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Ambassador Award 2023 - KUJU Studio from Kosovo for the "Best Art Production of the Year"

EXIT to 2021: Enter the New Year with The Prodigy, The Cure and many more!

 As part of the celebration of two decades of EXIT Festival, EXIT TV brings a special multi-hour program on New Year's Eve, which will include some of the biggest names of the festival, such as The Cure, The Prodigy, Migos, David Guetta, The Chainsmokers, Moby, Faithless, Motorhead, Jason Derulo, Atoms For Peace, Liam Gallagher, Damon Albarn, Hurts, Pet Shop Boys, Nile Rodgers, Fever Ray and many, many others. An eclectic mix  from Main Stage titled EXIT to 2021 will unite fans around the globe on the 31st of December in the best wishes for the New Year, which we all expect to be incomparably better than the previous one.  “Bearing in mind that the forthcoming holidays will be unique in the fact that the vast majority of people will spend them at home in very specific circumstances, we have decided to do what we do best — offer people an EXIT from the current situation, share with them some of the most important moments in EXIT Festival’s rich history and entertain them in the best

Dosem releases new album single "Megacities"

Spanish melodic techno master Dosem releases new album single ‘ Megacities ’, the second single off his upcoming album ‘Dream Decoder’, out September 25.  A driving club hit, ‘ Megacities ’ will be familiar to many as a staple in Dosem‘s sets. Building on the heavy-hitting sound of ‘ Tower ’, ‘ Megacities ’ opens with a filtered riff that soon gives way deep rhythmic drums.  Championed by the likes of Joris Voorn, Maceo Plex, Camelphat, Gorgon City and Solomun and supported on tastemaker stations like BBC Radio 1, Triple J, and KCRW, Dosem has solidified his reputation as one of Spain’s premier dance producers. Composed during long stays in Tokyo , ‘Dream Decoder’ explores the theory “that links dreams to parallel universes and alternative lives”.  Dosem expands on how this theory and the bustling metropolis heavily inspired the album’s forward-facing and diverse sound:  “I have always found the world of dreams a fascinating subject. Not only have they had a strong impact in my lif

Ministry Of Sound drop the annual 2021 mixed by Pete Tong

Since first forming back in 1991 , Ministry of Sound has become one of the most globally renowned labels in the dance music scene while also operating a club at the heart of London’s nightlife touted for its Dolby Atmos system and legendary performances.  Now, on the eve of their 30th anniversary, they’ve unveiled their latest end-of-year compilation T he Annual 2021 to keep everyone dancing to the beat . The Annual 2021 combines Ministry of Sound’s chart-topping hits from throughout the year with some of the best emerging talent to have been signed to the label . To celebrate the release, Ministry Of Sound have teamed up with dance music mainstay Pete Tong , who has recorded a mix of the album, available exclusively onApple Music.   [ source ]

Faithless releases first LP in 10 years "All Blassed"

UK Dance artists Faithless present their first studio album in ten years, ‘All Blessed’, released on BMG on 23 October.  ‘ All Blessed ’ includes the acclaimed recent single ‘ Synthesizer ’ ft Nathan Ball.  Other collaborations across the album’s twelve powerful tracks include Jazzie B, Suli Breaks, Gaika, Caleb Femi, L.S.K., and Damien Jurado.  Faithless said  “In this troubled and increasingly violent world, this album reflects what has always been the Faithless manifesto: be conscious, be caring, love yourself so you can love others and understand who you are and where you are. Never polemical but hopefully intelligent and (occasionally!) inspirational – this is music with feeling and words with meaning.”  Inspired by the music of Trevor Horn, Sparks, Jean-Michel Jarre and many a Balearic night out, ‘All Blessed’ is Faithless’s love letter to electronic music and presents them at their very best . [ source ]

Eric Prydz releases long awaited single "Nopus"

