Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:46 | By Aly Barchi

Angel Haze airing new single tonight

Releases

Angel Haze will air the lead single to her new LP, ‘Dirty Gold’, tonight on Radio 1. The track, which is titled ‘Echelon (It’s My Way)’, will have its first play c/o the station’s night-time disc jock Zane Lowe, this followed by an official physical/digital release on 2 Sep.

Currently listenable in place of ‘Echelon’ is Haze’s ‘street track’ ‘No Bueno’:

Death Grips free new track Birds

Releases

Rap wave-makers Death Grips have released a new track named ‘Birds’, in so doing reminding fans that hip hop (as opposed to label clashes and ‘intentional’ no-shows) is their main shtick. In case anyone had forgotten.

This is a link to its free MP3 self, and this its pleasantly-phrased lyric sheet, and this its video:

The Drowning Men playing in London this week

Gigs & Festivals

With their second album, ‘All Of The Unknowns’, out now, Californians The Drowning Men are over in the UK this week for two London shows.

You can catch them at The Islington tonight and The Borderline on Wednesday. Check out the video for the single ‘Lost In A Lullaby’ here:

Foals to tour

Gigs & Festivals

Foals are charging off to play lots of shows in 2014, so that’s nice. Acting as a kind of ‘last lap’ for the band’s ambitious third LP ‘Holy Fire’, the dates will fall as follows:

4 Feb: Dublin, Olympia
7 Feb: Manchester, Apollo
9 Feb: Glasgow, Barrowlands
11 Feb: Birmingham, Academy
12 Feb: Newcastle, Academy
14 Feb: London, Alexandra Palace

An appropriate thing to do at this point is to watch a Foals video. This one for ‘Holy Fire’ track ‘Bad Habit’, filmed on CCTV a la an online project they’ve been doing, is an option:

Bring Me The Horizon spy live dates

Gigs & Festivals

Bring Me The Horizon will bring their new-ish LP, ‘Sempiternal’, (and themselves) to a series of live sets they’re playing later this year.

And they are:

30 Oct: Glasgow, Academy
31 Oct: Newcastle, Academy
2 Nov: Birmingham, Academy
5 Nov: Manchester, Academy

Flux Pavilion adds shows

Gigs & Festivals

Hi, Flux fans; Mr Pavilion has confirmed a load of mid-winter shows leading into mid-December.

Fluxy will call at:

29 Nov: Sheffield, Academy
30 Nov: Manchester, Academy
2 Dec: Birmingham, Academy
3 Dec: Bournemouth, Academy
5 Dec: Cambridge, The Junction
6 Dec: Norwich, UEA
7 Dec: Bristol, Academy
9 Dec: Nottingham Rock City
10 Dec: Newcastle, Academy
11 Dec: London, The Forum
13 Dec: Liverpool, Academy

Sidebar: Pavilion is giving away a track titled ‘Standing On The Hill’ as a thanks to his million FB fans, so download that at this link, and/or play it now:

Skindred update live listings

Gigs & Festivals

Ragga metallists Skindred will broadcast their new LP ‘Kill The Power’ live in January, playing a chain of dates prior to its release in early 2014. “Bring it on!”, says the band’s Arya Goggin.

Staying with Arya’s ‘bringing things on’ idea, I’ll now bring on those live listings, and an advance play of ‘Kill The Power’ taster ‘Ninja’:

22 Jan: Norwich, UEA
23 Jan: Southampton, Mo Club
24 Jan: Nottingham, Rock City
25 Jan: Wolverhampton, Wulfrun Hall
26 Jan: Middlesbrough, Empire
27 Jan: Glasgow, ABC
29 Jan: Sheffield, Leadmill
30 Jan: Bristol, Academy
31 Jan: Cambridge, The Junction
1 Feb: London, The Forum
2 Feb: Manchester, Academy

Festival line-up update: By:Larm, Simple Things and more

Artist News Festival Line-Up Update Gigs & Festivals

Today’s update has artist addition-based treats via Norwegian showcase fest By:Larm, 2014’s London International Ska Festival, Blackpool rock uprising Rebellion and details of the final acts signing off to play brill Bristolian one-dayer Simple Things.

