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Tech N9ne Resurrects ‘Anghellic’ For Its 25th Anniversary

Eric Alper
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Tech N9ne Resurrects ‘Anghellic’ For Its 25th Anniversary

25 years ago, a singular voice came roaring out of Kansas City. Tech N9ne released his third album and proper national debut ‘Anghellic’ on August 28, 2001, a dark, cinematic, technically ferocious and deeply personal record that helped lay the groundwork for one of hip-hop’s most successful independent careers.

Now he’s revisiting that pivotal chapter. ‘Anghellic: The Resurrection (25th Anniversary Remaster)’ arrives August 28, 2026 via Strange Music, exactly 25 years to the day after the original. Tech personally oversaw the remixing and remastering of the original recordings alongside engineer Ben “Bengineer” Cybulsky, bringing fresh dimension to the album while preserving the uncompromising vision that made it a fan favorite. Order it here.

The record sits at the heart of the Tech N9ne mythology. Its descent through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven turned a deeply personal inner conflict into a fully realized world, pairing rapid-fire precision and theatrical darkness with vulnerability, melody and an unmistakable Kansas City identity. The album cracked the top 60 of the Billboard 200 and reached number 50 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.

The sprawling 22-track project delivered enduring fan favorites including “Einstein,” “Psycho Bitch,” “Sinister Tech” and “This Ring.” The haunting “Psycho Messages” and “Psycho Bitch” weave in John Carpenter’s iconic Halloween theme, while “Einstein” became a live staple and a showcase for the complex, high-velocity delivery that turned into one of Tech’s signatures. XXL later named “Psycho Bitch,” “Sinister Tech” and “This Ring” among the 30 most essential Tech N9ne songs.

The remaster still hits with the same theatrical force that made it a cult classic, sharpened now for a new generation of listeners.

The anniversary release comes in multiple limited-edition physical configurations, including the God Complex Package, It’s Alive Package and Stamina Package, plus a variant-color vinyl edition and a CD edition.

Tech recently wrapped the Strange Wid’ It Tour, his co-headlining North American run with E-40. This summer he returns to his hometown stage for four appearances at the FIFA Fan Festival Kansas City, with full performances on June 12 and July 11 and short sets on June 19 and June 25.

French Pop Craftsman Sylvain Zebo Returns With Dreamlike New Single “Test”

Eric Alper
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French Pop Craftsman Sylvain Zebo Returns With Dreamlike New Single “Test”

A guitar riff cracked the whole thing open. French singer-songwriter Sylvain Zebo returns with his atmospheric new single “Test,” a sophisticated track that merges French pop and pop rock with introspective lyricism and cinematic textures.

Critics have placed him in the company of French icons like Alain Bashung, Marc Lavoine and Etienne Daho. “Test” showcases his signature fusion of poetic songwriting, emotional nuance and refined production, built around shimmering synths and a hypnotic chorus guitar riff.

The song came together organically. “I composed the synth parts with the piano, but it was when I found the guitar riff for the chorus that everything became fluid and ethereal,” Zebo explains. “The lyrics were added later, reflecting on the ups and downs of life, passions, feelings, and love, along with our often dehumanized experiences.”

He self-produced the single entirely, serving as producer, songwriter, arranger and sound engineer. The result feels both intimate and expansive, elegant and emotionally resonant, a song that glows with melody and quiet sophistication.

Zebo’s roots run wide. Martinican by heritage, he was born in Madagascar and grew up in Lescar near Pau in the south of France. He fell for guitar under the spell of Neil Young and Georges Brassens, then played in rock and blues bands while shaping his own voice.

After moving to Paris, he committed fully to music, studying singing and piano while performing live with guitar and vocals. He recorded his debut album ‘Consacre Moi’ near Cincinnati in 2010 with acclaimed American musicians, financed through the fan-supported platform Sellaband.

He has kept evolving while holding onto full creative independence. His albums ‘Masque,’ ‘Longitudinal,’ ‘Fortunes’ and ‘Enveloppe’ have explored acoustic songwriting, sophisticated pop textures and emotionally charged atmospheres. Since 2018 he has performed regularly in Montreal alongside renowned Canadian musicians.

