August 30, 2009
Spotify Approved for iPhone with U.S. Launch Still Pending
VIRTUAL JUNGLE
If you have not heard of Spotify, there’s a good reason: the music streaming application is still banned in the United States. Nonetheless, the service is quickly gaining popularity across Western Europe, and Spotify’s founders plan to launch in the United States before the end of the year. In edging closer to a U.S. release, Spotify received a long-awaited stamp of approval from Apple when it approved Spotify’s iPhone mobile application for premium subscribers.
Spotify works like a standard P2P service, but it allows you to only stream songs – not download them to a hard disk. In this manner, Spotify avoids the legal pitfalls of downloading music but it still allows people to freely listen to and find music. In fact, you can search and browse Spotify by artists and genre selection, as well as create playlists and share them with friends.
Apple’s approval of the Spotify mobile application bodes well for Spotify’s U.S. launch. Even though Spotify links to iTunes to purchase songs, it is seen as a direct competitor to Apple’s music service. For example, Spotify’s iPhone application allows users to cache up to 3,333 songs for instant playback.
At this point though, the founders of Spotify probably see the green light to break into the largest music market. With the much-needed approval from Apple, Spotify may be able to use to additional $50 million in capital it earned earlier this month, as Wired reported.
For U.S. P2P users, the carefree days of Napster and the Pirate Bay may be gone, but Spotify could promise a progression of the music industry finally finding equilibrium with the Internet.
by Ben Benson
August 9, 2009
Star6 Turns iPhones Into DJ Sets
VIRTUAL JUNGLE
Last week, Agile Partners and DJ Jason Forrest released Star6, a handheld remixing station designed specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Now, I do not own an iPhone or an iPod Touch, but I would likely purchase this program if I did.
Star6 makes every iPhone user a novice DJ or producer. The application comes with a set of sample packets, wherein you can remix up to six samples at one time. From there, you can distort, splice, and modify the samples to your heart’s content. Star6 lets you change a song’s pitch, speed and other variables by moving or tilting the iPhone in the air. The program also lets you apply other effects to your mix, including changing the distortion level, delaying certain samples, and applying filters.
Once a mix is completed, you can record the sample and upload to your computer through a web browser. Users can then share their mixes with Agile Partners on the site’s sound gallery. Additionally, using the same web browser method, you can upload your own samples to Star6, giving you even more music options.
Star6 is also meant to give professional DJs and musicians an extra device to use in the studio or at a live performance. The multitude of options should make any DJ happy to have an extra tool available – granted of course, they can afford an iPhone in the first place.
by Ben Benson
Some Sonic Youth Stuff Happening TONIGHT in NYC [Brooklyn Vegan]
A Wilco iPhone App – Of Course [NME]
Jon Pareles on The Return of Eminem [NY Times]
Turns Out Dylan’s Poem was Plagiarized [The Tripwire]
New Black Cab Session with Grizzly Bear Posted [Gorilla vs. Bear]
Springsteen to Play Final Concerts at the Big Stadium [Brooklyn Vegan]
Your Memorial Day Weekend Mix [The Tripwire]
White’s Label to Release Three New 7”s [Pitchfork]
compiled by Elana Jacobs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs It’s Blitz! Tour Won’t Hit Brooklyn [The Tripwire]
The Scoop on Snoop [NYTimes Arts]
Rihanna Tries to Reclaim Rocks [Rolling Stone]
New iPhone Apps Search Blogs [CNET] and Spin Records [Prefix]
Village Voice Siren Fest Still at Coney Island – Initial Lineup Announced [Brooklyn Vegan]
Eminem’s Relapse Track List Leaked [Prefix]
No Age, Deerhunter, and Dan Deacon, Oh My! [Pitchfork]
Decemberists Appear on Colbert Report [Videogum]
Destroyer and Sunset Rubdown Schedule (Separate) NYC Shows [Brooklyn Vegan]
Sonic Youth Summer Tour [Prefix]
Rooftop Films Returns [Brooklyn Vegan]
compiled by Elana Jacobs
