Daily Archives: July 11, 2022

When you've bulldozed as many musical borders asArmin van Buurenhas, it's only a matter of time before the innate need to explore new sonic frontiers bubbles to the surface.

But for an aesthete like van Buuren, it comes easy.

We recently sat down with van Buuren in Miami, where the pioneering electronic music artist and "A State of Trance" creator opened up in an intimate interview before his dazzling Ultra Music Festival 2022 headlining set. And after all was said and done, it's clear at this juncture in his storied career that he's laser-focused on artistic experimentation.

He's particularly excited about the future of Gaia, a beloved side project and collaborative nom de plume with Benno de Goeij of Rank 1.

"I really want to focus on the Gaia project for the future,"van Buuren told EDM.com. "It's a little bit more underground and not so commercially successful. But I want to follow my heart in that sense."

Armin van Buuren chats with EDM.com live at Ultra Music Festival 2022 in Miami.

Danny Drew/EDM.com

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"I've been flirting recently with techno, with Reinier Zonneveld, because I feel techno and trance once were very closely married and now sort of separated," he added. "And it's exciting to see the two worlds flirting together again."

While his Ultra set was a microcosm of his appetite for subversion, van Buuren's arc is still very much rooted in trance music. He painted a rosy picture of its future, which he believes is promising thanks to its potential to emulsify other genres.

"Within trance, you now have all these sub-genres," he explained. "Genres like progressive trance, orchestrance, tech-trancethere's at least 20 or 30 different styles."

"I find that very interesting," he continued. "And musically it's still very inspiring to me, and I want 'A State of Trance' to be home to all those genres."

You can watch van Buuren's full EDM.com interview live from Ultra below.

Facebook: facebook.com/arminvanbuurenTwitter: twitter.com/arminvanbuurenInstagram: instagram.com/arminvanbuurenSpotify: spoti.fi/2WHsl2t

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"I Want to Follow My Heart": Armin van Buuren On Sound Experimentation and the Future of Trance - EDM.com

The fourth season ofStranger Thingsintroduced Vecna, the new face of terror in Hawkins, Indiana. Favorite animal: spider. Skin: patchy. Method of murder: hijacking your brain from the Upside Down, putting you in a trance and breaking every bone in your body.

Hes formidable, but our crew of plucky heroes do have a defense: the power of music. If Vecna has you in a trance, listening to your favorite song can help pull you out of it, as we saw when Vecna attacked Max only for her friends to pull her out his trance using the synth-tastic stylings of Kate Bush, specifically her 1985 hit Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).

The team bests Vecna at the end of season 4, but as Will Byers says, hes definitely still out there, and when he recovers hes going to come for all of them. It would behoove all of the characters to have their favorite songs at the ready should Vecna strike.

But what are their favorite songs? Thats what were here to figure out. Lets start with the obvious:

This ones easy. Maxs favorite song is Running Up That Hill. Shes said it multiple times and it saved her life when Vecna was trying to take it. The only reason it didnt work twice is because Jason the varsity psychopath crushed Maxs walkman while he was fighting Lucas in the season 4 finale.

Season 4 leaves Max in a sorry state. Vecna hurts her, but Eleven is able to bring her back from the brink. Shes in a coma, but something tells us shell wake up come season 5. And when she wakes, shell want Kate Bush close at hand.

After Running Up That Hill saves Max from certain death, Lucas tells her that Kate Bush is now his favorite artist, too. Now, maybe he meant it metaphorically, but she has a lot of good songs worth listening to, so why shouldnt he get into her music?

As for what song he might like, Im gonna say he gets into Cloudbusting, which is off the same album as Running Up That Hill: Hounds of Love.

The song has a cool backstory: its based on a real-life relationship between an inventor and his son. The father built a machine he tried to use to make rain. He and his son would go cloudbusting, which ended up being some of the sons fondest memories. Later, the father is imprisoned, and the young son feels helpless.

This could tie in to Lucas feelings of helplessness as he watched Max slip away from him. The song is melancholy, but it also has an optimism to it that fits Lucas personality. And its just nice to listen to, with a pulsing beat and some catchy string licks underpinning the lyrics.

