I don’t have any concrete stats to share, but AraabMUZIK has inspired a renewed love for the MPC. The wealth of YouTube videos of this guy embedded and shared all over the web showcase how flexible and fun this staple of music production can be. It was only a matter of time before a tablet integration made its way to the market. AKAI has done just that with it’s MPC FLY. It’s the first MPC designed specifically for the iPad 2. The MPC FLY has all the standard bells and whistles that you’d expect from and MPC (sequencing, built in effects, library of samples, sampling, etc.) but also gives you the ability to record and instantly share to Soundcloud, Facebook, or Twitter. The fitted compartment for your iPad makes for easy use where ever you go. Looking forward to getting my hands on one of these soon.
AKAI Introduces MPC FLY For iPad 2
Legendary Producer Rick Rubin Remixes Justice
Rick Rubin has helped to create a healthy amount of the music that’s influenced me over the years. As a kid growing up on a skateboard here in southern California, it was the music Rubin had a hand in creating that was the soundtrack to my life. It’s truly impressive the impact Rick Rubin has has not only on music, but on popular culture as a whole. He’s co-founded arguably the most influential label in hip-hop history (Def Jam Records), produced the likes of the Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Metallica, Run-DMC, Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Public Enemy, and now basically runs Columbia Records out of his palatial home in Malibu.
So the story goes that Rick Rubin made it known that he was a fan of the first Justice album a few years back. Word got back to Pedro Winter and some time later he and the Justice boys got the opportunity to meet Rubin at his home in Los Angeles. Flash forward to last year, Rubin was equally impressed with Justice’s latest effort, “Audio, Video, Disco.” So much so, that he agreed to craft his own interpretation of the latest single, “On’n'On.”
I’m not sure that I have the right words to describe how good this is, so just press play.
Photo: latimes.com
It’s always a beautiful thing when a vocalist sounds as good or better live than he/she does recorded. Abel Tesfaye doesn’t disappoint. Gearing up for his forthcoming US performances, including an appearance at Coachella in April, The Weeknd hit the stage in Ottawa. Thankfully, a fan lucky enough to have front row seats captured some video. Check it out.
The Weeknd – High For This
The Weeknd – House Of Balloons/Glass Table Girls
The Weeknd – Montreal
The Weeknd – Wicked Games
The Weeknd – The Morning
The Weeknd – Outside
The Weeknd – The Knowing
The Weeknd – The Zone
Uber-talented Yoann Lemoine provided the score for the recent Dior Homme fashion show at Paris Fashion Week. The show, entitled “A Soldier On My Own” features Dior’s 2012-2013 Winter collection. I can’t get enough of that Gucci Vump remix of “Iron.” So good. The collection is rather dark and quite bland in my opinion. Without Woodkid’s assist with the music and the presentation, the show would have been much less compelling.
“PressPausePlay” is an award winning documentary by Swedish creative agency House of Radon featuring some of today’s most influential creators in digital media. The movie which premiered at SXSW last year, examines the impact of today’s technological advances on our culture and the digital artists, musicians, and filmmakers who create it. Artists have regained control through accessible technologies and social media. The documentary is a little less than 90 minutes but well worth the time. Check it out and let us know what you think.
Justice has released their official music video for “On’n'On” today. The visual directed by Alexandre Courtes takes us on an intergalactic journey through space and time. Traveling over (and sometimes through) naked women, skulls, crosses, smoke, galaxies, technology….rock and roll. Check it out and let us know what you think. The EP includes remixes by Erol Alkan, Tiga, Brodinski, and the legendary Rick Rubin. Pre-order the single here.