BY:LARM, various venues, Oslo, Norway, 26 Feb – 1 Mar 2014: Emilie Nicolas, André Bratten, Vilde Tuv, Zhala, Lowing, Kill J, Taragana Pyjarama, Man Tear. www.bylarm.no

LONDON INTERNATIONAL SKA FESTIVAL, various venues, London, 17-20 Apr 2014: Keith & Tex, Freddie Notes, Phoenix City All Stars. The Delegators, The Meow Meows, DJ Chris Tofu. www.londoninternationalskafestival.co.uk

REBELLION, Blackpool Winter Gardens, Blackpool, 7-10 Aug 2014: NoFX, Evil Conduct, Slaughter & The Dogs, Spizzenergi, Dirtbox Disco. www.rebellionfestivals.com

SIMPLE THINGS, various venues, Bristol, 12 Oct: Nicholas Jaar, Marcel Dettman, The Field, Connan Mockasin, The Pastels, Applebim. www.simplethingsfestival.co.uk

One Direction post ad for perfume

Brands & Merch

I’m not sure One Direction are taking the launch of their very own perfume Our Moment seriously.

It’s as if they find the now compulsory practice of teen-boy-popstars selling overpriced smelly liquids to gullible fans as ridiculous as the rest of us. Though, when you release songs with no long-term appeal, maximising short-term cash-in is seriously important.

Anyway, 1D’s smell is now available, and they’ve release a silly little advert for it soundtracked by their ‘X-Factor’ mate Diana Vickers singing a song from ‘The Sound Of Music’. Good times.

Kweller announces new management and expansion of label

Business News Deals Industry People Labels & Publishers

Ben Kweller has announced a new management alliance with industry veteran Kevin Wommack, who will now also oversee the singer songwriter’s record label The Noise Company, which recently signed indie band Wild Child.

Kweller told CMU: “I’ve never been so excited about the future before. For the past five years, Liz [Kweller] and I have been handling all the business stuff on our own. I wouldn’t give that time and experience up for anything, but I felt it was time to hand over the keys. Kevin magically appeared at this crazy-perfect time. I’m in a special place right now because the only thing I have to focus on is making music”.

Wommack, who has hired Mary Jurey from New West Records and Emmy Black from Bar None Records to help run The Noise Company, added: “Ben is an extremely creative artist with great vision and energy. I’m thrilled to be on the team”.

Kweller is currently working on new material in his Austin studio.

Swift disses 1D to Selena at VMAs

And Finally

So, did Taylor Swift diss her ex-boyfriend’s band at the VMAs this weekend then?

It’s widely believed that as One Direction, including ex Harry Styles, collected their MTV award and told their NYC audience that “the best fans are in New York”, Swift turned to Selena Gomez, who she was sitting next to, rolled her eyes and mouthed that they should “shut the fuck up”.

Which isn’t very nice is it? Nor was the bit of booing heard coming from the VMA audience as the 1D boys did their gurning for the camera bit; perhaps the out-of-towners didn’t appreciate the New York fan big ups. Though worry not Lady Gaga was on hand to offer some moral support.

According to Digital Spy, she told the 1D lads: “Don’t you dare let those people boo you. If I did hear what I heard out there, I just want to tell you that you deserve every bit of success that you have”. So look at that, a nice happy ending for One Direction. Ha, take that Taylor.

CMU Digest – 23 Aug 2013

Business News Week In Five

The five biggest stories in the music business this week…

01: PRS For Music announced it had signed a new deal with YouTube. The deal will cover the use of songs represented by the rights body across the Google-owned video platform – including in official music videos, live footage and when synced in user-generated content – in no less than 130 countries. It’s pretty wide-ranging, both in terms of the kinds of usage of represented songs it covers, and the number of territories in which the licence will apply, 130 across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. CMU report

02: It was revealed who will lose out financially from the HMV administration. Money lenders to the old HMV Group plc have recovered £38.6 million after the sale of the flagging entertainment retailer to Hilco earlier this year, while financial and legal advisors to the defunct company will earn £15 million for their work. Unsecured creditors, including suppliers and landlords, will likely see nothing, while the old HMV pension fund will lose out on £26 million it was due , though a spokesman for the fund said that this will not affect members of the pension scheme. CMU report | Daily Telegraph report

03: 21st Century Fox took a 5% stake in Vice Media. The $70 million deal with the Rupert Murdoch-owned company gives Vice a valuation of $1.4 billion, and will also reportedly see the company utilise 21st Century Fox’s Star TV in India and its stake in Sky in the UK, Germany and Italy to further push out its brand. CMU report | Financial Times report

