Crunchy dark guitars mixed with sizzling synths and beats and a small wiff of Kraftwerk it’s Germany’s latest export the incredible ‘Thomas Passon’ who is currently taking UK clubs to a different level with new single ‘Los’

Thomas Passon is an artist and producer based in Wuppertal near Cologne, Germany. Thomas Passon has widespread musical influences like Peter Gabriel, Kraftwerk, Pantera and Toto which reflects in his diverse sound. Thomas Passon’s first array into the music world was when he played in a school band and he says “The band promoted the German language in foreign countries and I got to travel and perform many gigs”. The manifesto of Thomas Passon and how he describes his own music is “Lyrical splinters, particles of being, molecular moments in time”. Thomas Passon is back with an eclectic and unique album entitled ‘Illusion’ which is guaranteed to warp your musical imagination. Ten songs. Ten simple words. Ten modern German masterpieces to be deconstructed by you the listener. Beats from an industrial era and lyrics straight from Pandora’s box. Fragments of melodies, fantasies, subjective projections through space and time. It’s biographical. Introspective. Retrospective. Intended for the future. This is not music to be distracted by and you’ll find fragments of your own search for the why in this melting pot of rock riffs, thumping basslines, synthesizers, electro-pop and surreal semantic rock. Supported by his band Thomas Passon is that lone voice […]

A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships – The 1975

“I’m making pop records,” The 1975 frontman Matty Healy told Beats 1 host Matt Wilkinson. “When I say we’re a pop band, what I’m really saying is we’re not a rock band. Please stop calling us a rock band—’cause I think that’s the only music we don’t make.” It’s a fair comment: Thanks to their eclecticism and adventure, attempting to label The 1975 has been as easy as serving tea in a sieve. On their third album, the Cheshire four-piece are, once again, many things, including jazz crooners, 2-step experimentalists and yearning balladeers. What’s most impressive is their ability to wrangle all these ideas into coherent music—their outsize ambition never makes the songs feel cluttered. “I hate prog, I hate double albums, I hate indulgence,” said Healy. “I hate it when the world goes, ‘Hey, you’ve got our attention!’ and someone goes, ‘Right, well, if I’ve got your attention, how many guitar solos…’” Crucially, Healy’s lyrics add extra substance to—and bind together—the kaleidoscope of styles. On the neo-jazz of “Sincerity Is Scary”, he rails against a modern aversion to emotional expression. Broadly an album about love in the digital age, A Brief Inquiry… offers compelling insights into Healy’s own life. […]

Icarus Falls – ZAYN

“I close my eyes, I see a crowd of a thousand tears/I pray to God I didn’t waste all my good years.” Zayn Malik’s second solo album, Icarus Falls, finds him in a contemplative mood and, yes, One Direction fans, dissecting his boy-band past. Subjects covered also include infidelity (“Rainberry”) and drug use (“Back to Life”), but one truly dominates: ❤️. Tackling the passionate and painful, Icarus Falls could soundtrack candlelit bedrooms and stormy breakups, plus most things in between. The hazy, 27-track opus is bookended by a promise pledged (“Let Me” and its soulful assurance) and another broken (the seductive Timbaland collaboration “Too Much”); it exposes a man still figuring out love and maybe his own true voice. But its kitchen-sink approach—we get slow-jam synths, soaring melodies, subtle odes to intimacy—shows he’s definitely trying. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/icarus-falls/1443895265?app=music

Championships – Meek Mill

Meek Mill knows how to make an entrance. “Dreams and Nightmares”, the opening track from his 2012 debut, became one of the most chantable rap songs of the era. “Intro”, the opener from the rapper’s fourth studio album, Championships, revisits the same energy, this time with the dramatic flair provided by a sample of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”. Championships serves as a reintroduction, of sorts, for the rapper. Its title refers to a feeling of accomplishment that Meek is finally comfortable embracing after a tumultuous few years in the limelight, including a bitter rap feud with onetime friend Drake (who officially closes out the beef with an appearance on Championships’ “Going Bad”), a high-profile breakup and a stint in jail stemming from a probation violation related to a charge he caught roughly 10 years prior. “I feel like I’m at a championship stage in my life,” Meek told Beats 1’s Ebro Darden. “I call it beating poverty, beating racism, beating the system, beating gun violence, beating the streets. Once I made it through all that, I got to a point in my life where I’ve been living good and balling, doing what I do.” The album is plenty […]

