Category: Trending

Grimes has long been on the cutting edge, and the enigmatic musician has shared another creative new endeavor today: She has teamed up with algorithm-based mood music app Endel for “AI Lullaby.”

Endel explains the project, “AI Lullaby is a limited edition sleep soundscape with original vocals and music created exclusively for this project by our favorite artist Grimes. The sounds are processed by Endel Pacific technology to generate а soundscape that adapts in real-time to your location, weather, and natural light exposure. AI Lullaby is scientifically engineered to help children and adults sleep and nap better.”

Grimes shared a sample of the audio in a 90-second video, but the full experience is available through the Endel iOS app until December 23, with versions for Android and Amazon Alexa coming later this year.

The project site has a smattering of quotes attributed to Grimes, including, “Babies need quality audio,” “This project is basically live remixing of ambient music by robots for babies, haha,” and, “And I’m like aw hey cute little machine!” She also said in a statement, “I think, if approached properly, AI has the ability to radically fix our world. I appreciate Endel because they represent the growing trend of humane technology. I hope that the fields of AI safety, research, philosophy, as well as humane AI and spiritual technology etc. can grow a lot in the coming years. We’ll need it!”

Watch the video above.

Texas trio Khruangbin, a staple at summer music festivals everywhere, expanded their catalog in June with their third studio record, Mordechai. Now following in the footsteps of their predecessors MGMT and The Flaming Lips, Khruangbin are serving up a collection of some of their current favorites with a Late Night Tales compilation.

The group announced the record Wednesday by sharing a cover of Kool & The Gang’s “Summer Madness.” Transforming the track, Khruangbin infuse their psychedelia sound into the rendition of the groovy classic.

In a statement alongside the “Summer Madness” cover, Khruangbin drummer Donald Johnson and bassist Laura Lee explained why they chose the specific track. “‘Summer Madness’ became a staple in this medley that we play,” Johnson said. “Specifically, one of my favourite things about it is the tone of the bass, which really reminds me a lot of Laura Lee’s bass which has this chunky, peanut butter, rich tone. It was always a special moment, getting to that song because, it just did something to the room, everywhere.” Lee continues: “‘Summer Madness’ was paying homage to Kool & The Gang, a band we aspire to be like and also we’ve played it a hundred times but never in full.”

About their compilation as a whole, the band said:

“We definitely wanted to cover as much global territory as possible. So it was the globe and then home. We wanted to show the treasures from our hometown, or people from our hometown that the rest of the world probably doesn’t know. Then these gems from across the world, showcasing them in the same way. That’s what makes Khruangbin, Khruangbin. The stubbornness about being so hometown-centric. But what makes Houston is this constant international influence; that’s the gulf stream, bringing it right into the city.”

Listen to Khruangbin’s “Summer Madness” cover above and find their Late Night Tales cover art and tracklist below.

1. Devadip Carlos Santana And Turiya Alice Coltrane — “Illuminations”
2. Brilliantes Del Veulo — “I Know That (When The Springtime Comes)”
3. Nazia Hassan — “Khushi”
4. Kelly Doyle — “DRM”
5. Sanulim — “Don’t Go”
6. Maxwell Udoh — “I Like It (Don’t Stop)”
7. David Marez — “Enséñame”
8. Gerald Lee — “Can You Feel The Love (Reprise)”
9. Justine & The Victorian Punks — “Still You”
10. George Yanagi + Nadja Band –「祭ばやしが聞こえる」のテーマ
11. Песняры — “Зачарованная моя”
12. Khruangbin — “Summer Madness” (Kool & The Gang Cover Version)
13. Paloma San Basilio — “Contigo”
14. Roha Band — “Yetikimt Abeba”
15. Tierney Malone / Geoffrey Muller — “Transmission For Jehn: Gnossienne No 1” (Produced by Khruangbin)

Late Night Tales Khruangbin is out 12/4 via Dead Oceans. Pre-order it here.

After noticing that her admission that she was “a little Republican” made several headlines last week, Jennifer Lawrence is setting the record straight on her voting record and party affiliation. In a statement posted to her verified Twitter account on Tuesday, The Hunger Games actress made it clear that she’s now a proud Democrat and that her party allegiance changed during Barack Obama‘s presidency even though she voted for his 2008 challenger John McCain:

“I would like to clarify my voting record, which is the subject of many circulating headlines. I grew up in a republican family and voted for John McCain in 2008, but through Obama’s presidency, and growing up to realize I was voting against my own rights, I am proud to say I am a Democrat.”