04: It was reported that Beats Electronics is looking to buy itself out of its partnership with HTC. The phone maker took just over a 50% stake in the overpriced headphone peddler in 2011, but sold half of that back to the firm last summer. Since then the Beats company has been prepping to enter the competitive streaming music market in addition to the continued expansion of its hardware business. Now Beats bosses reportedly want to buy back HTC’s remaining shares, though there’s no word on whether the key shareholder will sell. CMU report | Wall Street Journal report

05: Ad Age reported details of iTunes Radio’s initial advertising partners. When Apple’s streaming service goes live next month, it will do so with twelve brands in place, including McDonald’s, Nissan, Pepsi and Proctor & Gamble. These companies will remain exclusive advertisers, through audio, video and display ads, until the end of the year. After that, anyone will $1 million spare can come on board. CMU report | Ad Age report

This week in the CMU Daily, we showcased a few of our timelines, which round up all of our reports on key stories, both ongoing and, in some cases, now drawn to a close. This week we looked through the epic tales of the EMI sale, HMV’s decline and fall (and rise?), plus the digital royalties lawsuits sparked by FBT Production’s landmark ruling against Universal, and the saga of MP3 resale service ReDigi.

In the Approved column we had a new track and video from dark lord House Of Black Lanterns, a bit of punk from Eagulls and (for the third time) Parquet Courts, plus some cinematic neo-classical goodness from Lucy Claire.

CMU Beef Of The Week #171: Brandy v The 40 people in South Africa who actually wanted to see her

And Finally Artist News Beef Of The Week

American R&B star Brandy stomped off stage after performing just two songs at a show in South Africa last weekend. The singer was seemingly upset that only around 40 people had turned up to see her.

While I might usually say that artists should perform regardless of how many people come through the door, in this case I can see why it might have been difficult to muster the enthusiasm. After all, the venue she was playing in was the 90,000 capacity FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.

Fellow singer Kabomo described the gig on Twitter, saying: “I have no words for what I just witnessed. Brandy performed to an empty stadium. With the stadium lights on. She sulked after two songs and walked off”.

Brandy is actually fairly popular in South Africa, and had been booked as the surprise guest at the inaugural Nelson Mandela Sport And Culture Day, a day of sport and music in honour of the former South African president.

Unfortunately, unlike most ‘secret’ gigs, where everyone’s well aware of the performance long ahead of time, it seems Brandy’s set was kept so tightly under wraps that almost no one had any idea it was happening. And a delay between the last in a long-line of local artists and the start of her secret set was long enough for an entire stadium to clear. Which is quite a long time.

Even SABC, the TV station broadcasting the show, apparently didn’t know that she was due to perform, as it ended its broadcast of the event before she took the stage too. Although, in the end, that was perhaps a good thing.

So, as we head into the final weekend of this year’s ThreeWeeks-covered Edinburgh Fringe, where competition is tough and low-turn outs are common, performers there should all take note: however few people you may have to perform to this weekend, it can’t be as bad as 40 people in a 90,000 capacity stadium. And once the Fringe is done, I hope you’ll go to Brandy’s London show on 24 Sep to show a little solidarity.

Approved: Notting Hill Carnival 2013

Club Tip CMU Approved

It’s Notting Hill Carnival weekend, so what else could I possibly tip this week? The huge West London street party, one of my favourite events of the year, takes place this Sunday and bank holiday Monday.

Carnival’s music policy embraces and mixes and blends many genres. The traditional calypso, soca and reggae from the Caribbean, and the steel bands, are excellent, as is the costumery; the attention to detail and planning is astonishing. The taste of the Caribbean is also a major part, roti and jerk chicken or saltfish and ackee with rice n peas, to soak up the Caribbean rum and Guinness punch.

But Carnival doesn’t just focus on the past, the music embraces jungle, ragga, hip hop, house, broken beat and dubstep, and the static soundsystems – peppered around Notting Hill over the weekend – are the places to catch up with such musical moves and grooves. They’re certainly worth hunting down, though maybe plan a route including the ones you want to see before setting out.

Soundsystems particularly worth checking out are CMC/Matrix and 4 Play, playing drum n bass and garage, King Tubby/Saxon for the reggae vibe, Sancho Panza, who are celebrating 20 years at Carnival, and Norman Jay’s returning Good Times bus, which is always mobbed. Latin Rave Street Jam, Fun Bunch and Channel One are worth checking too.