Heres another easy one. In the second season ofStranger Things, Jim Hopper introduces Eleven to his favorite artist:Jim Croce, famous for his tough guy anthems like Bad, Bad Leroy Brown and You Dont Mess Around With Jim. Hopper likes the latter so much he even dances to it, becoming a meme in the process.

Im sure the fact that the song is about a guy named Jim helps. In any case, everyone around Hopper will know exactly what to do if Vecna comes for the former sheriff.

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What songs do the Stranger Things characters use to resist Vecna? - Winter is Coming

GRRL and Made of Oak have teamed up to release their debut track, 'Inertia'.

Available on Psychic Hotline, the record is an energetic cut which delivers trance-tinged techno, dubbed as 'a preview of more to come'.

Read this next: Focus on the weird: GRRL's myriad inspirations inform their world-building club sound

The pair oftentimes found themselves playing at the same parties as time progressed, and whilst they played their own dissimilar strains of music in the moment, they never realised that their musical fascinations aligned.

Having since had a conversation about peak-hour club music, the pair decided to collaborate, with the intention of creating a track that is "layered and multi-textured enough" to fit into each of the duo's sets.

'Inertia' is the result - and the release is accompanied by artwork and fascinating visuals created, produced and directed by Aaron Anderson and Eric Timothy Carlson, who has worked with names such as Bon Iver and Leon Vynehall.

Read this next: Leon Vynehall: "fabric has always been a mythical club to me"

Alongside the release, GRRL and Made of Oak will combine and present their first official collaborative performances in New York's Pioneer Works in Brooklyn on July 27, before hitting Los Angeles' Gold Diggers on August 4. Each of the events will be free to attend and include DJ sets from duo Sylvan Esso.

You can listen to GRRL x Made of Oak's single 'Inertia' now here.

Niamh Ingram is Mixmag's Weekend Editor, follow her on Twitter

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GRRL and Made of Oak team up for collaborative track - Mixmag

The Virginia Street Brewhouse has been bringing many upcoming and deserving local artists to their stage for quite a while. I recently stopped in to check out False Rhythms, a local reggae band out of Gardnerville. In the last year plus, they have been making their mark in northern Nevada.

Historically Ive had mixed feelings about reggae. Theres plenty to really like, but theres also that style that just puts me to sleep. But there will be no sleeping when listening to False Rhythms. Maybe some dreaming, but definitely no sleeping.

False Rhythms was first put together by brothers Garrett and Dalton Moore in 2012. Austin Hawkins came on board in 2017 on bass guitar, and Robbie Wheeler replaced their original drummer in 2018. Keyboardist Chris Shott finished off the lineup when he joined just before COVID hit in early 2020. The original name of the band was Obviously Confused, which indicates to me that these guys have a good sense of humor.

This is a reggae band with plenty of energy. Not being familiar with all the sub-genres of reggae, I would be hesitant to label it. My observation is that they have a lot of energy in many of their songs that borders on rock and roll. They also offer up a rhythmic dreamy trance-like sound thats a little more like what Ive heard before (but not the sleepy stuff).

Lead guitarist Garrett Moore has a sound and style that is reminiscent of Jerry Garcia at times. Dalton Moore keeps the reggae groove rolling along with the classic syncopated rhythms on rhythm guitar and he has a great singing voice for this kind of music.

What would reggae be without a tight rhythm section? Hawkins (bass) and Wheeler (drums) supply that by building a solid foundation for everything to ride on. Hawkins is passionately animated in his playing style, as you can readily see in the photo gallery. Shotts keyboard playing fills it all in and adds color and depth to their arrangements.

As with any new band, it takes a while to get the ball rolling. I spoke with Hawkins about their progress over the years. He said that they spent many nights playing at house parties and local bars, but over the last couple of years the gigs have been getting much better. Plus, theyve been building a great following.

Its kind of neat getting recognized in Walmart! Austin Hawkins

He also shared what he called a story of redemption that the band experienced. Last year when False Rhythms played the Mountain Vibe Music Festival they didnt have such a good set and were very unhappy with themselves. This years show was different. They were part of a showcase with 20 other bands and played a great set that was well received. It was a very redeeming moment for the band, Hawkins said, and meant a lot to them.

False Rhythms writes everything they play. Having recently opened for such well known, nationally touring reggae artists as Afroman, The Green, and Eli Mac (Americas Got Talent), they feel that they are on the right track.

