parish, Huddersfield 10 – Trades Club, Hebden Bridge 12 – Bootleg Social, Blackpool 13 – Empire, Coventry 14 – The Venue, Derby 17 – The Corn Exchange, Cambridge 18 – Esquires, Bedford 20 – Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes 20 – Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes 23 – The Horn, St Albans 23 – The Horn, St Albans 24 – Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells 27 – Chalk, Brighton
Back in October, Shame released new track ‘BiL’, which NME said “marks a ferocious new chapter for the South London group.”
The new offering came via a live video recorded at Electric Brixton, which was directed by filmmaker Ja Humbly – otherwise known as Molten Jets. The track arrived after they unveiled ‘Alphabet‘ back in September, marking their first new music since 2018 debut album ‘Songs Of Praise’.
UK nightclubs could become “extinct” due to restrictions put in place to fight the coronavirus (COVID-19), according to the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA).
The harsh reality is — the nation’s nightclub sector, which once consisted of over 1,400 establishments, is “reducing daily.” The NTIA says business owners with lack of government support are losing properties and being forced to walk away with debts they’re unable to pay back.
CEO of the NTIA, Michael Kill, issued a statement this week — “without a roadmap for reopening and with growing financial pressures from dwindling cash reserves, commercial rent and loan debt, many are being forced to close the doors and hand the keys back.”
He said: “We are a world leader in electronic music and UK clubs have been a breeding ground for contemporary music talent events and DJs for decades. Nightclubs have made a huge contribution to our culture sector and are renowned globally.”
Kill also called for action: “The Government needs to support nightclubs with a robust financial package which is tailored to support businesses that have been closed since March. We need a roadmap or a direction of travel so that businesses can plan financially and communicate with their workforce, and we need a solution for commercial rent, as many are already overburdened with debt.”
The UK recently launched its Culture Recovery Fund, but many major clubs were denied (including Printworks, Egg London, Studio 338, Oval Spaces and The Pickle Factory). Other initiatives have popped up including the NTIA’s own #SaveNightlife fund — learn more here.
If you’ve ever wanted to ask Zedd anything, now’s your chance.
The Grammy Award-winning electronic music superstar is doing his first-ever Reddit AMA today, November 18th. For those unfamiliar with the expansive and often twisted world of Reddit, many artists take to the wildly popular discussion site to engage in Q&A-style interactive interviews and answer questions by fans directly.
Reddit AMAs often get very in-depth and raw—considering the answers come directly from the artist—so this one is worth checking out. Zedd has a lot cooking at the moment, including a new remix contest and a partnership with Microsoft for its new Xbox console launch.
Why they aren’t calling it a “Zeddit AMA” is a mystery, but that’s neither here nor there. Head over to /r/Music today at 12PM PT (3PM ET) to chat with Zedd.
3OH!3 straddled the intersection of post-punk, synth-pop, and mainstream appeal in the early 2000s. While fans thought they had heard the last from the Boulder-based duo, the pair are officially back. 3OH!3 has delivered their their first new single in five years, “LONELY MACHINES” featuring 100 gecs, and it’s clear that the producers haven’t missed a beat since we last heard from them.
“LONELY MACHINES” is unapologetically reminiscent of group’s earlier releases. 3OH!3 have a provem knack for blending high-energy dance-pop beats with pulsing electro accents, and their latest single certainly follows suit. Their music consistently features an air of ridiculousness, which is brought to life through the chanting vocals in “LONELY MACHINES.” Listeners may find themselves transported back to wherever they were standing in 2008 when they heard “DON’T TRUST ME” for the first time.
Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte of 3OH!3 speak about their resurgence in an official release, stating,
“About a year ago, Nat and I found ourselves unsigned, unmanaged and frankly, under no pressure to just create and have fun—so we did just that. Magically, as we started to write, we got in touch with Matt Galle and partnered with Photo Finish. The creative energy and motivation that we had for our first album felt recaptured. It just feels good again; unforced. And I believe the new music is a representation of that freedom.”
The single is the group’s first new music in five years, with more promised in the pipeline. “LONELY MACHINES,” featuring hyper-pop figureheads 100 gecs is out now via the group’s original record label, Photo Finish Records.