Eric Prydz releases one of his most highly coveted productions and marks the return of his primary alias with his first official release, since 2016. Any new music from the Swedish legend is more than exciting, and there’s been a particular ID hot on the minds of fans for quite some time now.  Four years ago, Eric Prydz debuted ‘ Nopus ’ as the finale track to his famed EDC Las Vegas 2016 performance and today; the track is officially released to the public.  Originally, the title was a nickname fans colloquially used to refer to the track as it shared sonic similarities to Prydz’s “ Opus .”  However, much to fans delight Prydz adopted “ Nopus ” as the song’s official title.  The uplifting progressive house single has been the crown jewel of Prydz’s sets for quite some time but it was at EDC Las Vegas 2016 where the dance world first took notice.  The beautiful soaring melodies, signature Eric Prydz production and the impressive firework show at EDC saw the track go viral.  Fast-forw

Q-Dance to debut audiovisual hardstyle experience on Netflix

Q-dance , the Dutch organiser of large-scale dance events such as Defqon.1 , announced that it’s innovative hardstyle show, ‘Qlimax: The Source’, will be available to stream worldwide on Netflix from 22nd December.  Originally broadcast live on the official Q-dance website, the show is a digital edition of the world-famous Qlimax festival , and takes the audience into the same mystical world that the festival is renowned for.  The line-up includes leading artists such as Sub Zero Project, Phuture Noize, Headhunterz & JDX, B-Front, KELTEK and Sefa.  Not only is this the first time that Netflix has launched a hardstyle production on its platform, it is also the very first time that a Dutch dance product will be featured on the streaming service.  Despite the fact that 2020 was a challenging year, Q-dance continued to look for ways to maintain contact with its fans.  ‘Qlimax: The Source’ – a 60-minute audiovisual journey – is the pinnacle of the brand’s achievements this year,

Watch Nina Kraviz perform exclusive new music from Cyberpunk 2077

Russian DJ and producer Nina Kraviz has performed exclusive music from new open-world video game Cyberpunk 2077.  The special performance showcased new and unreleased music she contributed the game and even features in!  Kraviz has been known for her unusual track selection that ranges from melodic electronica to heaving harder beats so makes sense her new music seamlessly transitions between both worlds. It’s also the debut of her live vocals.  It seems like electronic artists continue making headway into the video game space with Nina making her debut on the new blockbuster title from the Witcher 3 developers.  She joins Moodymanns and Palms Trax’s recent addition to GTA V following their huge investment into dance and electronic music that saw The Black Madonna, Solomun, Tales Of Us and Dixon added with their own missions and DJ sets.  Watch the full performance below ! [source]

Unum Festival in Albania will return in 2021.

 The Albanian government has approved rapid Covid testing for Unum Festival 2021!!!! Located on the beaches of Shenghin on the Albanian Riviera, the festival have undergone “careful discussions” with the Ministry of Tourism and Environment and the Ministry of Health who have now approved the use of rapid Covid-19 testing for 2021.  Albania is the first county in the world to approve of testing for social and cultural events.  According to a press release, “The advancing technology and accuracy of rapid tests currently allows for results within 10-15 minutes, which is all that would be required to ensure you can enjoy the festival in the way it should be enjoyed . On top of that, vaccines will likely have arrived early next year so that plans for this small, perfectly formed festival are now well underway, all with the support and backing of the Albanian government.” The inaugural Unum Festiva l was held in 2019 , welcoming Ricardo Villalobos, Margaret Dygas, Sonja Moonear, Zip

Bandcamp Fridays will be running until May 2021

On the first Friday of every month since March, Bandcamp waived their revenue share to help artists who have been impacted by the pandemic.  They announced that this scheme would be extended until May 2021.  They also revealed that so far the initiative has put over $40 million in the hands of independent artists and labels. The ensuing popularity of the initiative resulted in the platform expanding Bandcamp Fridays throughout the entirety of 2020, allowing for fans to direct assist their favourite artists across the year by cutting out the middle man and making sure they receive all the profits. Bandcamp have also reminded users that their platform is still one of the most beneficial ways to support an artist with digital sales, stating that an average of 82% reaches the artist/label with each purchase. Compared to the pay rates of everyone else out there, we reckon that’s a pretty fair flex to make. [ source ]

Beijing club Lantern reopens at new location with three rooms

Lantern, an 11 year-old nightclub in China’s capital, has a new address.  There's a multi-purpose space, a larger area that will host "the kind of techno events that make up Lantern's core identity" and an intimate room that the club calls a "dark vault." This is the third time Lantern has changed addresses since opening in 2009. Despite enduring "all sorts of trials and tribulations time and time again" throughout the years, Lantern has become "a mainstay of techno culture in China," the club said in August. [ source ] 