Coming up very soon is a show at Cypress in Reno on July 15, and then they will be at an Arts Festival in Tahoe Paradise Park in Meyers on Aug. 19.

Dont worry about a thing, every little thing is gonna be alright. Bob Marley

To reach out to them, or to check their gig dates you can find them on Facebook or Instagram.

Nick McCabe is a Reno-based photojournalist and musician. Hes been shooting concerts in the Reno-Tahoe area since 2006 and writing articles and reviews since 2012, as well as doing interviews on occasion. His musical education and playing experience goes back to 1967. He is a founding member of the Reno Tahoe Forte Awards, and he still plays music locally for enjoyment. First concert: Jimi Hendrix. Last concert: well see.

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False Rhythms fill the Virginia Street Brewhouse (photos) - This Is Reno

When you've been doing the same thing for several years, it's not difficult to lose that bright-eyed excitement you once had. But for legendary DJ-producer Paul van Dyk, the same love and passion for electronic music still stand, even over two decades later.

Ardent and ever-evolving, the'For An Angel'icon has a never-dying love for his craft. Dancing between the many sounds of electronic music, Paul van Dyk never fails to find the sparkle and fire in a genre he's loved and fueled for almost 30 years.

"My musical approach has always been somewhat [droll?] in just the terminology of like, this is trends, this is techno. To me, it's electronic music and you'll hear me banging techno as much as fluffy electronic and trance-y melodies. It's a combination, a culmination of what electronic music has to offer that excites me," he tellsBandwagon.

Even through the isolation and loneliness of the last two pandemic-stricken years, the renowned DJ's excitement never faltered. Since 2020, the 'Duality'hitmaker released two albums and played an array of virtual festivals across the world, hoping that his listeners cansolace in his energetic beats and signature trance melodies.

But much like the entire music community's sentiment, nothing beats a live crowd.

"All the streaming was trying to create some sort of substitute for the lack of interaction and any sort of connection to the audience, but nothing can be been live in the venue with your audience, creating those memories together, and being excited about the music," he shares.

"We are social individuals, we need to kind of create memories together and then take them back home with us. Then, ideally, you think back to those moments with all your friends at this festival and listening to that song and that puts a smile on your face, and you move on. I think this is what music can do, what these social gatherings can do, and I think we all miss that over a very long time."

When asked what he missed about performing in front of a live crowd, Paul van Dyk says, "It is really the interaction. I have a clear idea of what I want to do but in order to kind of make a night, it needs that feedback, that interaction with the audience, and you cannot replace it with anything else. It's absolutely a must."

"Having been on multiple festivals already, it's getting to experience that kind of kick-in-the-butt energy that everybody needs and enjoys. It's an hour where we all experience this same, special thing."

That "kick-in-the-butt energy" is soon making its way to Singapore, where Paul van Dyk will be ushering in the reopening of one of the city's most exciting nightclubs, MARQUEE.The'Wishingful Thinking'act previously joined the club's first-anniversary celebrations through a virtual set but this time, he's bringing his heart-pumping beats to their live stage.

"I'm really, really excited to come back to Asia, it has always been a very welcomingI don't want to say 'market' because it's so business orientated, but more so community. I just feel very, very welcomed when I'm in Asia, it's like such a lovely and friendly vibe and feel to it. I also like the food, the people and whenever I'm there, the shows that are amazing. So what else is not like?," he shares.

"Singapore is like one of my favourite cities in the world. Being back despite the fact that [there's still a pandemic] excites me, it also gives me a lot of hope that we are kind of moving back towards normality somehow."

For his highly anticipated, Paul van Dyk will be playing his well-loved hits and new material from his upcoming album,Off The Recordwhich comes as the first instalment of a year-long project unfolding throughout 2022. Created throughout the pandemic, the record is an introspective yet energetic collection of tracks that precursors a storm of thrilling festival-ready tunes.

"We're releasing it in like three batches One is called Off The Record, which features music that's like... it's not chill or anything at allit's very energetic but somewhat more deeper and more like technology orientated in a way. That comes from the fact that I was sitting at home looking outside the studio window and seeing the same tree, instead of travelling around the world and experiencing festivals and clubs and the music together with everyone else," says Paul van Dyk oh his upcoming album.