Lawrence also included hashtags endorsing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in her tweet:

As for why Lawrence felt the need to clarify that she switched parties during the Obama administration, the Oscar winner’s previous remarks on the Absolutely Not podcast made it seem like she only recently left the Republican Party because of Donald Trump.

“That just changed everything,” Lawrence said, “This is an impeached president who’s broken many laws and has refused to condemn white supremacy, and it feels like there has been a line drawn in the sand. I don’t think it’s right. It just changes things for me. I don’t want to support a president who supports white supremacists.”

Considering she caught wind the numerous headlines about her former time as a Republican, Lawrence presumably saw the firestorm that erupted around her Passengers co-star Chris Pratt after social media noticed that he was not reuniting with his fellow Avengers to endorse Joe Biden. Who would blame her for wanting to avoid a similar mess? Katniss will take a hard pass on that, thank you.

Queen and David Bowie’s classic collaboration “Under Pressure” is a daunting track to cover because the original was executed so darn well. That said, Karen O and Willie Nelson have taken the song on and done an admirable job with it. Their take on the track is more country-leaning than the original and also much more serene and stripped-down in nature.

Press materials note that Karen O decided to cover the song after the lyrics resonated with her in regards to the upcoming election: “Pressure pushing down on me / Pressing down on you, no man ask for / Under pressure that burns a building down / Splits a family in two / Puts people on streets.” Karen O says of the song’s origins:

“A friend on the board of NIVA asked if I knew of any country artists who could sign a letter to Congress asking them to help save independent venues from going extinct due to COVID. I recalled my buddy Johnny Knoxville being friends with Willie so I asked to see if he could check in with Willie about it, and then out of sheer audacity I added, ‘And if he ever wants to do a duet I’m ready and willing!’

Johnny came back with the news that the signature was in the works and Willie’s daughter Amy very supportively said, ‘Have her send him the song and he’ll sing on it!’ At this point my mind was melting, but I had to focus and pull a song out of the ether that was worthy of a living legend and spoke to the people in troubled times, not an easy assignment. Then like a bolt out of the blue, ‘Under Pressure’ came to mind — I’ve heard this song countless times without processing the gravity of what Bowie and Freddie were singing about, maybe because their performances are so exhilarating you get swept away in the high of that duet.

Our cover was meant to be more intimate but just as saturated with the power of love. I can’t listen to this song without tearing up every time Willie comes in, one of the purest voices which of course reflects a pure heart, and I get to sing alongside it. I never knew if it was actually going to happen but you must dare to dream. I hope the song brings as much light to the listener as it has to me in dark times.”

Listen to Karen O and Nelson’s cover of “Under Pressure” above.

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is only 96 minutes, but it’s brought the world hours of entertainment in the form of Rudy Giuliani doing… whatever he’s doing here.

There’s been a back and forth between the former-New York City mayor and Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen ever since. Rudy, who might think that Borat is a real person, claims the movie was a “hit job,” while Baron Cohen responded to the “innocent sexytime” both in and out of character. Giuliani was asked about the hotel scene by Fox Business host Kennedy on Tuesday night, and he had a rational, even-keeled response.

Hm, maybe not.

“Do you regret your interaction in the Borat movie?” Kennedy asked Giuliani, who somehow got more bug-eyed than he did while screaming about Hunter Biden’s laptop. “Now that’s a stupid question isn’t it? That’s a really stupid question,” he snapped. Kennedy said her question wasn’t stupid at all, that she has a 15-year-old daughter and she “was kind of grossed out by it.” When given a chance to explain himself, Giuliani snarled, “I called the police when I realized that it was a scam. I called the police and he ran away. The minute she said something compromising, I called the police. Whether you believe it or not, I was tucking my shirt in, he made it appear as if it was something different… Borat and his 50-man crew ran out of the place. Would you like to ask me any other questions to attack me for merely coming on your show to show you what criminals they are?” The clip is worth watching for the way Rudy says “Borat.” Weird guy!

(Via Talking Points Memo)

Many around the NBA were puzzled last fall when Bradley Beal signed an extension with the Wizards that took him off the trade market for the entirety of the 2019-20 season. Firmly in his prime and getting better every year, it was surprising to see Beal lock himself into a deal with Washington when the team was decimated by injuries and bloated salaries.

With 2020 free agency nearing, Beal spoke more openly and firmly about his relationship with the Wizards in a new episode of JJ Redick’s Old Man and the Three podcast, saying, “the organization still has to show me that we want to win.”

Beal also mentioned that he wants to see how John Wall returns from injury and that he still relishes the opportunity to have a team built around him, but that the Wizards have not lived up to their end of the bargain.