Personal short story by Secret 47

This is an ode to the many years in my music life. I chose this particular period of time to do The Goldcast, because I wanted to express a message in these strange times through music. My first set/podcast in eight years and it took me only 47 weeks to prepare.  . This is my personal short story: It starts with a simple yet very meaningful speech (sampled by Alan Watts) about the complexity of us humans. About our dreams and how, even if we get to choose how beautiful, big, happy and crazy they are, in the end we always yearn for more. In the end we always crave the unknown and wonder if something even better might be awaiting us. Mixed with The Workers Of Art by The Cinematic Orchestra, a beautiful, sad piece (my favourite combo), which sets up the story.  . We then move on to one of my all-time favorites, a beautiful, unreleased re-edit by my brother Tito Christophe Bollé with the lyrics "Got to say mmm mmm mmm", something I've been saying a lot lately in response to t

Call for producers: Beatport x Absolut NYE Remix Challenge

Ahead of Beatport's global NYE livestream celebration to #danceaway2020, they've teamed up with Absolut to present ther final remix competition of the year!  The track in question is a Hott 22 vocal mix of the Roland Clark presents Urban Soul dance floor anthem, "President House."  The remixer with the winning submission will receive $5000 in gear, subscriptions, plugins, and more from acclaimed music companies and an official release on the seminal house and garage imprint, King Street Sounds.  But that's not all!  The winning track will also get a global premiere from one of our DJs during Beatport x Absolut's New Year's Eve livestream — a 20+ hour celebration hitting 15 different time zones around the world with DJs such as Carl Cox, Nastia, Jamie Jones, TOKiMONSTA, and more!  Click below to download the a capellas, learn the guidelines, and get started.  The competition ends on Friday, December 18th, at 12:00 am PST  Apply HERE ! Good luck!

The new “No Sleep Novi Sad” short movie brings never-before-seen footage from Exit 2019!

 The audience in Serbia, and around the world, has, during previous years, enjoyed the internationally acclaimed No Sleep parties thanks to which EXIT has toured world capitals such as New York, London, Sao Paulo, Rome, Barcelona, and many more. The No Sleep music platform, created with the support of the cult domestic brand Guarana, has since grown into an independent festival in Belgrade which, after its first two editions, was named Best New Festival in Europe, at the last European Festival Awards held earlier this year.  A traditionally exciting program was composed in cooperation with some of the world’s leading clubs last summer such as Munich’s Mixed Munich Arts, Brazil’s D-Edge and Georgia’s Bassiani phenomenon.  The peak of the sleepless nights at EXIT, according to many electronic music fans, was brought by the globally popular series of parties All Day I Dream, which started in Brooklyn and transferred its specific matinee parties to the well-known islands of Ibiza and Mykon

TheRasteri hacked the Pioneer XDJ-RX2 controller and ran the Doom game on it

A YouTube guy named Andy, user named TheRasteri has a solution - he hacked Pioneer DJ XDJ-R2 to run the classic video game DOOM . In the video, the user can be seen plugging a USB stick into the R2, as well as a keyboard into the second USB port and loading the game onto the touchscreen. He discovered earlier this year that Pioneer DJ’s onboard computers not only run Linux and could potentially boot custom firmwares from USB sources. Instructions to get this to work : (do not attempt this unless you’re good at soldering/linux/etc) 1. Cross-compile fbDOOM for ARM – https://github.com/maximevince/fbDOOM 2. Put it on a USB stick alongside DOOM.WAD from the shareware release (or full version if you like) 3. Connect a 3.3v UART to port CN1002 on the main PCB (1=3.3v, 2=TXD, 3=RXD, 4=GND) 4. Get Root ( https://twitter.com/G33KatWork/status… ) 5. kill rbp 6. run fbDOOM from the usb stick (it gets mounted in /media/usbx/sda1) If you want to give it a go yourself, he also posted instructions