Barcelona based DJ and production duo Sumluv have unveiled the latest addition to their developing catalogue of lo-fi electronic and intelligent house music. Following the striking success of the projects lead single, the Balance EP is now available by way of Spanish independent record label Faneca Music.
Sumluv’s capstone release of 2020 is comprised of three productions exemplifying the Barcelona based duo’s burgeoning style of low-fi and house music. Boasting depth and character, the ‘Balance’ EP is home to thoughtful and expressive stylistic elements built upon a foundation of sharp, tight percussive house.
Following warm reception across national Spanish dance media and listeners alike upon release in October, the EP’s namesake and lead single “Balance” opens up the EP, followed by the deep and brooding downtempo cut “No Place”. The EP comes to its conclusion with the upbeat progressive textures featured in “Polar”, with the project topped off with a contrasting remix of the title track from fellow Spaniard Sau Poler.
This project is the most dance-driven release from Sumluv, drawing from their experimental sounds illustrated through their prior catalogue directed to this eclectic, thoughtful offering. Beyond production, the duo makes it their prerogative to deliver immersive auditory listening experience to live audiences characterized by strong mix progression and rhythmic force alongside sensorily stimulating visuals.
Stream Balance on your favorite platform here, or find it below on Spotify.
Vampire Weekend’s Chris Baio is back with his third solo album, ‘Dead Hand Control’. A more hopeful look at the world following years of political upheaval, the record was completed between touring Vampire Weekend’s ‘Father Of The Bride’ and this year’s lockdown. After months of sitting on the release thanks to the pandemic, Baio is excited for the world to finally hear what he’s been working on.
“Some artists love that period of time between when you finish a record and when you put it out,” Baio tells NME. “I read an interview with Johnny Marr where he said he loved the fact that it’s this secret, this thing that he made: a secret between him and the rest of the world. I am very much not like that! I like finishing something and putting it out!”
We caught up with Baio on the phone to talk about his two new singles ( ‘Endless Me, Endlessly’ and ‘What Do You Say When I’m Not There?’), working in Damon Albarn’s studio and what Vampire Weekend are planning next.
NME: Hi Chris, whereabouts are you in the US today and how are things where you are post-election?
Chris: “I’m in Los Angeles. I moved here in early 2018, largely for Vampire Weekend stuff, getting ready to come back and put out ‘Father of the Bride’ last year so I’ve been here since then. I lived in London for five years, including when the [Brexit] results came in there. I’ve definitely been thinking about that time in my life and being on the other side of things now and being happy with the results in America: it feels good.”
You recorded part of your new album over in London…
“Most of it was recorded in LA, but I did do a lot of sessions at Studio 13 in London – which is Damon Albarn’s studio. After I played Radio 1’s Big Weekend last year, I came down to London and met John Foyle, the engineer and sometimes co-producer I work with. He took me to this big room with all this really nice equipment and I realised ‘Oh, shit, I’m getting to spend two days in Damon Albarn’s personal studio and work on music there!’ Damon was on tour with The Good, the Bad & the Queen at that point, so I just spent two days recording a lot of the vocals plus a lot of synths and piano.”
Assuming you’re a Blur fan?
“I’m a huge Blur fan! I loved them from when I was 12-years-old and they’re a band that I still love now that I’m 36-years-old. Damon’s written more songs I love than almost any other songwriter on the planet. For me to get to go into his space and work on this record, I found that incredibly inspiring…they were the most important couple of days working on this record. When I think back, those are the favourite days I’ve ever spent recording music in my life.
“Vampire Weekend opened up for Blur on one of their reunion shows in Hyde Park in 2009 and that was one of those moments where you have to slap yourself because it’s pretty incredible when you think about being a teenager loving their music and getting to do something like that.”
Damon Albarn – Credit: Getty
How did making this record compare with your last solo album ‘Man of the World’?
“I guess my one regret on the last record is that I made it very, very quickly. I made the entire thing in a month when I was feeling very raw. I think any artist will adjust or react to their previous work and their subsequent work, and I wanted to make something that was very considered and very deliberate this time.”
It was also a very world-weary look at the political situation of recent times. Does this one have a similar vibe?
