The 1975 cancel Indonesia and Taiwan shows


The 1975 have announced the cancellation of shows in Jakarta, Indonesia and Taipei, Taiwan after having their headlining set at Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival cut short and being banned from the country earlier this week.

Indonesia’s We The Fest announced today (July 23) that The 1975, who were set to headline the third day of the festival tonight, have cancelled their remaining shows in Asia “due to current circumstances”.

“The band never take the decision to cancel a show lightly and had been eagerly looking forward to playing for fans in Jakarta and Taipei but unfortunately, due to current circumstances, it is impossible to proceed with the scheduled shows,” the band said, per a statement shared by We The Fest.

We The Fest has also announced that ASAP Ferg has been added to the festival’s line-up today, though it is currently unclear if he will be taking over as a headlining act.

Live Nation Taiwan shared a similar statement, adding that refund information will be shared on Monday (July 24).

The 1975’s cancellation of their Indonesia and Taiwan shows comes after frontman Matty Healy criticised Malaysia’s government while performing at the country’s Good Vibes Festival on Friday night (July 21). Healy also kissed bassist Ross MacDonald onstage, before announcing just seven songs into their set that they had been banned from Malaysia and had to leave.

“I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it. I don’t see the fucking point, right, I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then telling us who we can have sex with,” said Healy onstage prior to the kiss.

He continued: “I am sorry if that offends you and you’re religious and it’s part of your fucking government, but your government are a bunch of fucking retards and I don’t care anymore. If you push, I am going to push back. I am not in the fucking mood, I’m not in the fucking mood.”

Malaysian law criminalises sexual activity between people of the same sex, with its penal code criminalising “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” and acts of “gross indecency”.

The following day, Malaysia’s communications minister announced that he had ordered the rest of the festival cancelled. Good Vibes Festival then issued an official statement to confirm its cancellation and that the decision was made following the incident during The 1975’s set.

Good Vibes Festival claimed it had been “reassured” by The 1975’s management prior to the show that Healy and the band “would adhere to local performance guidelines”.

“Regrettably,” they wrote, “Healy did not honour these assurances, despite our trust in their commitment. Healy’s actions took us by complete surprise, and we halted the show as promptly as feasible following the incident.”

In an Instagram Story yesterday (July 22), Healy responded to the news, sharing the festival’s cancellation statement and writing: “Ok well why don’t you try and not make out with Ross for 20 years. Not as easy as it looks.”

A representative for Good Vibes Festival had no comment when asked for a response to Healy’s Instagram Story.





Source link

The Armed channel David Bowie on new single ‘Everything’s Glitter’


The Armed have shared a brand new song and video – watch ‘Everything’s Glitter’ below.

The track is the second preview of the band’s forthcoming album ‘Perfect Saviors’. Set for release on August 25 via Sargent House, the album features Julien Baker and more, while Iggy Pop appears as God in the video for first single ‘Sport Of Form’.

Of ‘Everything’s Glitter, vocalist and co-producer Tony Wolski said: “This track uses Bowie’s famed first US appearance in 1971 for a 3-week press tour as a framing device to consider the razor’s edge between icon and clown.

“It’s funny how any genius must ultimately be willing to look like a complete fool. Perhaps fittingly, it’s also the closest thing we’ve made to an arena rock song.”

Watch The Armed’s ‘Everything’s Glitter’ video below.

Speaking about the new album, Wolski added: “Too much information has made us dumb and confused. Too many ways to connect have inadvertently led to isolation. And too much expectation has forced everyone to become a celebrity.

He continued: “Predictable primal dangers have given way to newer social ones. And the result is a world that is confounding and terrifying—but ultimately still beautiful. We hope this record is exactly all of that, too. ‘Perfect Saviors’ is our completely unironic, sincere effort to create the biggest, greatest rock album of the 21st century.”

The Armed will be heading out on tour in support of Queens Of The Stone Age for their ‘The End Is Nero’ tour from next month. Along with those dates, the band have also announced a handful of headlining gigs. Check out the full tour dates below and visit here for tickets.





