Appearing completely digitally in his short for ‘Rainfall’, the Glastonbury headliner takes us on an atmospheric rooftop tour showcasing iconic locations including Brixton, a futuristic Picadilly Circus and Tower Bridge.

Lending a bit of authenticity to this blockbuster title, we look forward to seeing the extent of Stormzy’s role in the full game…

Check out the video below.

Ella-Grace Figueroa

The post UK Rapper Stormzy ‘Reigns’ Over Virtual London in Music Video for Watch Dogs Legion appeared first on CRISP..

It all started with my friend mentioning that there was this majestic festival called Magnetic Fields in the Rajasthan desert, India, where renowned DJs play for a fortunate handful of ticket holders in a beautiful oasis overlooked by the palace of Alsisar. 

 I mean, she didn’t quite describe it like that but the fact that it was small, boutique and based in India was enough to convince us to go.

 Having always wanted to travel to India, this was the perfect way to start the trip – watching our favourite artists (including Maribou State, Palms Trax, Kamma & Masalo) play in the land of the kings. 

 Stepping off the plane into smog-covered Delhi we weren’t sure what to expect. We’d missed the last of the luxury bedouin tent bookings and were relying on a kind stranger to let us crash in a shared ‘homestay’ room for the weekend. 

 The morning of the first day of the festival, we hopped into a taxi (easily booked through the festival website), and began the 7-hour drive to Alsisar. As we drove through tiny rural villages and picturesque Rajasthan farmland, we were getting very excited about the fact that we were finally in India and on our way! 

 Villages faded into the distance and we were more remote than ever, with grey clouds looming above us in the sky. Normally the desert is hot at this time of year (apparently, we were very unlucky with the weather). Alas, this didn’t dampen our mood and after a bit of back-and-forth in the taxi we made it to our accommodation. 

Okay – there’s no sugarcoating it, we should have been more prepared and snapped up a bedouin tent, this was extremely basic, a little bit dirty and lacked a shower (a bucket of boiling hot water was brought to us on demand). Despite this, we did have an amazing roommate from the North of India who showed us the ropes and took us up to our first visit to the palace. 

 Magnetic Fields is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before! With few westerners around, it houses some of India’s most elite and music-savvy punters who come here to enjoy the incredible setting of the palace, amazing food stalls and a star-studded lineup (no expenses spared).

Expect to walk past cattle and Lamborghini’s in the carpark and watch as two very different words collide for this three day spectacle.

 The music gets going in the afternoon with different hideaway stages around the palace showcasing various types of music (mostly electronic) – from the dungeon, to the poolside courtyard, to the rooftop – each stage has been well thought out, dressed up, and sound-checked to offer a flawless festival experience.

 There is also a field below the palace that boasts the Ray-Ban Desert Oasis stage, further food stalls, souk market, a wellness spa, beauty parlour, talks and various chill-out zones. It is also where they keep a tiny disco tent that keeps going until the early hours (and where we kept finding ourselves ending up). 

 Bonfires are lit all around the palace at night to keep warm because, believe us, it gets freezing. Cold aside, the atmosphere is buzzing until 8am each morning, everyone gets dressed up in their best North Face jacket, favourite bum-bag and designer sunglasses to party hard.

If you can keep going until 10am you’ll also find a host of secret ‘afters’ around the place too. 

 Whilst the festival is curated to perfection, there is also the rustic side of the Alsisar countryside that sees herds of goats and cows chilling around the festival site, camels carrying luggage to people’s tents and local vendors in the streets outside the site. 

 The crowd were amazing and the town residents welcoming to outsiders; everyone was happy to be a part of the magic. Performers hung out with the crowd supporting other artists, whilst the prince himself danced with us at 6am to the closing set. 

 Highlights included; Sundowner Rooftop Session with Modular Princess, Maribou State’s live performance, Haai playing Paradise at The Peacock Club and Daniel Avery at the Courtyard Red Bull Stage. 

 We’ve been fortunate enough to attend a lot of festivals around the world but this tops it as one of our favourites. If you’re thinking of heading somewhere exotic for December 2020, keep Magnetic Fields Festival on your radar. 