“You still want to be able to protect yourself and kind of be selfish in that regard and (look at) how I can create some type of flexibility for myself if we aren’t winning, if I do choose to get out,” Beal explained. “That’s why it was a one and one versus a the full three-year (deal).”

Owed $63.2 million over the next two seasons before a $37.2 million player option for the 2022-23 season, Beal is also now eligible to be traded again. Judging from his comments here, this season may represent one final opportunity for the Wizards to prove they are serious about getting back into the postseason if they want to keep Beal around.

Jon Stewart will soon return from TV “retirement” for Apple TV+, but since leaving The Daily Show, he’s spent a great deal of his time fighting for 9/11 first responders who have suffered lifelong health repercussions. He ripped into members of Congress who failed to show up for related hearings. And in the above 2019 photo, Stewart celebrated when the U.S. Senate voted to renew permanent authorization of September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. On this year’s 9/11 anniversary, the New York Daily News reported that the Trump Administration had raided/withheld money from a fund championed by Stewart to the tune of $4 million. Yes, these funds were siphoned from the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, and CNN now reports that these funds have miraculously been re-funded by the Treasury Department.

The timing of this move, less than a week before the election, is curious, to say the least. The president of the Uniformed Firefighters Association confirmed the re-funding to CNN, which relays a statement from a Treasury Department spokesperson:

“This nation owes a profound debt of gratitude to the 9/11 first responders. This Administration is committed to supporting the heroes of 9/11 and we are pleased this matter has been successfully resolved.”

In response, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued pointed remarks that indicate how the city will keep their eye on the funds going forward:

“The Trump administration should have never held these funds hostage in the first place, and we are happy they realized their error. We will continue to monitor this progress to ensure funds are available for first responders without federal interference.”

This back-and-forth follows program director Dr. Davie Prezant detailing the funds’ disappearance to the NYDN while explaining that the program hadn’t even received a letter to explain the defunding. The pandemic, of course, complicated matters related to healthcare for first responders, many of whom suffer ongoing adverse effects after their time working at Ground Zero. Rep. Pete King also explained that he’d been waiting for a response from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and the White House had also ignored the NYDN‘s attempts to secure a comment. King declared that for “even $1 to be being held back is indefensible,” but all the funding has been put back into place now. Just like that, although those Trump supporters who were left waiting in the cold on Tuesday night still haven’t received an answer on that debacle.

(Via CNN & New York Daily News)

Ever since Arctic Monkeys returned in 2018 to released their LP Tranquility Bass Hotel & Casino, the band has remained relatively quiet. But now, two years later, Arctic Monkeys are stepping back into the limelight with a charitable announcement: The band is sharing a live album in order to benefit a non-profit.

Arctic Monkeys announced their Live At The Royal Albert Hall album Wednesday. The 20-track effort features performances of songs from each of their six studio albums, including their smash-hit LP AM. Proceeds from the live album sales will benefit the organization War Child UK, which aims to protect and support children affected by war.

In a statement alongside the album announcement, Arctic Monkeys wrote:

“On June 7, 2018 we played a very special show at London’s Royal Albert Hall. All the proceeds from that memorable night were donated to War Child UK in support of the vital work they do protecting, educating and rehabilitating children who have experienced the trauma of conflict and the horror of war. The situation that was bad in 2018 is now desperate and those children and their families need our help more than ever. To enable War Child UK to reduce their funding deficit and continue their valuable work, we are happy to be able to release a live album, recorded that evening at The Royal Albert Hall. All proceeds will go direct to the charity. We thank all our fans in advance for their support of this release and in turn for their support of War Child UK.”

Watch Arctic Monkeys’ teaser above and find the Live At The Royal Albert Hall tracklist below.

1. “Four Out Of Five”
2. “Brianstorm”
3. “Crying Lightning”
4. “Do I Wanna Know?”
5. “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?”
6. “505”
7. “One Point Perspective”
8. “Do Me A Favour”
9. “Cornerstone”
10. “Knee Socks”
11. “Arabella”
12. “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino”
13. “She Looks Like Fun”
14. “From The Ritz To The Rubble”
15. “Pretty Visitors”
16. “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair”
17. “I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor”
18. “StarTreatment”
19. “The View From The Afternoon”
20. “R U Mine?”

Live At The Royal Albert Hall is out 12/4 via Domino. Pre-order it here.