“The goal of this record was to make something more hopeful, even if I was still processing and thinking about all the things from the last record. I have found in the last half-decade-or-so that when the urge to create seizes me, I become completely obsessive about it because it is a momentary escape from all the scary things that are happening in the world.
“There are countless injustices, countless things to give you anxiety, countless awful things that are constantly happening in the world. It’s borderline unfathomable but in a weird and twisted way, making songs about it is a better way of coping with it than just thinking about it.”
Chris Baio performing with Vampire Weekend – Credit: Getty
Where does the title come from?
“I read about this concept called ‘Dead Hand Control’ shortly after the last record came out and I was very captivated by it. It’s where someone in their will attempts to control people after they die and I found this idea very powerful. I was also aware of a rumoured Soviet missile system from the Cold War called Dead Hand, which if it detected some kind of nuclear strike in the Soviet Union it would automatically nuke America…worrying about nuclear destruction was not something that was top of mind before the previous presidential election. In 2016-2017, I was thinking about it all the time. I wanted to write a bunch of songs that touched on these topics.”
A lot of the songs on the record are really hopeful despite the subject matter…
“There’s a mental self-preservation that can inspire these creative periods for me. Playing guitar into your computer is a simple and pure act that can take your mind off of the horrors around you…Thinking about control and this record, I can’t control global politics – I’m one person – but I was thinking I can control how I am to the people in my life, to the people in my community, to the people around me, and so that’s why I want this record to ultimately be romantic and hopeful.”
As with Vampire Weekend’s last couple of albums, you’re releasing two singles to begin with….
“I’d never done this with a solo album. The last two Vampire Weekend records started out with two song drops. Putting out two songs just gives so much more context to what an entire record will be like than just dropping a single one on its own in isolation. Hopefully people disagree over which one they like better and all that kind of fun stuff.”
The album closer is a song you worked on with your bandmate Ezra Koenig. What can you tell us about that?
“It was something we started it in February of 2012. I always really loved it. When I made my first two records, I didn’t really want to put ballads on them. This song isn’t like a straight-up ballad, but it’s definitely the most ballad-y thing that I’ve made. I always thought it was such a romantic-sounding song, because a lot of this record is about finding romance out of darkness, it just felt like the perfect closer.”
Are you considering any socially distanced or virtual shows soon?
“I’m not going to plan any [live shows] until it’s truly safe for people to get into a room together. We’re talking about virtual possibilities: I’ve got to figure out a way that’s interesting or a new perspective. I will say I’m a huge Nick Cave fan and I was absolutely blown away by his Alexandra Palace webcast.
“In terms of Vampire Weekend, I feel so lucky our record came out last year and we got to tour. I really feel for any artist who spent a long time making a record, put it out this year and wasn’t able to tour. We were supposed to tour at the end of this year and the tour last year felt so good: there is a little sense of, I don’t know, unfinished business. I’m really looking forward to whatever the next chapter of the band is.”
Baio releases ‘Dead Hand Control’ on January 29, 2020
Thanks to the impact of COVID-19, the live music industry has mutated into a Frankenstein-like monster of drive-in shows, Black Mirror-esque bubble concerts, and quasi-legal raves. Since live music literally has nowhere to go, it has invaded the livestreaming and immersive tech fields, which have emerged as fortuitous bolt-holes as concert venues across the globe navigate the convoluted process of reopening.
Ergo, artists and event promoters have been forced to adapt to a digital lifestyle in order to reach fans during a time when they are simply unable to connect via live music. Barnstorming, Latin Grammy Award-nominated dance music trio Major Lazer is the latest act to do so by testing the white-hot waters of the VR world. Teaming up with leading VR brand Oculus, the group is performing live in the Facebook-owned company’s “Venues” social VR environment tomorrow, November 18th.
Harnessing the power of Supersphere’s ArcRunner, Major Lazer have essentially developed a virtual blueprint of their Major Lazer World Tour—which was shelved due to the impact of the virus—and repurposed it in Oculus’ “Venues” world. ArcRunner enables artists to recreate full global tour production, including stage layout, visuals, lighting, set design, and practically every other element of a physical, large-scale arena show.
To watch Major Lazer’s one-of-a-kind performance, you’ll need to get your hands on an Oculus VR headset. You can check out their products, which also include touch controllers and head straps, here.
