Music

Françoise Cactus, the singer, drummer, and co-songwriter of the prolific French-German indie duo Stereo Total, has died. The band broke the news on social media. “We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved friend, singer and drummer Françoise Cactus,” Stereo Total wrote on the band’s Facebook page. “She died peacefully at home this

The National’s Bryce Dessner has announced a new classical album with the Australian String Quartet. Impermanence/Disintegration is out April 2 via 37d03d. Below, find the movements “Emergency” and “Impermanence.” Dessner composed Impermanence for the Sydney Dance Company, which the company is performing this month at Sydney’s Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay before taking the piece

Nick Hakim is issuing a fully remixed version of last year’s WILL THIS MAKE ME GOOD. It’s out February 26 (via ATO) and includes re-works by AceMo, Pink Siifu, KeiyaA, Slauson Malone, Big Thief’s James Krivchenia, and more. Hakim shared a new version of “QADIR” remixed by BADBADNOTGOOD with the news. Listen to it and

Lost Girls—the project of Jenny Hval and multi-instrumentalist Håvard Volden—have announced their debut album, Menneskekollektivet. It will be released digitally March 26 via Smalltown Supersound, with a physical release to follow on April 23. The new album marks the first time Hval and Volden recorded in a studio together in their 10-plus years of collaboration

Johnny Pacheco—the bandleader, songwriter, producer, arranger, and co-founder of the label Fania Records who helped popularize salsa on an international scale—has died, NPR reports. He was recently hospitalized, according to Fania co-founder Jerry Masucci’s brother Alex Masucci. No cause of death has been disclosed. Pacheco was 85. Pacheco was born in the Dominican Republic and

D’Angelo has been announced as the next Verzuz guest, though he doesn’t yet have a single set opponent. Instead, he’ll perform live from Harlem’s historic Apollo Theater with an array of unannounced friends. It happens Saturday, February 27 at 8 p.m. Eastern, broadcast on Instagram. Verzuz is now in its second season following its launch

Bronx rapper and producer MIKE has released a new mixtape under his dj blackpower moniker. The eight-track project, titled BLP2021:“For Ur Own Good,” features appearances from Anysia Kym, Darryl Johnson, and Slauson Malone. Check it out below. BLP2021:“For Ur Own Good” is currently available on Bandcamp and SoundCloud, but will eventually be released on streaming

Nigerian singer-songwriter Fireboy DML was the musical guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last night (February 12). For his U.S. late-night debut, Fireboy performed a medley of “Champion,” from his latest studio album Apollo, and his 2019 track “Vibration” from Laughter, Tears and Goosebumps. He was joined by a full band and a

Legendary audio engineer, recording equipment inventor, and entrepreneur Rupert Neve has died, according to a statement posted to his official website. An obituary shared by representatives reveals that the cause of death was “non-Covid pneumonia and heart failure.” He was 94 years old. Born in Newton Abbott, England, in 1926, Neve volunteered in the British

Last month, social media personality and “unofficial talent scout of New York City” Nicolas Heller (better known as New York Nico) announced that he had partnered with New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority to curate new subway announcements about COVID-19, recorded by various famous New Yorkers. The announcements include reminders to wear masks and practice

Donald Glover and Phoebe Waller-Bridge have signed up to play the titular roles in an Amazon Studios TV adaptation of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a 2005 film starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as married suburban assassins. Variety reports that Glover and Waller-Bridge will also serve as executive producers on the series. Guava Island, Glover’s

Rowdy Rebel and Nav have teamed up for a new song referencing the legendary Olympic athlete and gold medalist Jesse Owens. The track, also called “Jesse Owens,” is out now. Hear it below. Rowdy Rebel posted a teaser for “Jesse Owens” earlier this week. Last month, Rowdy Rebel released a new track called “Re-Route” along

Run the Jewels and GZA were invoked in Washington, D.C. this week during impeachment proceedings against former president Donald Trump. Rep. Stacey Plaskett, a Democrat representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, pulled lines from Run the Jewels’ “Early” and GZA’s “Breaker, Breaker” in her remarks on Wednesday (February 10).  She confirmed her nods to the artists

Since 2019, Taylor Swift has promised that she would re-record her first six albums in an attempt to regain ownership of her music after Scooter Braun bought her masters. Today, she’s officially launched the campaign on Good Morning America: Her 2008 album Fearless will be the first to be released in re-recorded form, now expanded

Janet Weiss appeared on the latest episode of the The Line, a new podcast by Screen Radar. During the interview, Weiss talks about working as a location scout and manager on Kelly Reichardt’s latest film First Cow. Weiss and producer Neil Kopp recall finding the right cow meadows and trees for the scenic movie. Listen

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has announced its long list of nominees for the class of 2021. JAY-Z and Foo Fighters have been nominated in their first year of eligibility (meaning their first commercial recordings came out 25 years ago). Other first-time nominees include Mary J. Blige, Fela Kuti, the Go-Go’s, Iron Maiden,

Elliot Mazer—the prolific engineer and producer who worked on records by Neil Young, the Band, Linda Ronstadt, and more—has died, Rolling Stone reports. He died at his San Francisco home on Sunday (February 7) of a heart attack, Mazer’s daughter Allison confirmed to RS. She added that her father had been battling dementia for years.

Westerman has shared a remix of “Drawbridge” by Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Listen to the new version of the Your Hero Is Not Dead song below.  Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Ruban Nielson released the album IC-01 Hanoi in 2018—a collaboration with his brother, father, and the Vietnamese musician Minh Nguyen. Last year, he shared a remix of

Eladio Carríon has shared his new video with J Balvin for “TATA,” the latest single from his new album Monarca. Check it out below. Carríon released Monarca in January; it features guest spots from Lunay, Natanael Cano, and more. J Balvin released his last LP Colores in March; it won Best Urban Music Album at

Following the Weeknd’s Super Bowl spectacle, Metallica stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Sunday night (February 7) to play their 1991 classic “Enter Sandman.” The set featured an assortment of the band’s speaker cabinets from over the years in the background. Check it out below. Last year, the band launched a vinyl subscription