Dying to Live – Kodak Black

Ahead of Dying to Live’s release, Kodak Black shared a behind-the-scenes clip from the “Calling My Spirit” video shoot. In it the Pompano Beach, Florida MC talks about his decision to avoid being photographed in the set’s jail cell for fear of glorifying incarceration. This plays out as something of a milestone for Kodak, someone whose career to date has been marked by increasingly promising albums and mixtapes—all dropped amid stints in prison. The rapper’s tone on Dying to Live, the first project since his release this past August, is one of a man weary of his future—Kodak awaits trial for sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in 2016—and concerned with his influence. The album opens with “Testimony”, a song reaffirming Kodak’s faith. “I’m God-sent, like He sent me up/So I can relay these messages/Like He used me as His vessel/Like He used me as an instrument,” he raps. Songs like “Gospel”, from 2015’s Institution, have approached the rapper’s faith in a similar manner, but Dying to Live’s “Close to the Grave” and “Needed Something” stay true to a theme of repentance. The album is hardly all street gospel though. “Malcolm X.X.X.”, which features sound bites from Malcolm X’s […]

Music streaming service Saavn rebrands as JioSaavn, following merger with Jio

Music streaming service Saavn has been rebranded to JioSaavn. The app is available both on Android and iOS-powered devices. Customers can now expect a rebranded icon, while the app features remain unchanged, ExpressTech reports. Announced in March, the merger between Saavn and Reliance Jio is scheduled for completion by year-end. The JioSaavn app on App Store will remain free for Reliance Jio subscribers, while others would have to pay to install the service. Jio customers will also receive free access to Saavn Pro for 90 days.

MTN launches music streaming service MusicTime

MTN has launched time-based music streaming service MusicTime. MTN has announced the launch of music streaming service MusicTime, which it calls “a world first offering” from the team at Simfy Africa. MusicTime is a time-based music streaming service, offering users premium trending and locally relevant music through partnerships with key music labels and providers, according to an MTN statement. Last month MTN group CEO and president Rob Shuter announced that the telco had bought music-streaming business Simfy Africa. “The MusicTime offering is set to revolutionise Africa’s music industry with a fully inclusive music streaming offering that includes a countdown timer, top trending music and data included in the price,” MTN said in a statement today. The telco explained that the timer clocks down as users listen to music. “We have worked hard in getting this breakthrough model to our customers. Data costs and the high costs of the top end music streaming products mean that the majority of our customers don’t have an affordable option for digital music and Simfy Africa came with the solution we were looking for,” said Jacqui O’Sullivan, executive for corporate affairs at MTN SA. MusicTime is available as either a 120 minutes offering for R5 […]

MTN South Africa launches timer-based music streaming service MusicTime!

MTN South Africa has announced the launch of MusicTime!, which it says is a world-first offering from Simfy Africa. MusicTime is a time-based music streaming service, offering users premium trending and locally relevant music through partnerships with key music labels and providers. The offering includes a countdown timer, top trending music and data. The timer clocks down as users listen to music. MusicTime! is available for 120 minutes for ZAR 5 or 300 minutes for ZAR 10, both valid for seven days from purchase. There are no subscriptions, no hidden data costs and no advertisments.

If you like the cool and stylish 80’s then you’ll LOVE new pop outfit ‘Victors’ – I Think About You Every Night

VICTORS are an Indie pop four-piece hailing from Leeds who have their sights set on the international market with their new single ‘I Think About You Every Night’. VICTORS have already achieved over 1.4 million Spotify streams of their debut single ‘Tonight’ alone & 2.5 million streams overall since forming in 2016. VICTORS music has since gained support from BBC Introducing, Radio 1, Hollyoaks, This Morning, Spotify playlists, Topshop worldwide and a number of other high street stores. VICTORS consists of Harry Waterhouse (Vocals/Keys/Guitar), Simon Appleson (Guitar/Synth), Dominic Brooks (Bass/Synth) and Matthew Gillen on drums. Each member grew up listening to a variety of different artists ranging from Whitney Houston, Phil Collins & Crowded House to Klu Klux Klan, Metallica & Black Sabbath. With the band taking influence from the likes of Two Door Cinema Club, The xx, Prince and Michael Jackson. VICTORS 80’s inspired vibrant synth pop vibe continues to evolve and mature with every release making ‘Slow Down’ their best to date. Whilst being loved in London and their hometown of Leeds VICTORS have gained support from the States, particularly in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago by featuring on NFL playing around the NFL stadium and being […]