Source link

Jay Dunham Drops Sultry House Track, “Make It Right”

Marking his first single of the year, rising producer Jay Dunham has unveiled “Make It Right,” channeling inspiration from the likes of Disclosure and Four Tet to create an irresistible dancefloor heater.

Hailing from Brussels, Dunham has cemented himself as a force to be reckoned with in the house music scene, taking the decks at Tomorrowland’s summer and winter festivals, among others. “Make It Right” has already received radio support from the likes of Malaa and Don Diablo after its premiere Fedde Le Grand’s radio show.

The track makes for a masterful showcase of Dunham’s distinct sound, which blends numerous dance music styles for an eclectic and groovy result. “Make It Right” quickly gets into action with an assortment of infectious basslines, sultry vocal samples and hard-hitting percussion work, ultimately leading to a DJ weapon that is bound to start lighting up dancefloors in no time.

Take a listen to “Make It Right” below.

FOLLOW JAY DUNHAM:

Facebook: facebook.com/jaydunhamtv
Instagram: instagram.com/jaydunhamtv
Twitter: twitter.com/jaydunhamtv
Spotify: spoti.fi/46RTdPv





Source link

Queen’s Brian May regrets never working with John Lennon


Queen‘s Brian May says he regrets never having managed to collaborate with John Lennon.

  • READ MORE: ‘Queen days’: Brian May reflects on his rock ‘n’ roll journey

Across his career both as a solo artist and with his band, May has worked with a host of artists including David Bowie, Black Sabbath, Status Quo and more.

In a new piece with The Guardian where fans asked May questions, one wanted to know which artist he regretted not having the chance to work with.

May responded: “I very seldom turn down a collaboration. A regret is that I didn’t get the chance to work with John Lennon.”

He added: “The Beatles didn’t always agree, they were always pulling and pushing – a bit like us and Queen – and I think John would be such a stronger pusher and puller. You’d have to work really hard to keep up, to believe in your instincts. I could imagine us hitting it off.”

John Lennon. Paris, 1964. Credit: Paul McCartney.

Elsewhere, May said this month that it’s “not impossible” that the band could discuss playing Glastonbury Festival in the future.

Back in 2019, May explained why the band would “never” play the festival, before doubling down on the comments this year.

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis previously called May a “danger to farming” and criticised the guitarist’s opposition to the controversial badger cull –  arguing that the process is a fight against the impact that bovine TB can cause when cattle become infected.

May then said the band will never play Worthy Farm because “Michael Eavis has frequently insulted me, and I don’t particularly enjoy that. What bothers me more is that he’s in favour of the badger cull, which I regard as a tragedy and an unnecessary crime against wildlife.”

Now, he’s opened the door to a potential burying of the hatchet, saying: You can never say never.”

May was knighted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace earlier this year. May was included in the 2023 New Year’s Honours list alongside the Lionesses and more, both for his work in music and his history as an animal rights activist.





Source link

Ray Volpe Drops Metal-Infused Single, "EAT, SLEEP, RAGE"

Coming hot off yet another high-powered single, Ray Volpe has unleashed his latest banger, “EAT, SLEEP, RAGE.”

Out now on Monstercat, it’s a menacing, metal-infused joyride that serves as a nod to Volpe’s roots. The song is relentless from front to back, utilizing a mixture of heavy guitar riffs, whirling synths and decimating basses. The EDM.com Class of 2022 inductee has also crafted a catchy pre-drop vocal à la “Laserbeam,” encouraging us to scream before his crowd-leveling drop wallops. 

Following the release of “Happy Song,” “EAT, SLEEP, RAGE” is the second single from Volpe’s forthcoming EP, VOLPETRON ASCENDS, arriving via Monstercat later this year. He’s in the midst of the biggest year of his career thus far, dropping a high-profile collaboration with Marshmello and an official remix for famed metalcore band The Devil Wears Prada.

Listen to “EAT, SLEEP, RAGE” below and stream the new single here.

FOLLOW RAY VOLPE:

Facebook: facebook.com/rayvolpemusic
Twitter: twitter.com/rayvolpe
Instagram: instagram.com/rayvolpe
Spotify: spoti.fi/3dqG1WH





Source link

John Cooper Clarke awarded Freedom Of Salford


John Cooper Clarke has been awarded the freedom of the city of Salford.