Win: The Chemical Brothers' Roland TB-03

The Chemical Brothers are auctioning off one of the touring Roland Boutique TB-03 bassline synths as part of a fundraiser for the #ILoveLive campaign, aimed to raise money for backline staff and stage crew during the pandemic.  Tom and Ed from the Chemical Brothers explained:  “This is a favourite piece of our live gear that we’ve sadly not been able to use this year on the road, so it seems a suitable fund-raiser for music crew and technicians across the UK. Hopefully, it will also help someone else keep working & create something special in the future”  To be in with a chance of winning the TB-03, donate to the cause HERE . The auction runs until December 17, and the winner will be announced on December 23th. [ source ]

Richie Hawtin – Time Warps EP [From Our Minds]

Richie Hawtin releases ‘ Time Warps ’, his first dancefloor-centric EP since ‘Minus Orange’, released in 1999.  This is the first release from From Our Minds (FOM1) , a new extension of Hawtin’s Plus 8 label.  In this new release, Hawtin gives us a couple of new club songs, secretly recorded and with a combined duration of more than 30 minutes.  "Time Warps" portrays the blurred and stretched perception of time that has been so characteristic in 2020. Richie Hawtin’s ‘Time Warps’ is now available digitally and on vinyl from December 4th. Richie Hawtin · Richie Hawtin - Time Warps Hawtin and long-time collaborator Barbara Klein worked together to create a full-length video portrait to capture the atmosphere and feelings of the main track ‘Time Warps’. [ source ]

Awakenings message to the Dutch government - Techno culture is going to extinction

  Awakenings promotes # technotogether campaign with all ravers, artists, managers, and other members of the techno community.  Through this movement , they seek to make a powerful statement to the government of the Netherlands and to the rest of the world so that people involved in the industry are taken seriously in this context in which an entire culture is in danger of disappearing.  "As soon as creative companies and institutions do not survive this crisis, there will be no more new artists or other creatives on this stage to build. Think photographers, dancers, DJs, sound and light professionals, the production team, bar staff, club and event managers, the list goes on and on", they explain in a statement.  To spread the message they created a video, a Photoshop filter, a Facebook filter, and an Instagram filter so they can join together ‘from listeners to ravers, from artists to festival and club teams, managers, agents, and vendors’.  Check out the video and so

Documentary ‘Underplayed’ puts spotlight on gender inequality in electronic music

Underplayed is the feature debut of New Zealand-born director Stacey Lee , who has been shortlisted for the Cannes Young Directors Award. Underplayed, in its 90 minute runtime, manages to show us the beautiful, diverse and talented multitude of people making electronic music — their history, and their hopeful future, throughout are the particular stories of a handful of women as they follow their dreams: Rezz, Alison Wonderland, TOKiMONSTA, Nervo, Sherelle, Nightwave, Tygapaw and Louisahhh. “I don’t like to talk about it a lot, but there is definitely sexism in the music industry.” - Alison Wonderland   [ source ]

Oregon (USA) becomes first state to legalize magic mushrooms

Oregon became the first state to legalize the active ingredient in so-called magic mushrooms ,  psilocybin , that saw more states ease restrictions on recreational drugs across the country. Through Measure 110, which has captured more than 58% of the vote so far, Oregon would also decriminalize the possession of small amounts of some hard drugs, including heroin and LSD .  Instead of criminal prosecution, people in possession would face a $100 fine, which can be waived if the person agrees to pursue treatment, according to the measure. In addition to psychedelics, a number of states asked voters to choose a path forward for their regulation of marijuana, too. In New Jersey and Arizona, voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana. [ source ] 

Charlotte de Witte Wins DJ Mag Alternative Top 100 DJs

 Charlotte de Witte has taken the No.1 spot in this year’s Alternative Top 100 DJs 2020, Powered by Beatport.  The Belgian techno dj  shot up from the No.7 spot to dethrone Carl Cox, who has claimed the No.1 title every year since the poll launched in 2018. “It’s probably the strangest year to become No.1 DJ since no one has really been DJing,” she says, “but yeah, it does mean a lot. It’s a big, big, big milestone.” In 2018, we launched the DJ Mag Alternative Top 100 DJs poll, with results generated by combining Top 100 DJs voting data with techno and house sales data from the world’s largest online electronic music shops. Check the full list HERE . [ source ] 