Greg Nouveau – Things That Dreams Are Made Of

Greg Nouveau is a music producer, remixer and artist based in Worthing, UK. Greg Nouveau first got the “production bug” in 1977 when he heard the track“I Feel Love” by Donna Summer. He says “The hypnotic electronic beat captivated me and sowed the seeds for the producer I am today”. Greg Nouveau’s diverse musical influences include ABBA, The Police, The Human League, Kraftwerk, The Jam, 2-Tone, Adam and the Ants, Duran Duran, Soft Cell, Ultravox, OMD, Depeche Mode, Tears For Fears, Trevor Horn, ABC, Stock /Aitken/Waterman and Visage, but it was the Tubeway Army hit “Are ‘Friends’ Electric ?” in 1979 which really set the ball rolling. Greg Nouveau says “ Gary Numan’s vision of another world really captured my imagination, along with the dark electronic sound, lush synths and out-of-this-world lyrics. It was at this point that I decided I wanted to ultimately become a record producer “. In 1985, Greg Nouveau launched a band called “Eye-2-Eye” and followed this up by writing and producing original songs including “Lovetrain“, “Third and Last” and “No Way“. In the mid-to-late 90’s, Greg Nouveau was involved in local studio work and live sound, as well as starting a New Romantic-inspired tribute band […]

Alex Iva– Lets Try

Alex Iva is a DJ and producer based in Barcelona who produces Pop, Dance and House music. Alex Iva is influenced by artists like Sigala, Dua Lipa, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, INNA, Major Lazer and Diplo and has been on the scene for 10 years and was previously known as DJ IVANOV. Alex Iva is currently performing live tours and events throughout Europe including in Paris, Milan, Ibiza, Berlin Barcelona, Moscow, Budapest, Bucharest, Zurich, Copenhagen, Warsaw with his music being played across the globe in venues like Maxim Club (Paris), Hoppetosse, Ritter Butzke, Chalet (Berlin), Kazantip (Crimea) Rodnya (Moscow)  and many more. The debut single from Alex Iva was entitled ‘Tell Me’ and received worldwide support from world famous artist “SIGALA’ who said “Your producing is awesome I love your style” resulting in big support on many channels and playlists around the world. The single ‘Tell Me’ received worldwide support and Radio airplay with a 1 million fanbase from Radio, DJ’s, YouTube channels & music blogs and was playlisted on 800+ Spotify Playlists and featured on Discover Daily. The brand new single from Alex Iva features Los Angeles based artist Dominic who’s music has been featured in the Big Bang […]

Santa Claus is rocking – Bradley Gillis

‘Santa Claus is Rocking’ is the brand new Christmas single from ‘Bradley Gillis’ put together by executive producer Simon Shire. ‘Santa Claus is Rocking’ is out for Christmas 2018 and features a superstar band of legendary musicians who have played with word famous acts like Donovan, The Cranberries, The Corrs, Glen Hansard, Brian Adams, Oasis, Sinead O’Connor, Westlife, The Irish Tenors, Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet), Genesis, Mike & The Mechanics, Chris Rea, The Chieftains and more. New York singer/songwriter Bradley Gillis provides vocals and has now made Dublin, Ireland his home.  When he’s not charming intimate venues with his soulful, jazzy tones, he effortlessly works a crowd in larger rock venues. Bradley’s on-stage presence is larger than life, but yet he maintains a friendly and personable disposition. At his gigs, this artist can seamlessly fuse rock, pop and latin with reggae and a touch of hip hop. Bradley Gillis, a seasoned guitarist himself, has his pick of accomplished musicians from which to choose for his live performance sets.  His energy and passion for his craft is boundless. He interacts with his audience, them with him and the dance-floor quickly fills. Bradley is a smooth operator and a joy to watch […]

MTN South Africa launches time-based music streaming subscription MusicTime!

