Rising producer Shöckface is back better than ever with his first official release of the year, this time linking with ero808 for an impressive new collaboration, ‘Inbetween.’ As you’ll hear below, the Lowly Palace release is just as inventive as it is catchy, as the two acts seamlessly combine for a genre-bending trap heater. From the captivating rap verses to the distorted synth lead, this record is just oozing with inspired creativity and passion. There’s clearly chemistry between these two talented artists and we can’t wait to hear what they might be cooking up for us next. Stream the track via Spotify below and read what ero808 has to say about the inspiration behind ‘Inbetween’ as well.

“I was in between living situations when I wrote this. I remember just being posted up inside my car, writing, in a Whole Foods parking lot (they always have free WiFi). I had a lot on my mind that day. I sent the vocals to Shöckface and he built all the production around them. Not many producers can do that well, but he’s a fuckin genius man. This song was the beginning to me and Shöckface’s musical relationship, and we’ve worked on so many projects since then. I can’t wait for you guys to hear it all.”

Shöckface & ero808 – Inbetween | Stream

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‘PREMIERE: Shöckface & ero808 Deliver Forward-Thinking New ‘Inbetween’ Single via Lowly Palace

The post PREMIERE: Shöckface & ero808 Deliver Forward-Thinking New ‘Inbetween’ Single via Lowly Palace appeared first on Run The Trap: The Best EDM, Hip Hop & Trap Music.

Elton John returned to the stage last night to resume his ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour – you can see the setlist and watch fan-shot footage below.

READ MORE: The NME Big Read – Elton John: “I’m not interested in the past – not even Elton John’s past”

After multiple delays, the legendary artist played at the Smoothie King Center in  New Orleans, Louisiana yesterday (January 19) where he treated the sold-out crowd to a career-spanning, hit-packed set.

The musician kicked off the 21-track concert by performing ‘Bennie And The Jets’ from his 1973 album ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’. He went on to dust off favourites such as ‘Tiny Dancer’, ‘Rocket Man’, ‘I’m Still Standing’, ‘Crocodile Rock’ and ‘Your Song’.

Towards the end of the show, John performed a solo rendition of ‘Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)’ from his star-studded latest studio album, ‘The Lockdown Sessions’. It marked the first live airing of the song.

Check out a selection of videos from the concert here:

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MELBOURNE–Australian Open organizers insisted on Thursday their COVID-19 protocols have been “really successful” despite some top players pointing to lax testing at the first Grand Slam of 2022. Frenchman Ugo Humbert has tested positive and world number three Alexander Zverev of Germany believes there is probably more contagion going undetected. The tournament director said all […]

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MANILA, Philippines—Choco Mucho continued its talent recruitment with the acquisition of Desiree Cheng and Isa Molde ahead of the 2022 Premier Volleyball League season. The Flying Titans announced the signing on social media as Cheng moved from club F2 Logistics while Molde transferred to the team from PLDT. “Welcome home, Des!” posted Choco Mucho on […]

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MELBOURNE—World number two Daniil Medvedev kept his calm amid a raucous crowd to put an end to the Nick Kyrgios show in the second round of this year’s Australian Open on Thursday, dumping out the mercurial local hope with a clinical 7-6(1) 6-4 4-6 6-2 win. The atmosphere at the floodlit Rod Laver Arena was […]

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Taylor Swift has been announced as the first-ever global ambassador of Record Store Day.

Launched back in 2008, RSD will return for its 15th anniversary event on Saturday, April 23 after hosting two vinyl ‘drop’ dates in 2021.

READ MORE: Taylor Swift – ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ review: a retread of heartbreak

Today (January 20), organisers revealed that Swift – who’s released exclusive RSD records in the past – will serve as their Global Record Store Day Ambassador. She’ll also release a “special” RSD 2022 vinyl as part of the celebrations.

“I’m very proud to be this year’s Ambassador for Record Store Day. The places where we go to browse and explore and discover music new and old have always been sacred to me,” the singer explained in a statement.

“Record stores are so important because they help to perpetuate and foster music-loving as a passion. They create settings for live events. They employ people who adore music thoroughly and purely.”

Swift went on to acknowledge the “rough few years” that independent record shops have faced as a result of the COVID pandemic, adding: “We need to support these small businesses more now than ever to make sure they can stay alive, stay eccentric, and stay individual.

CREDIT: Record Store Day

“It’s been a true joy for me to watch vinyl sales grow in the past few years and we, the artists, have the fans to thank for this pleasant surprise. Happy Record Store Day, everyone! Stay safe out there.”

Carrie Colliton, co-founder of RSD, said: “The role of RSD Ambassador is, of course, something we take seriously in the sense that it helps us do our job of shining a light on these special places.

“We’re pretty picky about the people we invite to ‘wear the sash’, and we always want to make sure those Ambassadors genuinely love record stores and are creative about ways to celebrate them. But mostly it’s a title we want people to have fun with, and we know that our RSD 2022 Ambassador loves having fun, loves music, and loves record stores.”