Techno clubs recognised as concerts by German high court

Techno and house events now qualify as concerts following the ruling of a German high finance court.  Clubs now only have to pay a 7% tax on ticket sales whereas previously they needed to fork over 19% .  So long as a club’s average visitor is there for the music, said the court, its owners qualify for the tax cut.  Accordingly, the law now formally recognizes DJs as musicians and techno as music. CDJs, turntables and mixers are also now defined as instruments. Alcohol sales have no bearing on a club’s eligibility.  The judgement was handed down on July 23rd but only published on October 29th. The legislation speaks to German lawmakers continued recognition of electronic music’s cultural value; in 2016 Berghain saw a similar tax break after a court deemed it “high art.”  Meanwhile, bars, clubs and venues in Germany will be forced to close from November 2nd-30th on account of a fall COVID-19 resurgence throughout much of Europe. [ source ] 

Documentary: Sisters with Transistors

New documentary "Sisters with Transistors" - prominent women, pioneers of electronic music. With a focus on some of the movement’s greatest collaborators such as Laurie Spiegel, Delia Derbyshire and Suzanne Ciani, the film titled “Sisters with Transistors” will premiere at London’s Barbican Theater on November 14th 2020.  Although electronic music is often perceived as a men's club, it is true from the very beginning that women were an important part of the invention of devices, techniques and styles that would define the form of sound in the years to come.  The aim of the film is to reveal an often neglected aspect of the history of electronic music. [ source ]

BPM festival 2012

 In Tamarindo from March 3rd to 7th, 2021 will held BPM festival. Next edition on Costa Rica. 🇨🇷 🌴 For five days and nights of global label showcases and party brands featuring the world's leading underground DJ and producers.  The BPM Festival , which stands for “Bartenders, Promoters, Musicians" was created in 2008 and has become synonymous with top-tier house and techno in idyllic locations across the world. With previous editions in Playa del Carmen (Mexico), Portimão (Portugal), and Tamarindo (Costa Rica), the brand has become a must for any music lover with a discerning taste for quality underground dance music. Until then, watch & relive the moments from our inaugural edition in Costa Rica below:  Follow The BPM Festival for breaking news including lineup announcements and more at @TheBPMFestival. [ source ]   

Fatima Hajji - "Kua" EP [Octopus Recordings]

Spanish techno DJ and producer Fatima Hajji has released a new EP “ Kua ” on Octopus Recordings. This release features two original tracks and a remix by Rinzen . TRACKLIST   1.    Fatima Hajji – Kua (Original Mix)  2.    Fatima Hajji – Kua (Rinzen Remix)  3.    Fatima Hajji – Freedom (Original Mix) Despite this year’s circumstances, the hardworking Spanish producer has remained incredibly focused on perfecting her craft and producing techno .  She also released a few track on labels such as: Odd Recordings, Autektone Records i Dolma Records.  [source] 

Project "InfinitX" with Charlotte de Witte from fort Mogren in Budva, Montenegro

On Thursday, September 24 at 20:20 EXIT will launche a new project InfinitX .  The first InfinitX livestream event is being realized together with  Charlotte de Witte within her New Form series and with the support of Beatport. The Belgian superstar recorded this special performance from the unique location of the Mogren Fortress in Budva . Charlotte’s performance will have an exceptional global promotional value, bearing in mind that with this project she is launching her new EP “Rave On Time”. It will be exclusively available to purchase on Beatport from the onset of the livestream and comes on her own label KNTXT which is also an influential party that has held special showcases round Europe. Again the EP showed a subtle evolution in her style as she laced dark , driving techno , acid and rave with her own mystic ambience and stylish sense of sound design. This new stream is a perfect chance to tune into one of the world’s foremost techno innovators while soaking up the bea

Burning Man 2020 - the virtual universe has launched online

Earlier this year, the announcement was made that Burning Man 2020 would not be taking place due to ongoing concerns amid to the coronavirus pandemic.  In place of this year's edition, Burning Man launched Kindling , a non-profit virtual events platform, and also released a movie “Burning Man: Art on Fire”.  Designed by ClipoLabs, Burning Man Multiverse hosted a week-long event in place of the festival, from 30th August to September 6th.  You can still visit the Multiverse by downloading the iOS and Android apps. Back in July, Burning Man hosted a virtual conference on environmental sustainability via Kindling .  In February, Burning Man announced they would be moving forward with suing the U.S. federal government.  The festival first filed the lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) back in December 2019, demanding that the government honor its appeals process in relation to costs that it imposes at the event. It equates to a total of $18 million in permit costs levie