Sunday is traditionally children’s day, and it can get a little more rowdy on the Monday all round Notting Hill. As I say, get a map and plan where you’ll be heading before setting out. It can be mobbed at times, so keep an eye out for one another, and remember that mobile reception is dodgy as the overloaded networks struggle to cope. Time Out still does an interactive map, which is handy for knowing the location of the soundsystems and the float route, but the official website info seems somewhat sparse. Also many tube stations are exit only during the day – so pay attention.

As well as the daytime festivities, the weekend will also see some superb post-Carnival parties.

One I’d definitely recommend is being hosted by Ninja Tune, taking over the Flyover in Portobello. Congo Natty will be in the house, flying high from his quality recent album, with Toddla T and Om Unit there too.

There’s also a massive party at The Ministry Of Sound, with Groove Odyssey jetting in Kenny Dope from Masters At Work to play alongside songstress Bucie, Joey Negro and Jazzie M, amongst many others.

Meanwhile, Innovation will be calling in some big dnb heavyweights to Suffolk Street, with Roni Size & MC Dynamite, Dillinja, Grooverider, Mampi Swift, Original Sin, Sly & Bassman and Kenny Ken.

It’s a grade A London tradition – let’s hope the sun shines on West London, it just makes it so much more enjoyable. Viva Carnival!

Hip hop acts and labels face $100 million copyright lawsuit

Business News Labels & Publishers Legal Top Stories

A $100 million lawsuit has been filed targeting various hip hop producers and rappers, plus music publishers and labels, over allegations they were all involved in illegally sampling and using music created by New Orleans jazz ensemble The Batiste Brothers (pictured).

Amongst those accused of using extracts of the Batiste Brothers’ work without permission are T-Pain, DJ Khaled, Rick Ross and Pitbull, while corporate defendants include Universal’s Def Jam and Sony’s RCA.

The litigation has been filed by Paul Batiste and in his legal papers he refers to “an immense number of songs infringing upon the plaintiff’s catalogue”. Numerous such songs are then listed, including Jamie Fox and T-Pain’s ‘Blame It’ and DJ Khaled’s ‘All I Do Is Win’.

It’s not clear why action hasn’t been taken before, but, according to AllHipHop.com, the lawsuit claims that “defendants have blatantly poached beats, lyrics, melodies and chords from Plaintiff’s songs” and that “many of the defendants songs have been released multiple times, in multiple versions and that each release constitutes an independent act of copyright infringement”.

Which is why the lawsuit reckons over $100,000,000 in damages could be due. None of the defendants have as yet responded to the various claims.

Kanye West sued over airport pap scuffle

Legal

Kanye West is being sued over an alleged scuffle with a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport in July this year.

Paparazzo Daniel Ramos says that West punched him and wrestled him to the ground while he was trying to do the important job of photographing him as he walked somewhere.

Ramos initially tried to press criminal charges, but last week the LA district attorney decided not to prosecute West. In his civil suit, Romas accuses West of assault, battery and negligence and that the rapper violated his civil rights.

Pendulum “probably” returning with new album next year

Artist News

Pendulum’s Rob Swire has said that he is “probably” going to take Pendulum off hiatus with a new album next year.

As previously reported, Swire shoved Pendulum into a corner and threw a sheet over it last year, as his other project Knife Party grew in popularity. He told NME at the time: “We’re having too much fun with [Knife Party]. It’s also great because Pendulum, towards the end, sort of felt like we were doing it because we had to and that’s never a fun way to do music”.

Does that mean Knife Party is over now? Well, no. Apparently there will be a new album from them too. What fun. Well, hopefully it’s fun.

Tweeting yesterday, Swire said: We’re probably going to release another Pendulum album some time next year. It will have been four years since the last one and probably no one will give a fuck, but neither do I… so it’s all good. There will be a KP album before that also. Probably should have mentioned that first”.

Walkmen man making solo LP

Artist News

The Walkmen’s Hamilton Leithauser is collaborating with a co-op of indie stars on his first ‘solo’ LP.