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow, and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

Wearing your heart on your sleeve will always be a dangerous thing. The vulnerability that comes with it makes the body’s most vital organ susceptible to internal damage, more commonly known as heartbreak. For some, the risk isn’t enough to tuck the heart away and play defense in the game of love for the future. It’s a driving force that continues the push to find “the one.” This is what Dante Jones and Drew Love — more commonly known as the R&B duo They. — strive to do on their sophomore album The Amanda Tape.

In a successful attempt to strive for conciseness above all else, They. uses just ten songs to paint a picture of continued vulnerability with the end goal of hopefully hitting the jackpot and winning a heart that yearns for love as much as theirs does. The Amanda Tape taps into the varying results of shooting your shot or asking for one last chance at love. The confidence, pleading, confusion, second-guessing, and the acceptance of undesired realities; it’s all found on They.’s sophomore album and it produces a wave of relatability that reminds listeners that fame and success don’t equate to an easier road to love and a happy heart.

The shots at love They. take on The Amanda Tape are at times bold. It’s a hard swing to the home run wall at left-field with the hope that the universe is just kind enough to keep the ball on the right side of the foul ball pole, something that “All Mine” presents. On the track, the duo proves that the conclusion of a relationship doesn’t immediately equate to an extinguished flame of intimacy. The underlying feelings are brought to light despite the other parties’ attempts to move on and continue life with someone else. “You can’t deny what you know,” They. says toxically. “That p*ssy will always be mine.” While the song may be a bit out of pocket in terms of the approach towards a woman in another relationship, it’s clear the attempt wouldn’t have been made if They. didn’t believe it’d be successful.

This brave pursuit of love appears once again on “Count Me In” and “STCU,” both of which strive to start a merry journey towards happy matrimony. However, things begin to change in the second half of The Amanda Tape. Elsewhere, the duo is left to watch their grasp on their relationships loosen to the point of no return. They.’s drive to be at their very best with their partner dwindles on “Losing Focus.” The change is acknowledged, something that pushes Drew Love and Wale more and more to accept the realities of a love that failed to live up to the hype. “On And On” — a wonderfully composed song that hits deep for the listener — is a pleading attempt to their partner to join in on picking up the pieces of their broken love. “Don’t say it’s too late, we can still / Save this thing,” They. heartfully sings on the song. “Ask me, ‘What went wrong?’ / I could go on and on and on.” The song perfectly depicts a heightened sense of the vulnerability the R&B duo displays throughout the album to the point that it’s almost as if you can hear their heart on their sleeve. Unfortunately for They., it failed to produce the result they hoped for.

With that, The Amanda Tape closes with a slow journey towards accepting the reality of heartbreak. “FWM” is the refusal to believe the obvious while the relationship unravels right before the eyes. The album’s outro track, “Conclude,” accepts that the fork in the road isn’t a choice for both partners to pick from, but rather, one that requires separation and a conclusion of the relationship. They. wearing their heart on the sleeve wasn’t enough to strike gold with love, but the calming end to “Conclude” lets listeners know that it’s okay. The pain will be there, but at least all was done in the attempt to win a heart and love they’ve trekked high and low to find.

Unlike most love-related R&B albums we hear, They.’s The Amanda Tape lives in the present. Listeners are invited to indulge in the R&B duo’s present thoughts, worries, and overall feelings that pertain to the relationship they hope to create. The story doesn’t feel like a recollection of memories, instead, listeners walk with They. along the way in real-time and feel the successes and perils of love just as much as the R&B duo does.

The Amanda Tape is out now via Avant Garden/Island. Get it here.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ front office is about to get a new boss. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Sixers are on the verge of coming to a deal with now-former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, which will hand the reins of the team’s basketball operations over to him.

As Wojnarowski explained, this deal should come to fruition soon, and while he’ll take over basketball operations, general manager Elton Brand’s job is not in jeopardy.

The news was eventually confirmed by Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Morey’s tenure with the Rockets came to its end earlier this offseason following the team’s departure from the NBA’s Orlando Bubble. While it was believed that Morey would take some time after a mutual parting of ways in Houston to recharge, he’ll land on his feet in a fascinating situation. Morey is the league’s most tried-and-true believes in letting numbers dictate decisions, of course, but he’s also a firm believer that teams need stars to win, and Philadelphia has two of the brightest young standouts in the league in Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The team had also reportedly pursued him in the past, although that never came to fruition.

It also begs mentioning that Morey is not afraid to take swings in free agency and on the trade block in the pursuit of a championship, and with Philadelphia’s … let’s call it clunky roster, the potential to make major moves in the lead-up to the 2020 season seems likely. Regardless, several years after Sam Hinkie, the architect of The Process and a Morey disciple, left the organization, the Sixers have decided to bring his old boss on board.