The legendary punk poet said he was “totally knocked out” by the honour, telling local councillors: “I’ve circumnavigated the globe ten times and coming back is always a treat but this one. Wow. Thank you everyone.

“With me it was never a social experiment it was just a way of making a living and the social consequences went out of my control.”

Despite the honour, Clarke admitted that he “doesn’t know what it entitles me to do”.

We welcomed the legendary John Cooper Clarke to the club yesterday – huge congratulations to him on being awarded…

Posted by Salford Lads’ Club on Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Earlier this year, Clarke spoke about his poem, I Wanna Be Yours, becoming a worldwide hit after the Arctic Monkeys‘ song adaptation of it has pushed listening into the billions.

The punk poet’s 1982 creation, which featured on his album ‘Zip Style Method’, was covered by the Monkeys for their 2013 album ‘AM‘. It’s since found a new audience on TikTok and has passed a billion streams on Spotify.

He told The Guardian in response to news of its billionth stream: “Is that a lot? An American billion is different to a British billion – and I don’t know what either of them is. But it’s a fuck of a lot of listens.”

He added: “I believe everyone’s written a poem at some point. It’s the easiest, most accessible – a pen and a piece of paper and off you go. You don’t even have to be literate – you could record something. But it’s perceived as a minority of a minority who are interested in poetry. I don’t know why it’s got that reputation. Songs aren’t that far from poetry – as Alex [Turner] has pointed out.”

Clarke released his autobiography, also titled I Wanna Be Yours, in 2021.





Source link

Shadient Debuts on Sable Valley With Decimating Single, "IDC"

Returning for another single on what has the feel of a career-defining year, Shadient has debuted on RL Grime’s Sable Valley with “IDC.”

Replete with innovative sound design, “IDC” is Shadient at his finest. The U.K. producer has pulled out all the stops for his first release on Sable Valley, churning out an ominous, hard-hitting heater that fits beautifully within his deep discography. A haunting introduction leads into an array of glitchy instrumentation, with screeching synths and devastating basses pummeling through the mix.

Shadient has long been an influential force in bass music, refusing to let his sound be constrained by industry norms. Earlier this year he dropped a massive collaboration with Rezz and fknsyd, “Blue In The Face,” as well as his mind-melting HE IS HERE EP on Gud Vibrations. 

Listen to “IDC” below and find the new track on streaming platforms here.

FOLLOW SHADIENT:

Facebook: facebook.com/shadientmusic
Instagram: instagram.com/shadientmusic
Twitter: twitter.com/shadient
Spotify: spoti.fi/41NaTsu





Source link

Revered Producer ACTIVA Launches Major New Mix Comp Series


The last few years have seen a significant flurry of activity from the Activa camp, made all the more notable as it followed a period of pause for Rob Stevenson. Says the UK based DJ/producer, “there were a number of years where I no longer felt the same connection to what was happening musically within the scene. However, if the time I’ve spent in the industry taught me anything, it’s that music is cyclical. Everything comes back around. It was just a question of waiting till the time was right again.”

For Rob and his music, that second coming’s been in full flow for several years now and reaches a new zenith with the July 2023 release of:

Paradoxically, lockdown, proved to be the jailbreak moment for Rob’s more classic form of trance. “People needed to feel connected and historically, I don’t think there’s many forms of electronic music that’s done more of that than trance.” It was around that time that Rob recommenced his operations, quickly becoming one of the foremost proponents in this fresh wave of truest-form trance. Having rebooted his Borderline label, Activa recorded ‘Origins’, his first artist album in a decade, before releasing the Tri-Series – a run of made-for-12” productions. For Rob though, simply getting the music back into vogue was never going to be enough. It didn’t just need to reacquire its classic sound, but also – in order to be authentic – it had to feel the same, look the same and release the same.