"The music that is leading the way to the next section is called For The Record, which is the 138 BPM festival, sort of like music. Then at the end of the year, everything comes together as The Recordit's everything that we released throughout the year plus some new material," he adds.

Paul van Dyk will be performing at MARQUEE Singapore this 16 July, making the trance icon the first international DJ to perform at the nightclub since the start of the pandemic. Online tickets are sold out but tickets will be available at the door based on capacity.

Listen to Paul van Dyk's 'Guiding Light' here.

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Paul van Dyk on keeping things exciting, coming back to Asia, and his upcoming album 'Off The Record' - Bandwagon

This article discusses the ending of the Netflix film Incantation (2022) and contains spoilers.

The new Taiwanese horror film Incantation (2022) uses a mockumentary format to explore the story of a woman dealing with the effects of a curse she unleashed years before. From our review:

Ronan (Tsai Hsuan-yen) has finally recovered enough from the events six years before to take custody of her daughter Dodo (Huang Sin-ting), who has been living in a foster home. However, Dodo is soon affected by strange baddies and becomes dangerously ill.

Ronan was formerly part of a group of ghostbusters on YouTube who visited the Mother-Buddha worshiping Chen clan and unleashed a curse upon themselves and all who learned of it. Ronan was pregnant at the time, but could not care for the baby after she gave birth because of her fragile mental state, so Dodo was raised in a foster home. Six years later, Ronan has reclaimed her child, only for their reunion to shatter the peace she had found.

As Dodo becomes more sick, Ronan becomes more determined to save her. She contacts a priest and his wife and they do a dangerous ritual on the girl, but it backfires when Ronan violates the terms of the ritual and feeds Dodo. Meanwhile, Ming, the owner of the foster home that Dodo grew up in, researches the curse and gets the video from the night six years ago in the tunnel restored. Like the priest and his wife, Ming dies gruesomely in his attempt to help save Dodo.

Ronan takes all of Dodos belongings to the foster home and makes a video for her in case she wakes up, instructing her to forget her mother and be happy. Then, she returns to the tunnel, having covered her body in inscriptions, and completes the rituals including offering up Dodos ear. She asks for the audience to join her in saying the blessing before revealing that she lied and its actually a curse. (This is the most chilling part of the film, as the audience feels they have been made a part of it.)

The more people who are cursed, the more diluted it becomes so Ronan hopes that in tricking the audience to curse themselves, she can save Dodo. She explains that even saying the incantation will cause the curse to come upon someone. Looking upon the face of the Buddha-Mother is the heart of the curse, hence why they keep it covered. In one final attempt to cure Dodo, Ronan lifts the cover from the face, showing it to the audience and causing herself to go into a trance and hit her head until she passes out.

Incantation ends with a clip of a now happy and healthy Dodo, implying that the spreading of the curse worked. She will now be able to lead a normal life because it has diluted enough that she is no longer ill.

What do you think of Incantation (2022) and the ending? Comment below.

You can watch Incantation (2022) with a Netflix subscription.

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Incantation (2022) ending explained - Rowan attempts to lift the curse - Ready Steady Cut

Stranger Things season 4 featured an epic scene paired with Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush. Shortly after the season aired, many viewers became intrigued by the song and it received a massive resurgence in popularity, despite being almost 40 years old. Stranger Things creators, the Duffer Brothers, say they were never expecting the Kate Bush song to become so popular, but they will most likely not try to recreate the same success in season 5.

In Stranger Things season 4, characters are getting killed off by a creature from the upside down known as Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). Vecna places them in a trance that appears to be inescapable. However, the crew figures out that playing someones favorite song can possibly snap them out of the trance and free them from Vecnas grasp.

In episode 4 of season 4 of Stranger Things, Max (Sadie Sink) becomes possessed by Vecna, but before she is killed, her friends play Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush. This gives her enough motivation and energy to fight Vecna and escape from his world. This moment is quite suspenseful and is a favorite scene of season 4 for many Stranger Things fans.

After this, the popularity of Running Up That Hill skyrocketed, giving Bush her first US top 10 hit of her career. Its still dominating the charts as fans cant escape this dangerously catchy tune.