MTN South Africa has announced the launch of MusicTime!, which it says is a world-first offering from Simfy Africa. MusicTime is a time-based music streaming service, offering users premium trending and locally relevant music through partnerships with key music labels and providers. The offering includes a countdown timer, top trending music and data. The timer clocks down as users listen to music. MusicTime! is available for 120 minutes for ZAR 5 or 300 minutes for ZAR 10, both valid for seven days from purchase. There are no subscriptions, no hidden data costs and no advertisments. https://music.einnews.com/article/470430133/jPLJ5m-JxGbc0Jml?ref=rss&ecode=F71-eCp0PRGspQOT

China’s largest music-streaming service, Tencent sets $1.1 b

NEW YORK, U.S. – Chinas largest music-streaming service, Tencent Music Entertainment Group has raised nearly $1.1 billion in its U.S. initial public offering (IPO). The music arm of the Chinese social network and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd., said in a filing with the Hong Kong stock exchange that the music streaming company raised close to $1.1 billion after pricing its shares at the bottom of a marketed range. The company said that in its filing that it had priced its American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) at $13 per share, which was at the low end of its indicated $13 to $15 per share range. According to the company’s statement, Tencent Music sold 41 million ADRs, and its existing shareholders sold a further 40.9 million, with a total of 82 million ADRs sold. So far this year, Tencent Musics U.S. IPO is the fourth largest among Chinese firms by deal value. For January-September, Tencent Music reported a 244 percent profit jump to $394 million. On Wednesday, Tencent Music will officially begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘TME.’ Tencent Music added in the filing that its IPO will debut the company at a valuation of about $21.3 […]

What’s the Most Popular Music Streaming Service of 2018?

2018 will go down as a big year for music streaming services. Millions of people around the globe are transitioning to digital music as a subscription service, ditching CDs and even the pay-per-download model. Several of the biggest music streaming companies had initial public offerings this year, including Spotify Technology (NYSE:SPOT) and Tencent Holdings‘ (NASDAQOTH:TCEHY) recent partial spinoff of Tencent Music Entertainment (NYSE:TME). Here in the U.S., though, an old name reclaimed the top spot this year in the music streaming business. The biggest at home For the past couple of years, Apple‘s (NASDAQ:AAPL) growth strategy has been focused on its subscription services, and Apple Music is a tentpole in that segment. After surpassing 50 million users globally back in the spring, Apple Music just stole the top spot in America from Spotify. Both services have over 20 million paying subscribers in the U.S., according to a report from Digital Music News. It’s a tight race between the two companies, one that will probably continue to unfold over the coming years. At this point, Apple has more momentum in the States, though, getting a boost from cross-selling services alongside devices ranging from the iPhone to Beats headphones to the new HomePod smart speaker. […]

SYBS–Flex on the Beat

SYBS is a transatlantic, cross genre and pan cultural musical experience made up of artist/production duo Dobi and Yugy. The sibling duo are of Nigerian descent but currently split their time between London, Los Angeles and New York. The exhilarating sound of SYBS is a contemporary fusion of urban pop, R&B and African influenced rhythms. In their own words “It’s music that hits your head, hips and heart”. Dobi says “Besides the name touching upon us being brother and sister, the name also represents how music brings us all together and that makes us all siblings”. Adding to the poignancy here is that music also brought Dobi and Yugy together. “We were not that close as brother and sister when we were younger. It was ultimately a shared love of music that helped us find common ground and develop a stronger relationship over the years” Yugy says. SYBS is the culmination of two parallel lives in music. Dobi and Yugy share a grounding in classical music and panoramic listening tastes. The siblings are influenced by and grew up in a house where Beethoven, Mozart, West African High Life, Afrobeat, The Beatles, Motown, Sam Cooke, Madonna, Sade, Abba, Stevie Wonder, Michael […]

THE COOL MOONMIST MOUNTAIN BAND ANNOUNCES NEW LIVE ALBUM ‘Live in Studio – 11/14’

