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the loop

Bedford-based neo-psychedelic artist Luna Waves stuns our senses awake with ‘Sunny Side Down’

Posted on 2 April 2022

Taken off the momentum-shifting illumination of the 16-track sophomore album ‘Blood Mood‘, Luna Waves transmits us a welcome injection of neo-psychedelic awesomeness to truly be uplifted by as we find our sleepy smiles again on ‘Sunny Side Down‘.

Luna Waves is the solo dreamy-rock project of Bedford, UK-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Rob Muir.

”Inspired by artists like Smashing Pumpkins, Pink Floyd, Tame Impala, Kurt Vile, Beach House, Gemma Hayes, Jeff Buckley, Sunflower Bean and Radiohead.” ~ Luna Waves

Calming our over-stimulated hearts as the anxiousness threatens to take us into a shady place that we shouldn’t have ever been exposed to, Luna Waves crashes calmly like a breezy summer day at the ocean with a simply excellent track that is dreamy in nature and will have you glowing gloriously.

‘Sunny Side Down‘ from the Bedford, UK-based rock artist Luna Waves, is a track brimming with some awe-inspiring spacey instrumentals and lusciously smooth loops, that gets your mind into a better state of affairs and away from the previous darkness that consumed us for so long. There is much to ponder here as you find yourself closing your eyes and taking this quality in, with an ever-evolving artist who has moved away from the traditional and is setting a new level of polish for us to soak readily into.

Listen up to this flow-to-the-day single on Spotify and see more mellow vibes on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

New York’s Graztopia hopes for quick relief from those scorching rays that can melt your brain with his latest single ‘Summer Rain’

Posted on 6 March 2022
Bare Bones In The Attic E.P. by Graztopia

Taken off the ‘Bare Bones In The Attic E​.​P‘, Graztopia boogies that rain dance into existence as he asks for that sweet and tasty ‘Summer Rain‘ that will have your body feeling refreshed again.

Graztopia is a one-man-band/singer-songwriter/live looping solo musician from New York City who has been assembling music since he was barely walking.

”His well crafted original songs combined with his poetic/storyteller like lyrics span various genres of music such as rock n roll, alternative folk rock, singer-songwriter, jamband, psychedelic, jazz/blues.” ~ Graztopia

With a remarkably humble and thriving style that sends you into a happy place that has been hiding away for too long as the covid-induced drought baked our souls for a while, Graztopia shakes us back into place with a superb single that has world-class written all over it.

‘Summer Rain‘ from the New York City-based live looper Graztopia, transmits to us a tap-fill of joy to have you jamming all over the streets again as you drip with happiness. There is a gritty tone here with a beat that will have you tapping your feet and clicking your fingers, as you find someone real to dance with.

Life is all about being free from the stifling heat after all right?

Listen in to this new single on Bandcamp and see more via the IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Los Angeles-based music producer soundslikeLANG sounds the ‘Fire Alarm’ you needed to hear

Posted on 26 February 2022

Blessing us with the final track from his recent 3-track EP called “Midnight and the City” which plays an infinite loop when left on repeat, soundslikeLANG warns us of the impending party that is about to go down until sunrise when sleepy eyes connect on ‘Fire Alarm‘.

Created by Los Angeles-based music producer Dave Lang, soundslikeLANG is an emotive-house fusion that grabs your heart and fills your soul with a brand of invigorating style that is certainly a must-listen.

With a pulsatingly enjoyable beat that seems to get you out of your sleepy slumber and quickly shoves you off your slouched couch, soundslikeLANG should be the name on all electronic lovers quivering lips. There is a world-class single here that is perfect for that sweaty dance floor, that takes you into a new world filled with possibilities of what the night might entail.

‘Fire Alarm‘ from the Los Angeles, California-based music producer soundslikeLANG, is an atmospherically charged single with the utmost consideration for our ears. There is brooding energy that keeps you locked in but you can still find the key, as it doesn’t become too clingy and chain you in like many other tracks in this popular genre. This is a perfect release for when you are about to head on out to your favourite venue – to let yourself go loose for a few hours – as you forget your worries and get sucked inside a world that calms your soul down.