Things to consider: 

• Book early to secure a room in Alsisar Mahal (palace hotel) or a bedouin tent (luxury tents with fully functioning bathroom, proper double beds, front porch, heating)
• Fly into Delhi or Jaipur and book a private taxi through the festival website to reach the location as other taxi providers will struggle to find the site.
• Take lots of warm (but fashionable) clothes for the festival including gloves, hats, scarves and thermals
• Bring cash with you, the festival has its own currency which you can pay for using card or cash (but cash is always the safer option)
•  If staying outside the festival site (in a surrounding Haveli) pick-up cheaper booze from the airport 
• If staying on the festival site (in tents) be aware that there are thorough bag searches and no booze is allowed in
• Leave space in your bag to buy from some of the amazing pop-up clothing stalls in the souk market
• Stay on after the festival and explore Rajasthan

Eloise Martin

Instagram – @eloiseemartinn

The post CRISP. Travel : Magnetic Fields Festival in India appeared first on CRISP..

Due to his interest as co-owner of rival service TIDAL, JAY-Z’s works have been notably absent.

Celebrity spouse Beyonce’s own works only made an auspicious return after a three-year absence in early 2019.

Whether it’s Watch The Throne, 4:44 or American Gangster, they’re all there – and Spotify has wasted no time in shouting about it.

Happy birthday, Hov 🎁
Welcome back to Spotify.https://t.co/exr5QGgwCK pic.twitter.com/t7l4H5zn6E

— Spotify (@Spotify) December 4, 2019

A recent sale of a 33% stake in TIDAL to US mobile network in 2017 for a reported $200m cemented Hov’s unrivalled business acumen.

Max Boker

The post JAY-Z Back Catalogue Re-Introduces Itself To Spotify To Celebrate 50th Birthday appeared first on CRISP..

Of Moroccan and Portuguese descent, Safiyyah has recently signed to Polarface to progress her music and branch into production. Her music straddles the neo-soul, low-fi, contemporary R&B and she takes particular artistic inspiration from Frida Kahlo and Nina Simone.

Expect to be taken on a journey when you listen to her music.

Who are your musical influences growing up?

What else do you take influence from?

Books, politics, news, everyday life.

How has your heritage influenced your music?

How would you describe your musical style?

I would say R&B, Soul & Jazz.

At what point did you want to take music from a hobby and passion and turn it into a career?

I’ve always wanted to be a singer since I was little but I only realised I could a few years ago. It has become more accessible to young people with platforms like Soundcloud and Spotify. It always seemed like a faraway dream but I’m now living it

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3kQqQcFHU-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

What current artists are you listening to and what tunes you have on rotation?

What are your thoughts on performing live vs in the studio?

Rogan Chambers

The post CRISP. Talks : Safiyyah appeared first on CRISP..

Interestingly, the European version of their 2001 album ‘In Search Of…’ was tinged with the classic ‘Neptunes’ sound and created exclusively on keyboards and synths, only to be entirely replaced by a rock reboot in March of 2002 which launched as their debut in the U.S. charts.

Trimming down indulgent intros and giving the band an acerbic edge, the acoustic reimagining became the only version available for close to two decades, with the original consigned to the digital ether and expensive UK pressings.

This reissue – in addition to the electro-edit being available for the first time on streaming services – will arrive in a luxurious gatefold, packed in with a 24-page full-colour booklet.

This outing also adds a number of remixes and three live performances never before available, including a remix of the barnstorming anthem ‘Lapdance’ by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, as well as concert renditions of “Rock Star” and “Provider.”

Carmen Adkins

The post N.E.R.D. To Reissue Electronic Version Of Debut Album appeared first on CRISP..

Firstly, why the name WTSN?

The way I got the name WTSN isn’t too crazy. Nothing like ‘it came to me in a dream’. I used to listen to this producer called Inspecta Morze. I always thought his name was quite cool. I thought of the closest thing to it. Watson from the show Sherlock was always a g, so I named myself after him.

What made you get into producing?

I’ve always had an affinity for creating music. I was addicted to GarageBand on my sister’s laptop for about a year haha when I was about 13 years old. My Uncle then bought me a keyboard and helped me to install Fruity Loops onto my laptop. That’s how I got my start really.