Hamilton and pals (that’s The Shins’ Richard Swift, Dirty Projectors’ Amber Coffman, Fleet Foxes’ Morgen Henderson, Vampire Weekend Rostam Batmangli and Walkmen guitarist Paul Maroon, to name five), are, in fact, stationed at Vox Studios in LA right now, sharing regular updates like this Instagram pic and this Vine vid:

It’s anticipated the LP, which is still in its early stages and so lacking in details, will see a release in spring 2014.

Matthew E White releasing bigger Big Inner LP, new EP

Releases

‘Big Love’ wiz Matthew E White has made his first LP circa earlier this year, ‘Big Inner’, even bigger, and will re-release the disc on 21 Oct as an ‘Outer Face Edition’, this featuring an all-new EP.

Imagined by White as a “monument to love, to non-love, to the confusion of feelings, to the last half century of recorded music, to dub, to minimalism, to pure orchestration, to the human voice, to birds in the sky, to home”, the EP features five new tracks. Hear its final track ‘Hot Hot Hot’, and play a teaser trailing the re-release, here:

Lemonade give away track

Releases

Singles specialists Lemonade are (soda)streaming a new song titled ‘Skyballer’, sweetening the deal to an even greater extent by also giving it away as a free gift. So, that’s real nice of them, as is the track itself. Sip it here:

Chase & Status add arena dates

Gigs & Festivals

EDMheads Chase & Status are taking a high-ranking live trail (aka a tour) of the nation’s arenas later this year. Check its dates, which fall in the immediate wake of C&S’s new LP, ‘Brand New Machine’, via this list:

31 Oct: Nottingham, Capital FM Arena
1 Oct: Aberdeen, AECC GE Oil And Gas Arena
2 Oct: Glasgow, The SSE Hydro
7 Oct: Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena
8 Oct: Manchester, Phones 4u Arena
9 Oct: Newcastle, Metro Radio Arena
12 Oct: Plymouth, Pavilions
13 Oct: Bournemouth, BIC
14 Oct: Birmingham, NIA
15 Oct: Brighton, Centre
16 Oct: London, The O2

Tickets will be available next Friday. Until then get a C&S fix via their new single ‘Count On Me’, which is released 29 Sep:

Jessie Ware, Duke Dumont to headline free whiskey gig

Brands & Merch Gigs & Festivals

Avid LDN-ers/alchies Jessie Ware and Duke Dumont will show love for London by playing Cutty Cargo, a one-off ‘pop-up’ night of food, drink and performance sponsored by Cutty Sark Whiskey, on 12 Sep.

The first in a series of similar international events designed to ‘showcase the best in creative culture across major cities’, it’ll feature sets by Ware and Dumont plus live theatre, cabaret and, I’m assuming, whiskey on tap.

Raves Ware: “London is my city. It constantly surprises and gives me pride to be a Londoner. There is always something to inspire around every street corner and that’s why I’m so excited to be part of the Cutty Cargo event, people can expect to experience the best sounds and sights of the city all in one place”.

Hmm. Fans sharing Jessie’s feelings can make a play for free tickets to the event via this Facebook page.

Atom Factory announces Capitol alliance

Business News Deals Labels & Publishers Management & Funding

Atom Factory Entertainment, the management company of Lady Gaga manager Troy Carter, has announced an alliance with Universal’s Capitol Music Group in the US which will see the two companies operate a joint venture label to launch two new Carter-managed American indie bands, Basic Vacation and The Ceremonies.

Under the new partnership, Atom Factory will lead on the digital-focused marketing strategy for launching the two acts, but Capitol will support in other areas, including more conventional radio and TV promotions.

Commenting on his joint venture with Capitol, Carter told Billboard: “We’ll use the radio team at Capitol, and they’ll marry that to our marketing team at Atom Factory. For us, this was a choice about where to invest our financial resources. Do we put our personal resources to investing in technology, or do we invest our personal resources into a music label? I think it made more sense to do it this way because now both of us can do what we do best”.

Beggars’ David Emery to join Kobalt Label Services

Business News Industry People Labels & Publishers Marketing & PR

Beggars Group’s Head Of Marketing David Emery has announced that he will leave the company after eight years at the end of this week. So today. He’s not hanging about though, from next week he will be known as Kobalt Label Services’ Director Of Marketing.