Listen up to this new fiery single on Spotify and see more of his moves on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

How to Create and Produce EDM Music?

Posted on 21 February 2022

If you are looking to start experimenting with EDM music production and you’re looking for the fundamentals, this article will work as a beginner’s guide to the process and the equipment that you’ll need to get started.

Learning how to create and produce EDM music will take much more than reading one article. It will take a lot of time, patience, research and experimentation to find your authentic sound and get it sounding as big as the beats from Calvin Harris, Tiesto, Avicii, and Martin Garrix.

Creating EDM may seem easier than becoming a guitar virtuoso or a concert pianist, but there is still an incredibly steep learning curve if you want to produce a GOOD track. Think of it in the same way as the adage that “if you give enough monkeys typewriters, they will eventually write Shakespeare” – the same goes for music production – it still creates skill.

Writing and producing an EDM track should never be a race to the finish line, but for anyone wondering how long it takes, the answer is anywhere between a few hours to a few months. Every EDM artist has their way of working, and generally, the more skilled they are, the faster they can pull together a radio-ready track.

How to create EDM Music

Gear Up

The first thing you need to know is that ANYONE can create EDM music; which wasn’t always the case when the gear was expensive and consumed a lot of space. Now, synths, pianos, and every other instrument can come in accessibly cheap simulated software form.

Your PC or Mac will be your main instrument after a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) has been downloaded, but there are no rules to how you create your arrangements, melodies, loops and beats. Some producers use keyboards, pads, or other forms of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) instruments that they find preference with. We recommend a MIDI controller that has pads and keys so you can create your beats, breaks and melodies on one controller, but the right MIDI for you boils down to your talent, preference and budget. Yet, you can’t go wrong with a Korg MIDI controller!

The second essential piece of kit is a USB audio interface, or the soundcard, which provides output and input from and to a computer; this means that you can listen to what you make via speakers and use your MIDI controller. To ensure that you will get an accurate impression of how your mix sounds, never skimp on the headphones or think that you can rely on your everyday headphones. They might make the music sound good, but they can distort the sound. Always opt for professional headphones, preferably from well-known manufacturers, such as Yamaha and PreSonus.

The last piece of physical kit you will need if you’re planning on bringing your vocals into the mix is a microphone – always do plenty of research before you make your purchase. Which mic is right for you will depend on your desired vocal style. For example, artists that want the popular auto-tuned style will need a high-quality condenser mic.

Getting Started

Before you start trying to create a track on your DAW, spend plenty of time getting to know how it works. You can either follow the manufacturer guide or watch helpful walkthrough videos on YouTube. The most popular DAWs include Ableton Live, Logic X Pro and FL Studio. Again, spend plenty of time researching which DAW is right for you.

Once you know the way around your DAW, start getting acquainted with the instruments and effects. Play around with equalising your synths and experimenting with compression and reverb; at this stage, you will only want to be creating simple loops instead of creating an entire song.

Next, you will need systematic knowledge that covers the entire process of EDM production. There is a range of courses available, both online and through universities, or you can check out YouTube channels. Another way EDM producers find their flair and skill is by reverse engineering their favourite tracks.

Once you know the anatomy of music production, you can start to think about how your track will take shape. Deciding to start with the intro or the drop will impact the final result.

One of the best EDM production tips is deciding how the vocals will work before getting too deep into the instrumentals. If vocals aren’t your forte, collaborate with a vocalist, use vocal samples or experiment with auto-tuning and other effects on your vocals.

At this stage, you should be making an effort to introduce yourselves to the range of effects available on your DAW. See how equalizers can balance frequencies, how compressors can amplify quieter elements, how auto-tuning corrects pitch. Then, you can get creative with your mix with delays and reverb, but as a general rule, don’t overdo it; your focus when producing EDM should always be the rhythm.

Once you are happy with the arrangement of your track and everything is in place, this is where the mixing and mastering come in. You can trust an experienced producer to make your mix as powerful, loud and colourful as the music you hear in clubs. Or you can have a crack at it yourself by finding the perfect levels for your bass, beats and synths. In every step of the process, keep an open and experimental mind. Always note how the smallest edits can change the entire atmosphere.