Study: Ravers Still Do Drugs At Home During Virtual Streaming Events

Ravers are using drugs at home during virtual events.  Although music venues have closed and dance music lovers are now watching shows from home, it seems that party-life will not be going away anytime soon.  Virtual events have become the new norm for ravers, as the current pandemic continues to threaten the entertainment industry.  People are now finding new ways to have fun in the safety of their own homes.  There is a new study, published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, that examines drug use at virtual raves and happy hours. 55.5 percent of them attend virtual events while 69.5 attend online happy hours.  To obtain this information, online surveys were issued in April and May 2020 by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research at NYU School of Global Public Health. Researchers have found that 70 percent of participants drink alcohol during these events. Nearly 30 percent of partygoers use marijuana, which was found t

Documentary from the series RA Real Scenes - Sydney

Since 2014, Sydney’s Australian nightclubs have been struggling to survive .  Cruel licensing regulations , better known as locking laws, have closed many places and left others at a dead end. But despite this, the underground scene still lives outside the city center.  Parties are held in warehouses , parks or anywhere outdoors, where people can gather and set up a good loudspeaker .  A deep sense of passion , commitment and creativity is shaping a new era of electronic music in Sydney .  The RA team talks to DIY promoters and artists whose spirit never dies making Sydney a world-class dance venue, even if such events take place completely in the shadows. Watch documentary below!  Enjoy!  [ source ] 

For the first time in over 30 years, vinyls are outselling CDs in America

According to the RIAA's mid-year report, vinyl has overtaken CDs to become the most dominant physical format for the first time since the 1980s.  Last year, the Recording Industry Association of America’s (RIAA) mid-year report suggested that CD sales were declining three times as fast as vinyl sales were growing.  In February, the RIAA reported that vinyl sales accounted for more than a third of the revenue coming from physical releases.  Despite vinyl only accounting for four percent of total music recorded music revenues, the RIAA's mid-year report reveals that vinyl sales contributed to 62 percent ($232 million) of the $376 million physical sales in the first half of 2020.  Despite vinyl’s growth, streaming still dominates the music industry — records accounted for just 4 percent of total revenues in the first half of 2019. [ source ] 

The first digital edition of the Amsterdam Dance Event

 The 25th edition of the Amsterdam Dance Event will take place from 21 to 25 October 2020, for the first time in digital format. This year's program also includes several COVID concerts with mandatory seating and physical distance, as well as intercultural projects called ADE Specials.   This part will be held in Amsterdam in cooperation with the city council. The latest announcement by the Dutch government about the clubs represents another blow to the electronic music industry, says project manager Jan-Willem van de Ven:  " Clubs and music venues form the backbone of Amsterdam's nightlife and are incredibly important in shaping and innovating the city's cultural identity, residents and visitors. Without them, electronic music loses an integral part of its culture and industry, and that is why it needs all the support of the government. "  The first participating speakers for the conference program have been confirmed, with many more joining them in the we

The Advent returns on Klockworks imprint

Cisco Ferreira ’s seminal techno act The Advent returns to Ben Klock ’s imprint this May with three distinctly turbo-charged cuts, following his release on the label’s 22nd instalment in 2018.  A pioneer of early British techno , the London-based producer began his career in the halls of the legendary Jack Trax label as a sound engineer, going on to produce cutting edge releases on imprints R&S, Tresor and Transmat.  This latest Klockworks release relinquishes the sparse energy of T he Advent’s live sets from the 90’s with these previously unreleased timeless live recordings.  Favouring off-kilter percussion and warbled bass, all three strike hard with a distorted and visceral energy. “KW30” will be out on September o4 in digital and vinyl formats.  Pre-order HERE . [ source ]

Legalization of Cannabis for Medical Use in Thailand

The number of illegal drug users rose by 130,000 this year after Thailand legalised cannabis for medical purposes, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) said.  ONCB secretary-general Niyom Termsrisuk blamed easy access to the drug for the rising number of narcotics users. The previous coup-installed government passed a law last year to legalise marijuana for medical purposes only.  However, cannabis remains a Narcotic Type 5, with steep penalties for its misuse. Despite cannabis being available to prescribed patients only, the policy has led to cannabis becoming a readily available source of recreational drugs, he said, adding that it was easy for teenagers to obtain it.  He said the underground market was using the positive image of cannabis to boost their online trading efforts. [ source ] 