Writing on his blog yesterday, Emery said: “It’s been a pretty amazing ride over the last eight years. I’ve had the ridiculous fortune to work with some of my all time favourite artists like Radiohead, The White Stripes, Sonic Youth and Queens Of The Stone Age and about a million more. And then there was that whole Adele thing as well. You can’t rest on your laurels forever, though. More importantly, I think everyone needs a challenge; problems to solve, things to change”.

He continued: “It’s a fascinating time for the industry, with digital having finally bedded in and revenue coming from all sorts of different places it seems like the perfect point to take a step back and reconceptualise what a label could and should be, which is exactly what KLS is doing. It’s exciting”.

Carnaby St to host The Clash shop and showcase

Business News Marketing & PR Retail

Similar to that Jimmy Hendrix one, Black Market Clash, a shop dedicated to all-things The Clash, will be ‘popping’ into London’s Carnaby Street (at 75 Berwick Street) on 7 Sep.

Open for a fortnight only, it’ll feature a showcase of not-on-sale memorabilia on loan from the band, specially-created merchandise, an HQ listening area and Fender Plug & Play ‘Master Classes’ and demonstrations. Really, mind, the main idea is to advertise ‘Hits Back’, a new Clash ‘greatest hits’ that’s released 9 Sep.

Music mags publishing director departs Bauer

Media

The Publishing Director for the music magazines at Bauer Media, Rimi Atwal, has departed the company, with Kerrang!, Mojo and Q now sitting under David Bostock.

According to Music Week, Bauer confirmed Atwal’s departure, adding it was a result of “a strategic review of the London Lifestyle publishing structure”.

Bauer, like all music magazine publishers, are, of course, tackling the challenge of sliding circulation figures on the print side, with future hopes mainly pinned on brand diversification.

Record Of The Day ponders uncertainties in music journalism, and invites input on awards

Business News Media

And talking of sliding circulation figures in the print music press, the future of music journalism is the subject of an interesting opinion piece posted this week by Record Of The Day Publisher and Contributing Editor (respectively) Paul Scaife and David Balfour.

Noting those recent gloomy ABC circulation figures for the music press, and the decrease in pages dedicated to music and culture in many of the broadsheets, Scaife and Balfour write: “Music writing itself is not dead. It’s thriving on the internet: in online magazines, on blogs, even – dare we say it – in places like Facebook, where people can powerfully recommend and spread their new passions to an engaged audience. It seems however to have become something that anyone can do, but very, very few can get paid for”.

They go on: “In the same way that radio programmers increasingly turn to social media stats before making playlisting decisions, it seems the passion and gut feeling which used to lend a sense of excitement to music criticism has been lost in a world where every decision needs to be justified in terms of existing fanbase or potential monetisation. The danger and excitement seems to have gone, though who can afford much of either without a cash reserve to fall back on?”

Murdoch’s recent investment in Vice suggests there may be some glimmers of hope, Scaife and Balfour add, but the future direction of music journalism remains uncertain. With that in mind, Record Of The Day is inviting input from those working in and around the sector on how it should respond with its annual Awards For Music Journalism And PR, a popular event celebrating a troubled industry.

Read Scaife and Balfour’s full piece here.

Grimes to co-host VMAs coverage

And Finally Awards Media

In amazing MTV news, the perhaps naive media giant is letting Grimes interview celebs pre this year’s VMAs. She and her new BFF – says MTV – NYC designer Rachel Antonoff (me neither) will chat to the stars as they arrive at the awards this Sunday.

The big VMAs show will feature live showings by Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Robin Thicke, Kanye West and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. And Mr Justin Timberlake, who’ll play live (potentially with Nsync) and accept the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

Anyway, back to Grimes, who says: “I am hard pressed to leave my studio at such a creative time of year, but deep in my heart I must know if Macklemore went to the thrift shop for his red carpet look. Also stoked to be joined by co host Rachel Antonoff, cos I would be terrified to do this alone!”.

Antanoff adds: “I couldn’t be more excited to be co-hosting this and so excited to be doing it with Grimes, she is the coolest!”

Yes, she is.

Approved: House Of Black Lanterns – Worthless

CMU Approved

Following on from the release of his debut album as House Of Black Lanterns, ‘Kill The Lights’, earlier this year, producer Dylan Richards returned in that guise this week with the ‘You, Me, Metropolis’ EP. It leads with the title track, taken from the album, plus remixes of ‘Broken’ and ‘Shot You Down’, by Unsubscribe and Breakage respectively.