Conclusion

The question of ‘how to create EDM music’ opens up a wormhole of seemingly endless new questions and confusions. Once you’ve started the process, you will see how much goes into creating EDM music and how ridiculous the notion that EDM producers “aren’t real artists” is. Once you’ve created your first EDM track, consider using our submit EDM music form to have your mix reviewed by our editorial team. If you would like help with promotion, we have courses and 1-1 packages available to artists looking to make their mark in the EDM scene.

Morocco’s Flomine returns with the visuals for ‘Ghorba’ (feat. Mr Casablanca)

Posted on 29 January 2022

On a beat so catchy you will find yourself dancing along to the vibe all night, Flomine takes us on a ride that sends shivers down your spine on ‘Ghorba‘ (feat. Mr Casablanca).

Flomine is a Casablanca, Morocco-based music producer, audio engineer, and DJ who skillfully mixes in gnawa, deep/afro house, and amapiano.

”He is the first Moroccan producer to release and produce amapiano music; creating a new fusion genre using his Moroccan traditions and cultures.” ~ Flomine

Gliding in with a new single which is made with a revved-up rhythm you can’t help but nod your head with, Flomine is at his best with a smoothly-shaded release – that has you feeling so much more relaxed than before – as you wrap your mindset into a body-grooving experience to treasure.

‘Ghorba‘ (feat. Mr Casablanca) from the Casablanca, Morocco-based music producer and DJ Flomine, is a cruise-friendly track that features a looped video that urges us to be wary of the many distractions and pitfalls we may face in the world. Made in an effortless manner that is rather unique, this is a party-friendly track that shows us the innovative nature of an artist who is making his own path by blending in the style that he likes while always keeping his heritage in mind.

See this stylish new music video on YouTube and see more via the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

The History of Rap Music

Posted on 16 January 2022

In 2017, hip hop and RnB finally took over rock music as the most popular genre. It is impossible to imagine our culture sans rap and hip hop in 2022. Yet, the genre which became synonymous with gang violence in the 90s wasn’t always so widely accepted in Western Culture. For fairly obvious reasons.

The History of Rap Music

Most explanations of what is rap music history start with DJ Kool Herc, who made waves when he used two turntables to create loops to extend the instrumental section of a mix in the 70s.

When DJ Kool Herc’s mixed beats became a hit, he allowed Coke La Rock to compere his events, which led to him rapping over DJ Kool Herc’s beats, and so hip hop, as we commonly regard it, was born, but the history of rap goes even further back than that.

While some may believe that it all started in the Bronx, in reality, it began in West Africa centuries earlier. West Africa had Griots, AKA historians, that told rhythmic stories over a simple drumbeat; their stories would mostly revolve around their respective villages, and Caribbean folk music wasn’t worlds away from the rhythmic West African stories.

Rap music came to be defined as vocals that used spoken language, rhyme and rhythm while flowing to a beat. The flow, lyrical context and speed all became important signifiers of rap music. After the hype over Herc spread through the Bronx like wildfire, plenty of other artists stepped up to the plate to push the cultural shift even further.

Kurtis Blow was the first rap artist to be signed to Mercury Records in 1979, and during the following year, Sugar Hill Gang and The Fatback Band both entered the Billboard top 40.

 

During the 80s, party hip hop became a major part of the music industry. This was shortly before hip hop became regarded as a powerful tool for social change, a way to call for accountability and to share socially conscious intellect.

The golden era of hip hop dawned in the mid-80s; names that defined the era included Public Enemy, Rakim, Run D.M.C., and A Tribe Called Quest. Rap music became harder, faster, denser and better produced during the mid-80s. It also got infinitely grittier, thanks to the likes of West Coast Rappers, such as ICE-T and N.W.A., who were keen to share their controversial content to shine a light on the darkest corners of urban life.

In the 90s, the battle raged between West Coast and East Coast rap artists who fought it out for dominance in the charts and on the streets – it is unlikely that any two artists will ever come close to the rivalry between Biggy and Tupac.

Thankfully, the friction in the hip hop industry started to fade when the likes of Snoop Dogg and Jay Z came onto the scene in the 90s to help rap artists shed their bad collective reputation.