All of which leads up Rob’s next restorative action: ‘Movement (V. 01)’ – a set of discs and mixes constructed in trance & progressive’s original ‘building’ manner. In order to fully achieve that classic sound, he knocked on the doors of some producers who’d been as unswerving in their sonic beliefs as he had. Over its two discs, ‘Movement’ features music from the likes of Luke Terry, Jaron Inc., Pulser, DJ Dazzle, Maria Healy, The Noble Six, Factoria, Lostly and numerous others. Naturally enough, there’s also a wealth of new production and remix exclusivity onboard from Rob himself!

In order to get the generationally authentic look he wanted for the release, Rob turned to The Designers Republic, the visual powerhouse behind electronic institutions like Gatecrasher, Warp and Satoshi Tomiie. They’ve channelled that creativity into ‘Movement’s cover art, which provides an aesthetic, as well as sonic touchstone to releases past. An album experience for anyone who was there … or simply wishes they were, Movement (V. 01) is available digitally and physically now.





Source link

Watch Baby Queen’s video for new single ‘We Can Be Anything’


Baby Queen has shared a brand new song and video – watch ‘We Can Be Anything’ below.

  • READ MORE: Baby Queen: “It’s important for pop music to be saying something right now”

The video was premiered on the Instagram page for Netflix show Heartstopper, which Baby Queen contributed the song ‘Colours Of You’ to in 2022.

Discussing the idea behind the new song, Baby Queen said in a statement: “I’ve been having a prolonged existential crisis for the better part of the past 5 years and would consider myself to be a nihilist in many ways, which has made being alive quite bleak at times. I think human beings really crave purpose but there is ultimately no clear-cut reason we’re here and if there is one, we’re just not intelligent enough to figure it out.

“Despite it all, life is beautiful and i think our lack of purpose and our insignificance gives us the greatest level of freedom. Society, culture, rules, laws – these are all constructs. I like to believe that as long as you’re not hurting people, you do have the freedom and the prerogative to do with your life what you will.”

She added: That’s what this song is about: non-confinement and non-conformity in the face of what is essentially absurdity. I just want people to listen to it and feel free – because they are free.”

Watch the ‘We Can Be Anything’ video below.

The new track follows recent single ‘Dream Girl’, the first release from Baby Queen’s upcoming debut album.

Baby Queen spent a lot of 2022 on a support tour with Olivia Rodrigo, while the cast of Heartstopper joined Baby Queen on stage for her performance of ‘Colours Of You’ at a headline show in London.

“To be asked to be a part of a story as beautiful and culturally important as Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper was unbelievable, and still feels completely surreal,” she said about recording ‘Colours Of You’ for the show.





Source link

ARTBAT's UPPERGROUND Label Drops Cyberpunk-Inspired Compilation

The sounds of a dystopian world manifest in techno form in Cyberpunk Selected, a new compilation from ARTBAT’s UPPERGROUND.

The four-track compilation features cutting-edge sounds inspired by the cyberpunk genre and aesthetic. Its imaginative, neon-drenched music infuses modern dance elements with boundary-pushing sound design.

ARTBAT’s signature sound kicks things off in “Artefact,” which immediately transports us to a dark future with its propulsive bassline. Steeped in a futuristic, urban glow, the track builds to a deep and hair-raising drop, embodying the cyberpunk theme with finesse and precision.

Next, Shall Ocin’s “External” is the collision point between grit, groove and emotion. Textured and glitchy, the track drives through a four-on-the-floor cybernetic soundscape before a soft, haunting interlude in the break gives us a moment to breathe. Powerful and haunting, Fred Lenix’s “Oblivion Bells” showcases layers of depth through stellar sound design, pairing eerie pads with gutsy bass to construct a cinematic atmosphere.

Lastly, Citizen Kain’s “Ghosts and Shadows” puts the cherry on top of Cyberpunk Selected, bringing it home with perhaps its most potent dose of dystopia. The track feels rain-drenched and neon-coated, a stunning blend of techno and vaporwave. Unearthly and striking, the track erupts with electricity that crackles before fizzling out, leaving us hungry for more.

Listen to Cyberpunk Selected below.

Follow ARTBAT:

Facebook: facebook.com/artbatmusic
Twitter: twitter.com/artbatmusic
Instagram: instagram.com/artbatmusic
Spotify: spoti.fi/3jSQb5S





Source link