In an interview with Collider, the Duffer Brothers talk about the recent popularity of this song. Matt Duffer says he found it very bizarre and says that people were telling him that it was going viral on Tik Tok, which he didnt really understand. Its true that many Tik Tok users were using the song in many videos on the service, leading to even more people discovering the Kate Bush track.

The Running up that Hill, the Kate Bush thing, [is] so bizarre, Matt said. Im not on TikTok, but people are like, Oh, its all over TikTok! I dont even really understand what that means, but its just bizarre how that stuff happens.

Running up That Hill has been an important motif for season 4 and it even made a return in the finale. Pop culture can often impact one another and that is certainly true with this scenario.

Old Songs finding new popularity from Stranger Things is nothing new. Songs like Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash and every Breath You Take by The Police are used in creative and memorable ways. Most recently, Master of Puppets by Metallica got a boost thanks to the amazing finale scene of Eddie (Joseph Quinn) playing the song in the upside down.

However, the success of Running Up That Hill remains an anomaly and the Duffer Brothers do not expect to have the same success with another song in Stranger Things season 5.

Whether it happens again with another band, I dont know, Matt shared. Its certainly the type of thing youre not going to, in Season 5, attempt to replicate. Im already getting asked that question, its like, What song are [you] going to do in Season 5? Im like, Were not going to do that again. Because if we do it, it will fail.

Volume 2 of Stranger Things season 4 is currently streaming on Netflix.

RELATED: Stranger Things Season 4: Eddie Munson Actor Shares How He Prepared for Metallica Scene in Finale

Excerpt from:

'Stranger Things' Season 4: The Duffer Brothers Respond to Renewed Popularity of Kate Bush Song - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Savannah Conley performed at Nowhere Bar on Saturday night in downtown Athens after kicking off her first headlining tour this week. Conley represents a new generation of emerging Nashville artists that are combining the country and roots rock of the Music City with new hard rock, indie-pop and lo-fi influences.

Conleys music has a definitive influence from her hometown of Nashville, with some songs even feeling reminiscent of female country legends like Carrie Underwood orShania Twain.

Most of her songs had a way of pulling listeners in and surprising them, beginning with softer intros and verses and building up to explosive releases in the chorus. She is promoting her newest EP, Surprise, Surprise, as well as songs that will be featured on her upcoming debut album.

When asked about her emotions about headlining, Conley only had one word to describe it: Terrifying.

Its a different animal, she said, It feels very different than supporting slots and Im way more comfortable celebrating other people. That's my comfort zone, but this is really fun.

Although Conley says shes out of her comfort zone as the headliner, the crowd would never be able to guess from the captivating show she put on for the small, yet intimate crowd present for her set.

Conleys heart wrenching lyrics and effortless belting put the entire venue under a trance inside the smoky bar full of pool tables. Throughout her set, Conley silenced the entire venue with the only other noise being the soft clinks of billiard balls from the attached room.

One of the most vulnerable parts of the entire show occurred halfway through Conleys set when she sent her band away and picked up an acoustic guitar to perform solo.

As she was adjusting her guitar, getting ready for the next song, one of the audience members, Madison White, softly called out to Conley and asked if she could play her song All I Wanted,which she immediately agreed to.

Although Conley joked that she hadnt played the song in years and even took a few moments to refresh her memory of the songs chords, her execution of the song, with simple acoustic playing and soaring vocals, entranced the audience yet again.

White, a recent UGA graduate, saw Conley at the Georgia Theatre four years ago when she was opening for The Head and the Heart, and has been a fan of the singer-songwriter ever since.

I did not know who she was when I saw her open for The Head and The Heart, but I loved All I Wanted and its been a song that I have on repeat every now and then, said White. She has a lot of soul and passion in her music, and its very evident.

Although Conley hails from one of the most famous music cities in the U.S., she commented on the music community in Athens. I really love Athens its special here, she said. Im from Nashville, which is like Music City, but you guys love music in such a pure way. It feels great to be here, and we love this place.

Conley will continue touring the Southeast throughout the remainder of July, and fans can expect a debut album from Conley towards the end of 2022.