What’s the difference between the engineers of today to the legends of yesterday?

Today I think there are a lot of beat-makers and not enough producers. In mainstream Hip-Hop especially a lot of what we get is sort of fast-food music. The beats are simple, repetitive and all sound the same. They aren’t really crafted as much as they were compared to music from the 90s per se. However, there are really a lot of good producers out there you just have to look in the right places. I think RnB is making a resurgence. Bringing along some dope producers with it. I’m really into Afrobeats at the moment and I think the producer Juls Baby is making some really good music. He’s really crafting his beats.

How much has technology helped the new age, including producers like yourself?

If it weren’t for technology I probably would not be making music the way I would be today. It’s an integral part of my production. I would say that technology has definitely made producing easier and more accessible. There are so many tools today that can enhance your production. It’s a great time to be alive really.

Who are your role models in the game and who inspires you?

I always look up to producers like Timbaland, Swizz Beats and Pharrel, because they are still relevant today. They are good examples of sticking to your sound no matter what. They’ve never sold themselves to the latest trend and longevity is important to them. They are playing for legacy. That’s how I want to be playing the game when I am at their level.

What are the basic mechanics of beat making?

The first rule of making beats is that there are no rules. I always approach beat making as if it’s a blank canvas, depending on how I implement a melody or drums, those are the brush strokes. I never ‘start with drums’ or ‘start with the melody’. I just do whatever I’m feeling at the moment in time. Sometimes I even start with some sound design, or I listen to music or watch a YouTube video for inspiration. I feel it’s always important to feel inspired when your making music otherwise you’re just forcing it.

How do you seek inspiration for your next track?

Like I said before, I either just mess around with sounds, listen to some music or watch a movie. Inspiration usually sparks when I resonate with a sound I hear in a song or I see a scene in a movie which I think is visually dope. The anime Cowboy Bebop is a big inspiration, I feel like I’m always thinking about it whenever I’m making music or it’s just in the back of my mind whenever I’m doing something creative. It’s just so good visually, the soundtrack is equally dope.

What piece of equipment in your arsenal could you not live without?

To be completely honest I don’t use a lot of third-party VSTs (Synths) I use a lot of stock sounds so you could say I couldn’t live Logic Pro X and Ableton.

What’s the next product you’d like to add to your equipment.

The next product I’ve got my eye on is the whole Spectrasonics library, which includes Omnisphere. Once I get my hands on those I feel like it’s game over.

WTSN’s music can be found below on Soundcloud.

https://soundcloud.com/watsonbeats/tracks

Twitter – devbhikha

IG – devkishanbhikha

Carmen Adkins

The post Behind the Beat : WTSN appeared first on CRISP..

Called ‘Death Stranding’ and performed by Glasgow synth-pop trio CHVRCHES (listen here), this serves as the lead single from ‘Timefall (Original Music From the World of Death Stranding)’, an eclectic album boasting original tracks from the likes of Major Lazer, Khalid, Flora Cash and The Neighbourhood.

And why CHVRCHES? Well, its enigmatic and legendary creator happens to like their work (as well as gives away the purpose of the song):

I’ve been CHVRCHES’ fan since their 1st. Their new song DEATH STRANDING appears at the end credit of DS. Very positive & wonderful song. Amazing lyrics. I’ve been thru rough days by listening to it. When you hear at the end of the game you will be touched. Check out LOVE IS DEAD. https://t.co/PhXjcrzu6R

— HIDEO_KOJIMA (@HIDEO_KOJIMA_EN) October 2, 2019

Given previous additions to his games like the decision to replace decades-long voice actor David Hayter with Kiefer Sutherland as Snake in Metal Gear Solid V, Kojima is rarely afraid to exert influence on every aspect of his unique vision.

Purchasing the Death Stranding Special or Collector’s Editions also gives you a digital copy of the album.

Between its A-list cast, secretive launch strategy and musical efforts like this, it serves to highlight just how much Sony is banking on Death Stranding becoming a cultural event as we hurtle towards its November 8th launch date.

Byron Simpson

The post Playstation Exclusive ‘Death Stranding’ Gets CHVRCHES Theme Song, Original Album appeared first on CRISP..