But while ‘You, Me, Metropolis’ is one of the album’s standout tracks, and the two remixes are interesting (if not entirely satisfying) takes on the originals, it’s the final track on the EP, ‘Worthless’, which I’ve been returning to the most.

A new track, it stands apart from the music on ‘Kill The Lights’, while still sitting within the sonic boundaries Richards has set for HOBL. Dark, foreboding beats and vocals are juxtaposed with almost euphoric stabs of synths. The synths say ‘put your hands in the air’, the track as a whole says, ‘put your fucking hands where I can see them’.

Watch the video for ‘Worthless’ here:

PRS announces new deal with YouTube

Digital Top Stories

The UK music publishing sector’s collecting society PRS For Music yesterday announced a new deal with YouTube, which will cover the use of songs represented by the rights body across the Google-owned video platform – including in official music videos, live footage and when synced in user-generated content – in no less than 130 countries.

It’s a pretty wide-ranging deal, both in terms of the kinds of usage of represented songs it covers, and the number of territories in which the licence will apply, 130 across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

PRS was one of the first collecting societies to licence YouTube back in 2007 and, with the exception of one wobble when a dispute over royalty levels threatened to scupper the partnership, the two organisations have generally enjoyed a good relationship, even if some of the songwriters and independent publishers PRS represents still have some reservations about the way the video site operates.

Confirming the new deal, PRS top man boss guy Robert Ashcroft posted a video to YouTube (well, he probably should have done) to declare: “Streaming is a key growth area for PRS For Music, helping drive our online revenues to over £50 million in 2012. YouTube’s vast reach around the world offers our publishers and songwriters a unique stage and music lovers access to millions of songs. I am delighted we have reached such an important multi-territory agreement”.

He added: “The issue of remuneration from streaming services remains a key one for our members and the further evolution of our licensing relationship with YouTube will help ensure continued growth in royalties for our members from one of the world’s leading video platforms”.

Meanwhile YouTube’s Director Of Global Music Partnerships got out his guitar and sang the following falsetto (well, he probably should have done): “We’re delighted to renew our successful partnership with the PRS For Music. This means the UK’s music publishers, songwriters and composers can continue to reach new and existing fans on YouTube and the passionate YouTube community can keep enjoying listening to music and discovering new artists online”.

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:46 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Angel Haze

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:45 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Death Grips

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:44 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: The Drowning Men

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:43 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Foals

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:42 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Bring Me The Horizon

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:41 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Flux Pavilion

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:40 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Skindred

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:39 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: by:Larm | London International Ska Festival | Rebellion | Simple Things

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:38 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: One Direction

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:37 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Ben Kweller | Kevin Wommack | The Noise Company

Tuesday 27 August 2013, 10:36 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: One Direction | Taylor Swift | VMAs

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:08 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: 21st Century Fox | Beats Electronics | HMV | HTC | iTunes | iTunes Radio | PRS For Music | Vice | YouTube

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:08 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: Brandy

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:07 | By Paul Vig

READ MORE ABOUT: Notting Hill Carnival

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:06 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Paul Batiste | The Batiste Brothers

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:05 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: Kanye West

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:04 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: Pendulum

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:03 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Hamilton Leithauser | The Walkmen

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:02 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Matthew E White

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:01 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Lemonade

Friday 23 August 2013, 11:00 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Chase & Status

Friday 23 August 2013, 10:59 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Cutty Cargo | Cutty Sark Whiskey | Duke Dumont | Jessie Ware

Friday 23 August 2013, 10:58 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Atom Factory Entertainment | Basic Vacation | Capitol | The Ceremonies | Troy Carter | Universal Music

Friday 23 August 2013, 10:57 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: Beggars Group | David Emery | Kobalt

Friday 23 August 2013, 10:56 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: The Clash

Friday 23 August 2013, 10:55 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: Bauer Media | David Bostock | Rimi Atwal

Friday 23 August 2013, 10:54 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: ABCs | David Balfour | Paul Scaife | Record Of The Day

Friday 23 August 2013, 10:53 | By Aly Barchi

READ MORE ABOUT: Grimes | MTV | VMAs

Thursday 22 August 2013, 11:25 | By Andy Malt

READ MORE ABOUT: House Of Black Lanterns

Thursday 22 August 2013, 11:24 | By Chris Cooke

READ MORE ABOUT: PRS For Music | Robert Ashcroft | YouTube