This Week In Music: 10th March 2022
A weekly update on all things music, advertising, and technology coming straight to you from Anthony Vanger at MassiveMusic. #TWIM
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: HANIA RANI
What is the soundtrack to a war? Polish composer, pianist, and electronic artist Hania Rani has created a unique sound with her cascading arpeggios and cross-over hand piano playing style. She layers electronic sounds and loops into the sustained-pedal sound of her piano-playing. The track “Buka†from the album?Home?was recorded live in the iconic Warsaw Radio Studio S2, in Warsaw. The instrumental composition flows, never-ending, down an imaginary musical landscape and the listener jumps on for the ride. Where are we going? It is difficult to tell and that creates a sense of urgency. I chose this artist during this horrific week of terror in Ukraine because I wanted to remind listeners that whatever happens over the next few weeks and months, music will always remain the standard-bearer behind which we unite.
Donate:?https://www.redcross.org.uk/
@haniarani #haniarani #home #buka #gondwanarecords #studios2 #warsawradio #esja #modernclassical #piano #instrumental #nilsfrahm #philipglass
AD OF THE WEEK: UNILEVER "BIN BOY"
It’s never easy to get on the metaphorical soap box and start preaching environmental awareness, especially when you are a multinational corporation most likely responsible for a fairly large share of pollution yourself. Unilever, in this ad Bin Boy from India walks a tightrope but pulls it off with humor. We have data that shows that younger generations are better at separating trash than older folks. This ad shames them into accepting they need to do better. I love the music, but could not find the source. Any ideas anyone? Solid work from Olgivy India and brave from Unilever.
Help: A simple act of separating dry, wet, and hazardous waste can help create a cleaner and healthier world for our children. You can help too by tackling the waste at home and residential societies. Join us in beating kachra (waste)?#HumEkKachraZero#BinBoy
SPOTIFY JUST PATENTED ITS OWN A&R TECHNOLOGY TO PREDICT BREAKING ARTISTS
A new track is uploaded to?Spotify?nearly?every second of each day.?So using the service as a talent scouting tool can sometimes feel like finding a needle in a haystack.
Spotify knows this – and it’s working on something to remedy it.
MBW has recently discovered that Spotify has invented a technology that predicts which “relatively unknown†artists on its platform “are likely to break†in the near future.
According to a new US patent granted on Tuesday (March 1) and obtained by MBW, Spotify has developed what it calls a “system and method for breaking artist prediction in a media content environmentâ€.
Spotify’s new invention works by determining “one or more early adopters†from its user base and then collecting data from their listening patterns.
The system can then predict which artists are more likely to break based on the listening patterns of these early adopters.
The patent explains:?“A user who requested playback of media content from a plurality of breaking artists is determined and assigned the role of an early adopter.
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“The breaking artist prediction logic can thereafter predict future breaking artists based on further playback requests from an early adopter interacting with their media device via the software application.
Spotify notes that a user flagged as an early adopter “need not have any knowledge that they are an early adopter, as the media server responds by streaming the requested media content, as it responds to all usersâ€.
It’s A&R, folks – but the listeners are doing all the work. Even if they “need not have any knowledge†they are doing so.
TRAVIS SCOTT ANNOUNCES EVENT SAFETY INITIATIVE FOLLOWING ASTROWORLD TRAGEDY
Travis Scott?has now unveiled a new initiative called Project HEAL, following the tragedy at his Astroworld Festival in November 2021.
Project HEAL is a “multi-tier, long-term series of community-focused philanthropy and investment efforts," according to a statement.
It will include the A Waymon Webster HBCU scholarship fund, an expansion of the CACT.US Youth Design Center, free mental health resources, and the United States Conference of Mayors Task Force on Event Safety are among the four components of the effort.
He has officially pledged almost $5 million in community outreach programs through his initiative for struggling youth — according to reports from?Variety.
In an Instagram caption, Scott wrote: "Over the past few months I’ve been taking the time and space to grieve, reflect and do my part to heal my community. Most importantly, I want to use my resources and platform moving forward towards actionable change. This will be a lifelong journey for me and my family.
"My team and I created Project HEAL to take much-needed action towards supporting real solutions that make all events the safest spaces they can possibly be. I will always honor the victims of the Astroworld tragedy who remain in my heart forever."
BEHRINGER REVEALS SATURN, THE ï¿¡74 MINI SYNTH
Behringer?has?teased?a?Roland Jupiter-8?inspired analogue mini synth named Saturn.
The $99 (ï¿¡74) synth includes three VCOs, a multimode filter, a built-in arpeggiator, and a 16-step motion sequencer.
Saturn also has 27 touch-sensitive keys for “great playability†according to Behringer.
You can also link a larger MIDI keyboard as well as sync it to other synths or drum machines. The Saturn is powered from either your smartphone, power bank, or computer.
Written by?Anthony Vanger
Additional research and reporting by?Adam "Badger" Woolf
Visit TWIM's?Official Website