Last November, a charming little synthesiser started popping up around TikTok. While it was only in its prototype phase, the HiChord had people thoroughly intrigued. Over the following months, users eagerly watched the dreamy retro synth’s development. After six months of trial and error, the HiChord is finally ready. And the loyal fans made their support clear – the synth has raised nearly £90,000 on Kickstarter in its first day. READ MORE: Blipblox MPC-style sampler myTRACKS aims to make music production fun for all But what is it about the HiChord that has people so excited? The pocket-s ..read more

Music sampling service Tracklib has unveiled Sounds, a new feature allowing producers to access a range of authentically recorded, royalty-free loops and one-shots. Sounds complements Tracklib’s existing library of song samples, making it a convenient one-stop shop for music producers who subscribe to Tracklib’s service. READ MORE: The samples used in every album from The Prodigy have been tracked down in one colossal YouTube video For those who aren’t familiar, Tracklib simplifies the sample-clearing process for both indie and major artists. Samples cleared through Tracklib have featu ..read more

Reason Studios has announced the latest iteration of its Reason DAW software, and with a heavy focus on workflow improvement, Reason 13 may be the company’s most streamlined and intuitive release yet. It isn’t out until June, but we’ve been given a glimpse in advance. READ MORE: “Reason’s competition is actually Netflix and Steam”: CEO Niklas Agevik sees Reason as more than just a DAW Most significantly, Reason 13 will include a brand-new browser. Users will be able to browse patches, samples and loops, all in one place. Users will be able to filter by names and categories, making it far ea ..read more

SoundCloud has launched ‘Buzzing Playlists’, a new “fan-powered” feature that spotlights up-and-coming artists and their music. Updated weekly, these playlists are sourced from Next Pro artists (Soundcloud’s paid subscription program) who have opted in to have their tracks analysed by First Fans. The feature will help expose artists to more listeners, lending them the opportunity to be heard by potential new fans. Meanwhile, fans can discover new music based on what other fans are connecting with READ MORE: UMG is returning to TikTok after settlement of months-long dispute Featuring so ..read more

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been spotted DJing at a youth club ahead of the city’s mayoral election. In a video shared by The Telegraph, the Labour Party incumbent can be seen playing a “mini set” at Croydon Voluntary Action, mixing Dancing Queen by Abba with Jack Harlow’s Lovin’ On Me. Khan was also heard telling the audience: “You know you wanna dance!” READ MORE: More Co-op Live Arena shows postponed after air conditioning unit falls from ceiling during soundcheck “DJ Khan is available for bar mitzvahs, weddings and birthdays,” he joked to The Telegraph. The London Mayor also took t ..read more

Ever wondered where The Prodigy got all of their samples from? Well, this YouTuber has tracked all of them down and shared them in a mighty video. At nearly two hours long, the impressive video from user Eightminutesupsidedown lists where the samples originate from and which song and album from The Prodigy it appears on, with a sound bite of each. READ MORE: Seven iconic producers who changed sampling The samples are incredibly varied, with snippets taken from artists such as Kate Bush, Kool & The Gang, Thin Lizzy, Public Enemy and a whole lot more. Take a look in the video below. We ca ..read more

A brand new arena situated in Manchester, England, has had to postpone further shows due to a “venue-related technical issue”. The arena, Co-op Live, has a capacity of 23,500 people and is the largest in the UK. A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s show, which was due to take place on 1 May, was called off just 10 minutes after doors opened. Olivia Rodrigo’s scheduled dates on 3-4 May have also been postponed. READ MORE: Nearly half of DJs say gigs are harder to find and pay less post-Covid, per IMS business report So, what is actually going on? Let’s take a quick look back. The venue was originally se ..read more

Bitwig Studio’s 5.2 update has arrived in its beta testing phase, with an array of new features including an all-in-one compressor tool, Compressor+, for adding colour and tone, as well as mastering. Additionally, the update brings three hardware-inspired EQs, a clipper device called Over, plus workflow enhancements including more precise editing and dynamic beat detection. READ MORE: Bitwig Studio 5 continues to innovate with a new tranche of creative tools Firstly, let’s dive into Compressor+. This new tool analyses incoming audio across four frequency bands. Users can tweak each band’s I ..read more

Months after Universal Music Group pulled its entire song catalogue from TikTok – effectively muting all user videos which included them – both companies have reached a new licensing agreement that will see UMG tracks re-added to the video-sharing platform. In a fiery open letter penned by UMG back in January titled ‘Why we must call time out on TikTok’, the music giant accused TikTok of trying to “bully” it into “accepting a deal worth less than the previous deal, far less than fair market value and not reflective of [its] exponential growth”. READ MORE: UMG and BandLab Technologies team up ..read more

One minute and 51 seconds into Automatic, a husky voice that evokes the rasp and gravitas of a 90s rap verse fills the sonic frame. “Ya know, sometimes people ask me like, ‘How long did it take? How long do I have to work at it?’ And I’m not gonna lie, some people got it; some don’t.” READ MORE: Fabiana Palladino is balancing perfectionism and knowing when to let go The vocal texture is as gravelly as its delivery is authoritative. “To me, it sounds like Ol’ Dirty Bastard combined with The Notorious B.I.G,” Wolfgang Gartner muses. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, The Notorious B.I.G, and the word “elderl ..read more