Female rap artists finally started to breakthrough in the 90s too. Yo-Yo, Queen Latifa and MC Lyte proved that women have as much a place in the genre – which is just as true today with icons such as Nikki Minaj and Cardi B reigning supreme on the rap charts.

Post-2000, rap music is as diverse as it is popular. Old school fans may not make much of new wave trap trends, but artists, such as Lip Peep and Lil Xan, deserve just as much of a place in rap history as any one of the 70s, 80s or 90s icons. Today, there are 22 subgenres of rap, including the marmite of rap, mumble rap, rap-rock, Crunk, drill, emo and horrorcore.

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As important as it is to ask what is rap music history, it is just as crucial to keep your finger on the pulse when it comes to the future of hip hop and rap music. Take for example the stellar tracks that transpired as a result of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020 and Spottie Wifi making history as the first-ever Cryptopunk rapper in 2021. Rap music blogs are the best way to stay engaged with the luminary up and coming artists that are bringing in the future of rap and hip hop.

How to Produce Trap Music?

Posted on 30 December 2021

Whether you’re an experienced producer and want to dabble in the trap genre or you’re a producer wanting to cover all bases before creating your first mix, this A – Z guide on how to create trap music will give a comprehensive overview of the complete trap-making process.

8 Tips on How to Produce Trap Music

  1. Get the Tempo Right

140 BPM is considered the trap sweet spot, but most trap BPMs run between the 100 – 176 range for the average track. For downtempo trap tracks, reduce the BPM to 75 – 90. Whatever the BPM of your track, it should act as the pulse or the eighth-note pulse.

  1. Make Your Loops Simple, Harmonic and Melodic

Contrary to popular belief, trap music isn’t all about heavy 808s, rapid hi-hats and crisp snares – harmony and melody are just as important when it comes to creating a trap hit. The melody helps set the tone; usually, trap music falls into gritty and dark territory, so producers are known to stick to minor chords and minor arpeggios for the melodies. Always be aware of the timbre of the synths, strings and orchestral brass samples and recordings.

  1. Master the Beats

Give hi-hat patterns plenty of rhythmic space in your trap track; to give the beats bounce, throw in an eighth-note pulse, then try experimenting with open hats on the fourth beat. If you don’t feel that flow, place them elsewhere in the mix to change the bounce of the track.

In trap, the snares come in on beat three, and in some cases on the first beat in the following measure. Wherever you place your snares, make sure they crack in the mix and be prepared to experiment with snaps, claps and creative percussive crashes.

Last but not least, give your track an 808 kick. 808s should come in on the first beat; after that first beat, feel free to experiment with the rattling bass.

  1. Mix Up the Hi-Hats

Once your trap mix is starting to take form, mix up the hi-hats. To stay true to the trap sound, include double and triple hi-hat signatures. In other words, add patterns on the 16th and 24th notes.

  1. Get Vocal

Unless you want to keep your track 100% instrumental, this is where you add vocals. Bring in the human elements on beats two and four to keep your track galvanising. You can be as creative or as minimalist with vox as you want, or you can lace full rap verses over the beats or keep it as a few minimal samples – always make sure they flow and keep to the same tempo.

  1. Get Your Flow

Hip Hop has never been about production maximalism, but the award-winning trap producers always give their tracks nuance and shift the patterns for the best flow. As a rule of thumb, change something in the mix every 4 bars – no matter how obvious or subtle.

  1. Fill Your Mix

While your mix is still rough, add audio effects, such as filters, that can create more space for the mix for vocals. To get more grit out of your 808s, saturation and distortion are great effects, while reverb always helps bring more out of synths, claps and snares. To slow down your trap track in the outro, use pitch bends for cinematic effect. Compression and stereo panning also help get that finished sound.

  1. Arrange Your Single

This stage is where your loop turns into a single with a short intro containing 8 – 16 bars, a pre-chorus with 4 – 8 bars, a chorus with 8 bars, a bridge; then to end, an outro. With choruses, unless it’s a downtempo chill track, always go as big as possible with full chords and big brass sounds and keep the rhythmic elements in the verses alive in the chorus. With your intro, it could be as simple as the melodic loop standing alone before the beats kick in.

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Once you have created your track, you’re happy with it, and you want the world to hear It, consider trap music promotion with A&R Factory.