Colliton added: “For our 15th Record Store Day, and for our first Global Ambassador, we’re teaming up with a woman who does all that and just happens to be one of the biggest artists on the planet.”

READ MORE: Taylor Swift – ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ review: a celebration of the star’s breakout album

Swift helped record stores around the world weather the storm of coronavirus-enforced closures and restrictions by sending them signed copies of her surprise-released 2020 albums, ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’.

The star also directly donated to Grimey’s New & Preloved Music, a record shop in her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. “We’re thrilled to learn that Taylor Swift is our 2022 Record Store Day Ambassador!” said the store’s Anna Lundy and Doyle Davis.

“Swift has shown her love and support for independent record stores by not only supporting our shop specifically during the dark, early days of the pandemic, when she directly donated to help us support our staff, but also by steering her eager, excited, and dedicated fans to independent record stores, places that many of them visited for the first time while in search of her signed CDs.”

They continued: “As Swift has grown as an artist, we’ve watched her fans grow with her and have been delighted to see her taking control of her recordings and working with musicians like Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner, artists whose music has resonated in shops like ours for years.

“We can’t think of a better choice for RSD Ambassador for 2022!”

The full list of official releases for Record Store Day 2022 – including a special release from global ambassador Swift – is “coming soon”. You can find more information here.

Last May, Taylor Swift broke the record for the biggest one-week vinyl album sales in the US with ‘Evermore’. Her re-recorded version of 2008’s ‘Fearless’ later shot back to the top of the US Billboard 200 chart thanks to huge physical sales of the album.

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Singer-songwriter Jamie Webster has shared a video on social media criticising ticket resale sites, former culture secretary Sajid Javid and the way politics is “entwined” with the music industry.

READ MORE: As live music returns, let’s build back fairer – by wiping out unscrupulous touts

The viral clip has been viewed almost 400,000 times across Twitter and Instagram, racked up thousands of likes on TikTok and been shared by members of Bastille.

“If you’ve ever been ripped off for gig tickets, then this video is for you,” Webster began.

“My two gigs at The Cavern sold out within fifteen seconds last week but then I found out they were back onsale on resale sites like Viagogo for prices up to £143. That’s more than 3 times as much as the original ticket price (£27). It got me thinking, why hasn’t this been stopped? Why is this still going on.”

Webster continued: “Turns out, in May 2014 a bill was put forward, which passed its first reading, to stop ticketing websites selling tickets on for more than 10 percent of the original face value. Anyone who infringed on that would receive a hefty fine.

“Our now Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid came out and spoke against it, he was Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport back then. He came out and said it is ‘a service that deserves to be rewarded’ so long as the original tickets have been brought legally and legitimately.”

“He then came out and said ‘as someone who believes passionately in the virtues of the free market and who is on the side of the ordinary, common working man, I respectfully oppose the Bill’. Common, ordinary working man, as if we’re some sort of animal species,” added Webster.

Preach!!! https://t.co/7SE7Lk6t8q

— Woody (@Woodythedrum) January 19, 2022

“To add to all this, the CEO of Viagogo and Stubhub, Eric Baker has just bought his third Beverly Hills mansion for $39million (£28.6million). So, if you’re wondering where all the money goes when you buy these tickets for stupid prices, you’re just buying this fella another house.”

Webster finished by saying: “I’ve got people telling me to keep my politics out of music. After all that I’ve told you, here’s a lesson for you. Politics is well and truly entwined in the music industry and if we don’t speak up against it, nothing will change.”

Webster’s comments come as last year, new proposals from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) would see secondary ticketing websites fined or shut down under new rules aiming to battle against “unscrupulous” ticket touts.

Under the new proposals, websites such as Viagogo and StubHub would need to gain licenses to operate, and could be fined or have their sites taken down if they are found to break consumer protection rules.

In response to the CMA’s proposals, Labour MP Sharon Hodgson – who has led a group of MPs examining secondary ticket use – said work needs to be done to tackle the “parasitical market” of secondary ticketing.

“The abuses in the secondary ticket market are clear as day and the CMA have been provided a wealth of evidence on this,” Hodgson said. “Fixing the secondary ticket market to make it fit for fans will require political will from the government and time allowed in parliament.”

Back in 2019, Google suspended Viagogo from advertising on its platform amid concerns that the resale site was allowing touts to use the site to sell tickets at an inflated price.

Viagogo also recently faced further legal action from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). MPs and campaigners for fair ticket prices have also hit out at the site, with MPs warning music fans to avoid using Viagogo until it “fully complies with consumer law”.

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MANILA, Philippines—The Philippines will send a delegation of 584 athletes, while 80 others are on the appeals’ list, to the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi in May. There will also be 161 officials who will accompany the athletes to regional meet. Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, Chef de Mission Ramon Fernandez and […]

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