New exhibition of electronic music and international club culture in London

A new exhibition called " Electronic " that explores global club culture and the impact of electronic music, is opening at London’s Design Museum  in April 2020. Featuring a soundtrack curated by Laurent Garnier, the exhibition will explore club culture in the UK, Berlin, Detroit, Paris and Chicago, as well as highlighting contributions from artists including Jeff Mills, Ellen Allien, Andreas Gursky and Jean-Michel Jarre. At the Design Museum, techno can be heard over speakers right from the start, and the space’s black walls, blue spotlights, mesh panels and bare scaffolding are clearly intended to evoke the club. Evoking the experience of being in a club, the exhibition will transport you through the people, art, design, technology and photography that have been shaping the electronic music landscape. Watch below and get more info here. It’s open July 31, 2020 thru February 14, 2021. At the exhibition, you have the opportunity to practically move to dance halls in Chicago,

"Distant Dancefloors" documentary on the influence of the corona on electronic music

 A new documentary called ‘Distant Dancefloors’ has been released by Pioneer DJ, detailing the economical, psychological and social impact COVID-19 has had on global club culture. Literally overnight, the entire music industry was shut down! Released on the 4th August, t he film offers a 360-insight into the consequences of the pandemic upon our industry.  With commentary from artists, industry experts and fans alike, we get to see how they have had no option but to adapt how they operate during these difficult times. Blond:ish, Eats Everything, Honey Dijon, Luciano and Rebuke are just some of the artists that offer their opinions and stories in the documentaries with additional comment from industry insiders such as Kevin Watson, Author of the International Music Summit Business Report and Paul Reed the Association of Festivals. Check out the 30-minute documentary, ‘Distant Dancefloors’ , below! Enjoy! [ source ]

EXIT festival supports UN World Food Programme through Life Stream Project

EXIT festival in partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the world's largest humanitarian organization, is launching the next step of Life Stream Project to galvanize efforts towards the COVID-19 response to alleviate the suffering of millions who have lost their livelihoods to the pandemic and are falling deeper into hunger. Life Stream Project brings together world-class acts who will perform at the Petrovaradin Fortress, where EXIT festival takes place, for a million-strong online audience f rom September 3rd to 6th. “EXIT started as a youth movement for peace and freedom in Serbia and Balkans and social activism is still at the forefront of our activities. This year has been hard for all of us, but even in times like this, we must find the strength to do what we can to help those who are the most vulnerable” – says founder and CEO of EXIT Dušan Kovačević. As coronavirus cases soar globally, the pandemic is compounding problems and multiplying misery, es

Sea Dance Festival reschedules to August 2021

Having the unfavorable health situation in Montenegro in mind and considering that the health and safety of all festival participants is top priority, this year’s edition of the Sea Dance Festival has been rescheduled to 2021.  New festival dates will be announced soon together with the first names of the performers.  All tickets, accommodation and transportation for this year’s Sea Dance Festival purchased at official points of sale will be valid for the 2021 festival edition.  New contingents of tickets, accommodation and transportation will be on sale soon with detailed information coming in the following period.  All ticket-holders who find the new festival dates unsuitable will be able to get a money refund, with all the information about the refund process being published in the days ahead on the festival’s official website and social media profiles. [ source ]

Viberate Talked to Beatport

We are very big fan of Viberate , as they have the best curators ever :) Viberate is such a big database with a very precise selection of genres and had a chit-chat with Betport's CEO,  Robb McDaniels. We just got this info and we wanna share with you :)  If you’re a raver , you heard about Beatport . As an online music store and streaming service with 100% of their customers being DJs in some way, shape or form, the platform is one of the important resources for Electronic Music artists.  Music tech entrepreneur and Beatport’s CEO, Robb McDaniels , talks about the challenges for artists during the coronavirus crisis. It’s a worthy read , and here are some takeaways.  ⚡ Understanding the power of digital media makes you more resilient. “The artists who had already embraced digital media and were connecting with fans on a variety of platforms were the ones who saw the least impact on their ability to monetize those fans in other ways.”  🎥 Livestreams could become part of art