Seattle’s The Cool Moonmist Mountain Band announces the new album featuring truly in the moment tracks called “Live in Studio – 11/14”. The ‘group’ is a solo live, improvised electronic music project performed and produced by Jared Sand, who sends you down a road with this collection of tunes heavily fueled by Trip-Hop-Electronic Dance music with dense psychedelic layers. This album is an impressive improvisational live take compromised of 3 songs with heavy synth and multiple tracks of instrument samples and catchy loops. Highly recommended if you’re a fan of groups like Om Unit or Chemical Brothers. Jared adds – “For release “Live in Studio – 11/14″ the last few minutes are my favorite I’ve recorded to date. All music is composed with Ableton, live synth hardware, and live instrument loops. Performance consists of an improvised jam session.” You can stream ‘Live in Studio 11/14” via Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/thecoolmoonmistmountainband/live-in-studio-1114 Also available on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/kuQGLH0Zrzk

SOUNDSTRIDER AND RED TENT RECORDS ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF NEW LP ‘OCCULT ELECTRIC’

Red Tent Records has announced the release of France-based electronic solo-artist Sound Strider’s latest LP entitled ‘Occult Electric’. Sound Strider (the brainchild of Sam Waks) who prides himself in being an electronic artist with a truly underground ethos and approach. With his latest efforts, he explores the deep space sectors of electronica that many other like minded artists don’t capture. The psychedelic canvas that he paints can ease your mind and send you in a trance that only dreams are made of. From organic analog body grinders to intricate digital brain busters, his spectral alchemy conjures up outlandish soundscapes laced with hypnotic polyrhythms. In 2018, Waks formed the label and production company Red Tent Records, along with long-time friend and collaborator Ghost In The Chill. Red Tent Records was created to bridge the gap between two worlds: – Man & Machine – Soul & Matter – Acoustic & Electronic “This release explores my relationship with chaos magic and the occult. In some sense it is about the search for a new way of being unbounded by the strict codes of monotheistic religion and/or scientific materialism.” You can stream “Occult Electric” via Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/soundstrider/sets/occult-electric Visit Red Tent Records here: http://lab0records.com/ […]

ADAM ROSE RELEASES NEW ALBUM “LEVITATE THE BASE”

Pittsburgh native and multi-instrumentalist Adam Rose announces the release of his brand new ambient psychedelic album from entitled “Levitate the Base”. He avoids categorization, simply playing what he loves, and his compositions show a wide variety of influences in which he has immersed himself. These songs take on a trippy element at times that worshippers of late ’60s bands such as early Pink Floyd or King Crimson could enjoy from a pure psychedelic, progressive and experimental aspect. Followers of newer instrumental bands like Russian Circles can appreciate these songs, as well of fans of early Joe Satriani’s guitar driven instrumentals. “Levitate the Base is a symbol of me overcoming tremendous pain to rise up and create an album I’m truly proud of. It is symbolic of taking all the shattered pieces of my life and forming one cohesive art form. The symbol also extends to my larger vision for humanity to rise up, and no longer be content with living lives of subservience, toil, and meaningless.” You can stream “Levitate the Base” on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/album/6infrWhJtsL1c9cOaZTgZ9?si=q2_LGNx_TNWc78B-bYSPZQ For more information on Adam Rose, please visit: http://www.adamroseproductions.com/

TODD WARNER MOORE RELEASES NEW ALBUM ‘SPARK’ AVAILABLE NOW !

Singer/Songwriter artist Todd Warner Moore is back with a brand new album of original material entitled “Spark”. His newest album contains dashes of Folk, Americana, 70s Singer/Songwriter, Classical, Jazz, and Gipsy music. Even though Todd’s mainstay is more along the lines of acoustic driven songs, he has a knack for capturing different sounds of certain eras using an array of well orchestrated instruments throughout his masterpiece, including steel guitar, piano, viola and more. Todd Warner Moore’s style is reminiscent and can be compared to greats such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young and especially the Irish overtones of Van Morrison. “Spark” is, both lyrically and musically, a celebration of the canon of magnificent music and sublime songwriting I have heard over the years. I have painstakingly sculpted these songs with exceptionally talented and intuitive musicians, creating an album that follows its own self-contained universe of tales, confessional tones, and ebullience. I feel that it is the album I have always been striving to create.” “Spark” is available for streaming at: https://toddwmoore.bandcamp.com/album/spark For additional information, please visit: https://toddwarnermoore.com/home