Major Lazer will take the virtual stage tomorrow at 6PM PT (9PM ET). To subscribe and check out the event in the Oculus App, head over to its official microsite. Oculus is also hosting a slew of shows in “Venues” in the near future, including a DJ set from SOFI TUKKER. You can view the full schedule here.
Another day, another COVID-19–motivated livestream.
The latest creatives to answer the digital call are Major Lazer, who will perform an exclusive live set from within Oculus’ social virtual reality environment, “Venues,” on November 18. Hot off the success of their long-awaited LP Music Is The Weapon, Major Lazer are expected to sift through their newly refreshed powerhouse discography to play older and newer selections alike.
Although the ongoing pandemic unfortunately catalyzed the cancellation of Major Lazer’s 2020 touring plans, the group has worked tirelessly to virtually recreate the experience of the Major Lazer World Tour from the ground up. Developed using the power of Supersphere’s ArcRunner, which allows acts to replicate the tour production that they would have used in an in-person setting, from set design to visuals, the virtual reality experience models what viewers would have experienced during Major Lazer’s world tour. By boasting world-class lighting and visual mapping, the performance promises fans an experience as close to the real thing as possible.
Major Lazer is set to take the virtual stage at 9:00 p.m. EST / 6:00 p.m. PST on November 18. For more information on how to watch, visit the event page here.
Featured image: Shane McCauley
Tags: covid, diplo, livestream, major lazer, oculus, virtual reality
The Avalanches have shared the star-studded tracklist for their forthcoming new album ‘We Will Always Love You’.
Set for release on December 11 via Astralwerks, the record is the follow-up to the Australian duo’s 2016 comeback album ‘Wildflower’.
The Avalanches have already shared a number of songs from ‘We Will Always Love You’ this year, including the Rivers Cuomo-featuring ‘Running Red Lights’, their Jamie xx and Neneh Cherry collaboration ‘Wherever You Go’ and the title track, which features Blood Orange.
The pair have today (November 18) released the full tracklist for the record, promising new collaborations with the likes of MGMT, Johnny Marr, Perry Farrell, Karen O, Mick Jones, Tricky, Kurt Vile and many more.
You can see the tracklist for The Avalanches’ ‘We Will Always Love You’ below.
1. Ghost Story (feat. Orono) 2. Song For Barbara Payton 3. We Will Always Love You (feat. Blood Orange) 4. The Divine Chord (feat. MGMT & Johnny Marr) 5. Solitary Ceremonies 6. Interstellar Love (feat. Leon Bridges) 7. Ghost Story Pt 2 (feat. Leon Bridges & Orono) 8. Reflecting Light (feat. Sananda Maitreya & Vashti Bunyan) 9. Carrier Waves 10. Oh The Sunn! (feat. Perry Farrell) 11. We Go On (feat. Cola Boyy & Mick Jones) 12. Star Song.IMG 13. Until Daylight Comes (feat. Tricky) 14. Wherever You Go (feat. Jamie xx, Neneh Cherry & CLYPSO) 15. Music Makes Me High 16. Pink Champagne 17. Take Care In Your Dreaming (feat. Denzel Curry, Tricky & Sampa The Great) 18. Overcome 19. Gold Sky (feat. Kurt Vile) 20. Always Black (feat. Pink Siifu) 21. Dial D For Devotion (feat. Karen O) 22. Running Red Lights (feat. Rivers Cuomo & Pink Siifu) 23. Born To Lose 24. Music Is The Light (feat. Cornelius & Kelly Moran) 25. Weightless
Speaking to NME back in September about ‘We Will Always Love You’, The Avalanches said that they felt “freed up” going into their third album after finally following up their 2000 debut ‘Since I Left You’ with ‘Wildflower’ in 2016.
“We definitely felt freed up after finishing ‘Wildflower’,” Robbie Chater said. “It’s been so joyous to have followed up ‘Since I Left You’ and then be free to make whatever we feel like.
“This record doesn’t sound exactly like what we’ve done before, and that’s probably the result of following up a sample-heavy epic album with another one and then just knowing we wouldn’t do another one like that. They’re brutal to make.”
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