No Laptop. No Problem: Beatport LINK x Denon Integration

All Denon Engine OS gear now comes " primed and ready " with Beatport's revolutionary streaming service, LINK , allowing DJs to access Beatport's entire streamable library.  This represents a major breakthrough in performance technology allowing the DJ to log in directly at the device without carrying any portable storage or connected computer.  Once logged in, all LINK subscribers have direct access to their stored playlists and tracks, that when loaded are directly analyzed on the WiFi-enabled hardware, providing professional metadata like cover art, beat-grid, waveform, key detection, BPM, and more. By taking Denon's standalone streaming functionality and combining it with the powerful music playlists of Beatport LINK , subscribers can enjoy unlimited control and performance possibilities.  Denon Engine OS-powered products include SC6000, SC6000M, SC5000, SC5000M, PRIME 4, PRIME 2, and PRIME GO. GO! :)  [ source ] 

Akai releases free MPC Beats app

Akai's new MPC Beats music production software is a free digital audio workstation designed for beginners .  Available on the Akai website  Any MIDI device can be mapped to control MPC Beats , which either runs as a standalone app or as a plug-in in another DAW . 2GB of samples, three virtual instruments, more than 80 effects and sample editing tools are on hand for building and shaping sounds.  Two stereo audio and eight MIDI tracks can run simultaneously and VST, AU, AXX plug-ins are also supported.  Akai also recorded several MPC Beats Academy videos  tutorials for this version to make it easier for users to use the program.  Enjoy! [ source ]

Berlin's Berghain to host first techno party since March

Berghain club will host a techno party on Saturday and Sunday - but it will look different than in pre-pandemic times. Let's say we started to create new world ;)  “Club won’t be opening its oft-dubbed “hardest door in the world” - named for its notoriously picky bouncer - but holding the event outside, and with face masks.” says thelocal.de. Starting from 4 pm on Saturday , clubbers will be welcome in Berghain’s summer garden.  “After a long break, we will dare to start the summer slowly,” organisers wrote on the club’s homepage.  Like the entire Berlin club scene, Berghain has been closed since March 14th, and a reopening of the clubs themselves is not in sight due to the pandemic.  Berghain , however, has found other ways to stay in business, such as hosting an unusual acoustic sound exhibition which stretches through the end of this weekend.  For the garden party - which will take place with a limited number of guests and only in good weather - the Berghain has planned hygi

No dancing, just listening: Berlin techno club Berghain reopens doors

Coronavirus is keeping Berlin's techno clubs closed but Berghain has found a way to throw its doors back open, luring visitors with an unusual sound exhibition.  Visitors listen to the sound installation 'eleven songs – halle am berghain' at Berghain club in Berlin on July 24, 2020. (AFP/Stefanie Loos) Just 50 people are let in at a time to allow for physical distancing, but without the venue's notoriously picky doormen standing guard, no one has to worry about being denied entry.  The sound of techno will not fill the space during this first installation. Instead, visitors to the former power plant are enveloped by an eery, almost surreal soundscape of rhythmic throbbing, soft city noises, murmurings and even the whirling of helicopter blades.  "You listen, you experience, you can close your eyes or leave them open and follow the sound across the room," said Carsten Seiffarth, co-curator of the Singuhr projects, a platform that organises sound art install

IMS Business Report 2020 - Techno has been most popular genre for the past four years

We already wrote about this report but we found more info, in case you want to follow what will happen with electronic music industry.  Pandemic greatly impacted global dance music industry , according to IMS Business Report 2020 staff, 20 hours ago  2 min read It’s all bad news for the global electronic music industry this year, according to the data-driven IMS Business Report 2020. About 350 electronic festivals had been cancelled or rescheduled. The most hurt countries include Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA. Almost 9 million fans were unable to attend scheduled festivals due to restrictions and cancellations. Clubs and festivals lose 75% of income. Partying a huge role in Ibiza . In Ibiza last year, party-animals spent €260 million, which contributed about €0.5 billion to the economy. For perspective, a “musical tourist” spends double in comparison to a normal tourist. Techno still the most popular electronic dance music - the fourth year in a row. Over the