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Savannah Conley brings first headlining tour to Nowhere Bar - Red and Black

Express News Service

KOCHI: Art is for everyone. This maxim is the Utopian Dystopia - the art, design and tech festival being held at Maradu near Kochi. Mammoth installations, all grand to take in and containing a multitude of information, stories and ideas welcome the visitors. There are bright, vivid murals on the walls, and exhibitions of visual arts - painting, sculptures and whatnot.

Performance art is another highlight. With architectural designs that break the conventional standards, tech festivals and virtual reality (VR) film festivals, conferences and open mics, Utopian Dystopia has something for everyone.

Visitors get a welcome aperitif in dark, grey rooms, where art and technology create a ethereal experience. Thats just an aperitif. Utopian Dystopia boasts over 400 artists from across India, including NFT and digital creators, architects, scientists, and designers.

This is a new concept. Not just established artists, but new and young people are exhibiting their works here. And the result is that there are new ideas in every corner, says visual artist Girinath Gopinath, who has been a regular in the Indian art circuit since 2005. The response from the audience has been great. I didnt expect so many people to visit an art event here.

Girinaths installation Bionic-Bull, too, is part of the exhibition. The 3D- printed artwork is part bull, part bulldozer. One of the most thrilling installations here is the Mycelium Lego, a hexagonal architecture marvel and there is mycelium - a type of mushroom/fungus on them. The artists behind the magical mushroom structure are two architects, Asif Rahman Junaid from India and Giombattista Areddia from Italy.

Running into an artist known as Lady Lazarus (Priya Varughese) is another amazing experience. She writes poems for each visitor. All one has to do is have a chat with her. Within minutes, she would write wonderful poems for you.

A big thumbs-up goes out to the team behind Utopian Dystopia -- curator Asif Rahman Junaid, an architect, deputy curator Vinod Ramaswamy and NFT curator-artist Unnikrishnan M Damodaran.The themes are, of course, Utopia and Dystopia, says Arif. The idea came to us during the peak of the pandemic, in 2021. It was kind of a dystopian time.

All the work here is, in some way, connected to the themes -- how technology and new media have aided in creating a society that could be either a utopia or a dystopia. At the same time, we are connecting every element of art - visual arts, technology, design, fashion, music.

Many of the artworks are by new artists and, for most of them, this is their first exhibition. Breaking the boundaries of what is considered art, one can see scientists and technology enthusiasts and NFT artists at Utopian Dystopia.

For instance, there is a brain-mapping interactive artwork by Abhijeet Satani. His work has emerged as a highlight, a crowd-pleaser. He can help you experience the pain felt by plants when we destroy them, says Arif. He connected brain mapping with environmental destruction.

Another crowd-puller is artist Rocky Jacob (Papa Rocky). His interactive installation is all about music. Visitors can join him to create music live. Everything here has been beyond our expectations, says event coordinator Kafeela Parvin. We didnt expect such a massive response.

Vinod nods, and says daily about 1,000 people have been visiting the event, which was inaugurated by filmmaker and actor Basil Joseph on July 2. Over the weekend, 3,000 people visited the venue, he adds. Art is not something meant just for the elite class. People generally believe works such as sculptures and paintings are only for those who know art. Thats not true. Art can be enjoyed by anyone, and that is what is happening here.

Concerts galoreUtopian Dystopia is an experience with installations, murals, NFT exhibition, education expo, flea market, fashion events, food courts, workshops for children and the very first VR film screening. Another highlight of the event is the wide selection of music concerts. At least 35 music artists and bands are performing at the eight-day festival, says Kafeela. The concerts are drawing huge crowds. Musician Arun Kumar, the concert director of Utopian Dystopia, has included many up-and-coming music bands, covering various genres, including psychedelic, alt-rock and trance, says Kafeela. The concluding day (July 9) is set to be a heavy one. The lineup would feature popular alternative rock band Avial, organic trance band Shanka Tribe, and alternative hip-hop band Street Academics.

BrainstormingKerala Startup Mission, along with Design Kerala and Little Martians, has been organising conferences, talk shows, panel discussions and debates at the event.

At Utopian Dystopia, the mega art event being hosted in the city, the conventional boundaries of creativity have been smashed. With over 400 emerging artists, 22 installations, music concerts, flea market and food court, this annual event has arrived

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A deadly medley - The New Indian Express