April, 2004 archive

Congress is considering a sequel to the RAVE Act that is even more draconian than the first. If enacted, the Ecstasy Awareness Act would throw people in jail who organize raves or similar electronic dance events if some of their customers used drugs. Tell your representative to keep electronica concerts legal, using the online form […]

PAiA recently announced its updated Headphone Distribution Amplifier. The HDA provides 6 channels of amplification for headphones.
Recently upgraded, this extremely useful, high-quality device allows low or line-level sources to drive up to 6 pairs of stereo headphones. 12 separate amplifiers drive any mix of headphones from 8 to 600 ohms and each headphone has its […]

Ben & Jerry are helping to Rock the Vote by offering free iTunes music store downloads and chances to win iPods to encourage people to vote!
Here’s the scoop: Ben & Jerry’s is asking people to pledge to vote this year. Now follow along…”I will Rock the Vote, I will not be too busy, I will […]

Apple has released iTunes 4.5 for Windows and Macintosh. The new version boasts the largest commercial catalog of downloadable files, along with many new features.

Largest Legal Download Catalog. Select from over 700,000 tracks from five major labels and more than 450 independents with free 30-second previews.
150 Exclusive Tracks. Find the new pre-release Beastie Boys single, […]

RIAA Mix - Bring on da Noise! Bring on da Funk! Claire Chanel and Scary Sherman finally figured out what is up with those crazy, noise-filled downloads that are flooding peer-to-peer networks. They are cutting edge noise-art, courtesy of the RIAA.
Claire Chanel and Scary Sherman have been keeping busy. First they put together the Jay-Z […]

When musicians and do it yourself electronics mix, the results can be amazing, surprising, and even downright disturbing! PAiA has been supplying electronic kits for musicians for years, and musicians have been doing freaky things with the kits for just as long. PAiA recently added an online hall of fame that showcases some of the […]

Jean-Michel Jarre was one of the early pioneers of popular electronic music. Along with artists like Tangerine Dream and Vangelis, Jarre brought electronic music and popular music together, making music that was artistic but fairly accessible. Les Chants Magnetiques, Magnetic Fields, is a set of 5 synth tracks that capture Jarre at his peak.
For many […]

Oceanic is a collection of tone poems with Ocean themes. On this 1996 release, Vangelis creates a soothing 50 minute journey through deep oceanic spaces, sounding a bit like a Hearts of Space show. The new age music showcases his wonderful ear for melodies and lush synthetic orchestration, but does not have the edge or […]

Challenge your perception with this innovative ambient reinterpretation of one of the greatest works of Beethoven. 9 Beet Stretch is the Ninth Symphony stretched to last twenty-four hours. By slowing down the recording so dramatically, recognizable melodies are lost, and the ambient sound can be appreciated. You can download free MP3s of the music, and […]

Peter Gabriel has been tremendously influential in promoting musicians from around the world. His work with WOMAD and Real World Music has brought sounds of the world to millions of listeners, and even more significantly, to the ears of the world’s musicians. His music for The Last Temptation of Christ, a film by Martin Scorsese, […]

MusicOnTheMac.com has announced its GarageBand Composition Contest. The contest is open to all GarageBand users, and offers a chance to win $1000 for the best original track.
MusicOnTheMac provides the details in their press release:
“With the launch of Apple’s GarageBand, the anytime, anywhere, recording studio, a whole new genre of musician is emerging. We here at […]

DJ Sandra Collins handles the mixing duties on the third incarnation of the excellent Tranceport series. Previous disks, mixed by Paul Oakenfold and DJ Dave Ralph, effectively established the Tranceport identity - interesting trance mixes for dancing or listening. Collins delivers another winner with this smooth collection of trance and techno sounds.
Tranceport 3 is a […]

It was 50 years ago that American maverick inventor Robert Moog began developing instruments that altered the course of modern music for all time and have since become an integral part of our musical culture. To celebrate Moog and his half-century of innovation, a Moogfest concert will be held in New York. The list of […]

Beaucoup Fish is not the ultimate Underworld album that fans may dream of. Instead, it is a challenging, sometimes messy album that seems richer with each listening. The uncompromising approach Underworld takes on Beaucoup Fish keeps the music a little edgy, and makes it a treat for electronica fans.
The music is a combination of hard […]

The Techno Primer is an excellent introduction to techno styles and technology. The author, Tony Verderosa, performs a one-man live techno/remix act, known as VFX, and obviously knows his topic. The book comes with a multimedia CD that has examples of many techno styles, along with some video clips of the author performing and demo […]