Keeping Things Alive: Childhood friends Shyness Boy defeat the odds on ‘Featsteps’

Posted on 9 December 2021

After never giving up on their purpose to make music together, no matter what stones life threw at them, Shyness Boy bravely shows us the track that has been brewing contently for many years with ‘Featsteps‘.

Shyness Boy is an indie experimental shywave/funk/pop/looper duo from San Fernando, California, who despite facing many glitches in the Matrix have made it through unscathed.

”Work on Shyness Boy’s debut began all the way back in the autumn of 2013. Dennis and Ron held a series of writing and demoing sessions that resulted in an initial slate of over 10 songs. In early 2015 the duo was ready to record their album in earnest when one was seriously injured in an accident. The subsequent years were largely devoted to the recovery, but the two still strived to continue their work.” ~ Shyness Boy

After first meeting in the eighth grade back at school, Shyness Boy shows us their utterly in-sync chemistry from start to finish on this underground track that helps you feel so much better than before. There is contemplative summer energy here and the vocals urge you to come a little bit closer, with a sunglasses-type beat that has you looking around with a slight smile on your face.

‘Featsteps‘ from the experimental funk/pop duo Shyness Boy, is a true story all about knowing that some things can’t be bought and you need to be careful otherwise soon, you might be lost. Like so many who lose themselves rather easily in this vortex-filled world of temptation, this is a warning of staying with the good souls and seeing where you land. After many detours in the road that threatened to derail this catchy duo, we get to see what all this hard word is all about. It was certainly worth the wait.

Hear this terrific new single on Spotify and see more of the all-conquering journey on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Columbia harnesses the dystopic 2021 ennui in their latest indie-rock hit, Glory People.

Posted on 5 December 2021
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/hi39HJ1YjrvsKica7

Cardiff’s most visceral powerhouse, Columbia, created the ultimate embrace-the-chaos indie rock track with their latest single, Glory People. As sonically powerful as the high-octane psych-tinged rock hit is, that scarcely comes close to the stadium-filling energy that transpires through Columbia’s advocation of making the best of what we have.

So often, people get stuck in lament because their imagination can create better lives than the one reality puts before them; Columbia broke that negative feedback loop by serving the anthemic reminder that adversity isn’t the end of the world; it is a given. Just as the Stone Roses were a sign of the times, as are Columbia with their indie rock sound that aspires to unify through dystopic 2021 ennui.

Glory People was officially released on December 3rd, 2021. You can check it out for yourselves via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

On My Own: Szopa shows us strikingly into those evenings all alone on ‘Lore’

Posted on 24 August 2021

With his second album ‘Vital Organs‘ on the way in early 2022, Szopa drops a juicy electronica-filled trip-hop masterpiece with the drum-packed beats of mysterious intrigue with ‘Lore‘.

Damian Malecki aka Szopa, is a Polish-born Sheffield, UK-based post-punk/dark wave musician, audio visual artist and nature lover. He fuses a blend of innovative music creations which has your mind in a real state of excitement, as you feel that this is an artist who looks deeper at life than most.

”In his music, Szopa attempts to explore and highlight the dark, sinister thoughts that hide behind our words and actions, with an array of orchestral sounds, tribal drums and electronic loops. Being on the autism spectrum, Szopa’s music draws attention to complex, internal processes and a feeling of alienation.” ~ Szopa

Like a true storyteller, he skillfully wraps us in quickly before unearthing a truly sumptuously explosive track which captures your varied mood rather quickly. He has a terrific style full of wondrous fascination – which always seems to be totally imaginative beyond the norm – and with that utmost conviction of his smartly penned process.

‘Lore‘ from the Sheffield, UK-based dark wave/post-punk musician Szopa, is the story of finding the strength inside to venture outside in this rather odd world again. Those lonely nights alone have taken their toil and you are looking for more, as you stretch your imagination and work out what you do indeed crave, to awaken your sleepy senses.

Made with a fantastic beat with soothing vocals on a breathtaking beat, this is a absorbing track which will have you thinking of the vast possibilities out there in beautiful nature.

Hear this fine new track on Spotify and see more via the IG music channel.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen