This Week In Music: 15th June 2023
A weekly update on all things music, advertising, and technology coming straight to you from Anthony Vanger at MassiveMusic. #TWIM
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: THE LATHUMS
The Lathums are an unapologetically English indie rock band from Wigan, Greater Manchester who proudly wear their northern accents on their sleeves. This is no American sounding outfit and they have tapped into an eager young audience, scoring two number one albums with How Beautiful Life Can Be in 2021 and most recently From Nothing To A Little Bit More from which this single Struggle is taken. The band is influenced by, and often compared to, the Smiths and Artic Monkeys, but I would say they are mix of Lewis Capaldi and Sam Fender, the former because of the frontman and the latter because of the social commentary. And let's talk about the frontman, singer/songwriter and guitarist Alex Moore. He is a wonder to behold - the last time I saw such an un-ironic use of eyeglasses was Trevor Horn of the Buggles. But unlike Horn, Moore has a secret weapon: his voice. And when he pumps it hard, rising above the tight thunder of the band, you can feel the goosebumps.
'Struggle' is out now: https://thelathums.lnk.to/struggleID
AD OF THE WEEK: CHANNEL 4 UNVEILS GROUND-BREAKING NEW SERIES OF IDENTS TO REFLECT MODERN BRITAIN
Channel 4 today unveils a new series of idents which authentically reflect life in modern Britain.
Created by Channel 4’s multi-award-winning in-house creative agency 4creative in collaboration with Art Practice and Love Song, the five new idents feature scenes including an urban fox taking refuge in a decaying telephone box, a group of teenagers on the last day of school, a frozen moment of a Friday night and a celebration of Zoroastrian New Year. The 25 unique looping scenes create a tapestry of modern British society today as seen through the eyes of a diverse group of 17 independent creatives, artists, and filmmakers.
Following the broadcaster’s brand transformation, the idents draw on the concept of ‘4’ as a traveller which acts as a companion for viewers through limitless worlds of content. The iconic Channel 4 logo is the central axis of each film as the camera continually loops through the logo itself to show thought-provoking and dramatic scenes that form a part of Channel 4’s ‘Altogether Different’ reflection of the UK.
NEW SCHEME SET UP TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD MUSIC FESTIVALS
A new crowdfunding scheme aiming to support young people to attend music festivals has been set up by the Association of Independent Festivals (AIF).
The campaign, called First Festival,, wants to support those who have not been able to attend music festivals upon turning 18 due to the pandemic-enforced lockdown and the ensuing cost of living crisis, which has caused both a surge in ticket prices and reduction in disposable incomes.
If your 18th birthday falls between September 1 2019 and August 31 2023, you could be eligible. This scheme, if successful, would grant many young adults the ability to experience a festival for the first time.
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DAFT PUNK SHARE FIVE-PART MINI-DOCUMENTARY SERIES ABOUT THE COLLABORATORS ON 'RANDOM ACCESS MEMORIES'
Daft Punk have shared a new five-part mini-documentary series on the collaborators who helped to make 'Random Access Memories' the iconic album it has become.
Directed by US cinematographer and director Ed Lachman, the videos were originally captured back in 2013 during the making of 'Random Access Memories' and are now releasing the footage to coincide with the record's 10th anniversary.
Episode one features an interview with Giorgio Moroder, who discusses his work on 'I Feel Love', as well as going into detail about his studio time with the French duo, describing them as "perfectionists".
Todd Edwards, Nile Rodgers, Pharrell Williams and Panda Bear each form the focus of the following four episodes.
Watch the first episode with Giorgio Moroder below and find the rest of the series on Daft Punk's YouTube channel.
VARIA INSTRUMENTS LAUNCH NEWLY UPDATED RDM20 ROTARY MIXER
Swiss music tech company Varia Instruments has added a new product to its line: the RDM20 Revision B, an updated version of its 2016 RDM20 rotary mixer.
Created by a team of two technicians - Simon and Marcel - the RDM20 Revision B is a fully analogue two-channel rotary mixer created “for your mixing pleasure”, per the instrument’s description.
Audibly, the Revision B mixer has less distortion than its previous model, and while the master isolator is “steep and raw” sounding, the channel isolators sound softer and smoother than before.
The updated mixer also features switchable power voltage, better hardware treatment for a more durable machine, and a lower noise floor than previous models.
The handcrafted instrument is available now in a limited run, with an initial cost sitting just over €2,200 (£1,950). Find out more about the RDM20 Revision B here.
Written by Anthony Vanger
Additional research and reporting by Adam "Badger" Woolf
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