A weekly update on all things music, advertising, and technology coming straight to you from Anthony Vanger at MassiveMusic. #TWIM
ARTIST OF THE WEEK: ARLO PARKS
South London poet and singer breaks through
From the first dry beat, Arlo Parks’ newest song Eugene, demands attention like a natty dresser strutting into a crowded room. The track, with confessional break up lyrics, reminds me of Lily Allen in her prime – especially in the choruses – but there are major differences, like in the production which is less pop and her voice, which is both precise and soft, like a velvet shard.
Parks, 19 from South London, popped up last year with her breakthrough single “Cola” and as a result, was predicted as a breakthrough act of 2020 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2020. Looks like the critics were right. Put it on your playlist and dress to impress.
AD OF THE WEEK: MAMBA FOREVER | NIKE
Nike’s ad is named after Bryant’s basketball charity
When Kobe Bryant died at age 41, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, the global outpouring of grief surprised many who did not know anything about the NBA legend. Bryant was one of the best NBA players of all time, and also one of the richest, with an estimated net worth of $500 million. He was a once-in-a-generation basketball superstar who achieved global fame with two Olympic gold medals and five NBA titles during 20 years at the LA Lakers.
But he was also a complex individual with the power to cause harm as well as good, as shown with his 2003 alleged sexual assault case which he settled out of court and apologized for whilst not admitting guilt. Nike’s ad goes some way to revealing the nuances in Bryant’s life with a clever ad devoid of images. The black screen and audio create a powerful reaction, as the viewer strains to put some context to what she is reading and hearing. The overarching feeling one gets after watching the ad is best summed up by former President Barack Obama, who noted that Bryant “was a legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act”.
HISTORY OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC EXHIBITION HEADS TO LONDON
The exhibition, Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers, will be held at the Design Museum in London, tracing electronic music back to its origins to the present day. Laurent Garnier will curate a soundtrack to go with the exhibition, with lighting and video synced to the music.
Featuring over 400 items, the exhibition is split into four different sections: Man and Woman Machine, Dancefloor, Mix and Remix, and Utopian Dreams and Ideals. Work by pioneers such as Jeff Mills and Daphne Oram will be on show, as will the revolutionary instruments that created the tracks. The connection electronic music has with art, design and fashion will also be explored, with works from Jeremy Deller and Andreas Gursky on show.
SPOTIFY & RESIDENT ADVISOR ENTER GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP ‘TO DRIVE MILLIONS OF MUSIC FANS TO LOCAL VENUES’
Resident Advisor (RA), an electronic-focused online music publication and community events platform has inked a partnership with Spotify, which the two companies say will “drive millions of music fans to local venues”.
The partnership directly connects Spotify users to gigs by artists they like, via localised event listings promoted within the application.
According to the press release announcing the news, the partnership aims to provide a new pipeline of support to local venues and independent promoters.
Founded in 2001, RA claims to sell millions of tickets each year for clubs, concerts and festivals and also claims to be ‘the largest independently-owned media platform in music journalism’.
The platform showcases new music and publishes news and long-form features about club culture. It also lists events and sells tickets for events in over 50 countries.
BMG PARENT TO GO CLIMATE NEUTRAL BY 2030
BMG parent Bertelsmann has announced its environmental goal to go climate neutral by 2030.
Within the decade, Bertelsmann aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions generated at its locations, by its employees’ mobility and the manufacture of its own products by 50% compared with 2018’s figure of one million tons of CO2. The remaining emissions will be offset.
Bertelsmann will also support its business customers in reducing product-related emissions.
NEW VISA REGULATIONS FOR EU MUSICIANS CAUSE CONCERN IN POST-BREXIT UK
After officially leaving the European Union last month, the United Kingdom’s Home Office has now shared new regulations that will require EU musicians to apply for Tier 5 visas in order to tour once the transition to Brexit ends in December of 2020.
The country’s new “points-based immigration system” will effectually end freedom of movement from EU-member countries to the UK, mandating that musicians, entertainers, and even athletes traveling from within the EU will face the same regulations from those traveling from outside the EU. Tier 5 visas, which currently boast a £244 GBP application fee, also require a certificate of sponsorship and for applicants to prove that they have £945 GBP in savings for 90 days before they apply.
Deborah Annetts, the chief executive of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, recently shared with The Guardian that “we had been into the Home Office explaining to them that touring is not the same as immigration and they didn’t really get it. We have also been to the department of culture, media, and sport and they do absolutely get it.”
SUPREME HAS MADE A TURNTABLE WITH NUMARK
Supreme has collaborated with Numark to create a new turntable, unveiling the item as part of its Spring/Summer accessory collection for 2020.
The Supreme x Numark PT01 Portable Turntable comes with a built-in speaker and is designed with the classic bold red and box logo of the popular New York-based skating and streetwear (and other miscellaneous products) brand.
Check out Supreme’s full SS20 look book here and see some of the items below.
Written by Anthony Vanger
Additional reporting by Adam “Badger” Woolf
Artwork by Gustav Balderdash
To join This Week In Music please send me an email: anthonyvanger@gmail.com