Video: Bon Jovi Light Up Rock In Rio With A Nearly Two-Hour Stadium Triumph In 2019

Eric Alper
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Video: Bon Jovi Light Up Rock In Rio With A Nearly Two-Hour Stadium Triumph In 2019

Picture the Parque Olímpico packed wall to wall under the Brazilian sky. Bon Jovi headlined the main stage at the iconic Rock in Rio festival on September 29, 2019, arriving as part of their ‘This House Is Not For Sale Tour’ and unleashing their full arsenal of anthems on a massive, adoring crowd. The band built the energy gradually, opening with the title track from their then-recent album and weaving classics like “Born to Be My Baby” and “Lost Highway” through the set, rewarding longtime fans with deeper cuts, a soulful “Bed of Roses,” and David Bryan stepping up to sing lead on “In These Arms.” Frontman Jon Bon Jovi commanded the stage with the easy charisma of a man who has played the world’s biggest rooms, connecting with the vast audience across nearly two hours. The finale brought the fireworks, a run of “It’s My Life,” “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “Bad Medicine,” before the encore turned the whole park into one giant singalong with “Always” and the timeless “Livin’ on a Prayer.” The night proved once more why Bon Jovi remains one of rock’s most enduring and beloved live acts.

Multi-Platinum Hitmaker Tinashe Ushers In Bold New Era With Infectious Dance Single “Too Easy”

Eric Alper
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Multi-Platinum Hitmaker Tinashe Ushers In Bold New Era With Infectious Dance Single “Too Easy”

A massive new chapter has officially arrived for one of the most compelling disruptors in modern pop. Multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and producer Tinashe just unleashed her highly anticipated new single, “Too Easy”, across all global platforms. The track marks her first official solo offering following an absolute juggernaut run of back-to-back chart victories. It’s a confident, high-octane announcement that immediately sets the tone for her next musical evolution, proving that her creative momentum isn’t slowing down for anyone. Listen here.

The newly minted track perfectly showcases her incredibly dynamic, cross-genre sound. Co-produced by the brilliant duo of kimj and Zack Sekoff, “Too Easy” matches Tinashe’s playful vocal delivery with a bed of completely addictive electronic dance beats. She effortlessly glides over the production, singing nonchalantly about the realities of her global fame. The sleek composition acts as an absolute sonic powerhouse, offering an immediate shot of pure adrenaline that commands listeners to move.

The vision for this record first ignited during a history-making performance earlier this spring. Tinashe originally teased the unreleased material during a massive, record-breaking DJ set at the Do LaB at Coachella, sending shockwaves through the festival crowd and instantly setting the internet ablaze. That initial live energy translates beautifully into the studio version, capturing a raw club-ready vibe that completely commands your full attention from the very first beat.

This release follows a historic wave of industry dominance fueled by her seventh studio masterpiece, ‘Quantum Baby’. That acclaimed body of work generated the viral global phenomenon “Nasty”, which locked down title honors as the definitive song of the summer with over 500 million streams. She carried that exact energy forward into her massive collaboration with Disco Lines on “No Broke Boys”, a track that went absolutely nuclear on TikTok, amassed over 1 billion worldwide streams, and conquered Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

The industry recognition behind her recent work has been nothing short of spectacular. Her collaborative dance anthems earned a prestigious nomination for International Song of the Year at the BRIT Awards, alongside a nod for Social Song of the Year at the 2026 American Music Awards. She officially walked away with the trophy for Dance Song of the Year at the 2026 iHeart Radio Music Awards, cementing her status as an absolute powerhouse at the intersection of electronic music and elite pop.

With a massive foundational catalog stretching back to her 2014 breakout debut ‘Aquarius’, Tinashe continues to operate as an entirely independent force who writes, produces, mixes, and creative directs her own destiny. She’s built an untouchable global community of over 13 million social media followers and racked up over 5.5 billion all-time streams through pure artistic innovation. This magnificent new single serves as definitive proof that she’s operating at the absolute peak of her powers.

Docuseries Creators The Process Unveil Tech Secrets In “How the World Cup Ball Is Made”

Eric Alper
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Docuseries Creators The Process Unveil Tech Secrets In “How the World Cup Ball Is Made”

A fascinating new deep-dive into sports engineering just dropped on the digital landscape. The popular digital creators over at The Process have officially unveiled their latest compelling episode, “How the World Cup Ball Is Made — The $170 Ball With a Chip Inside”. This stunning release serves as a centerpiece for their acclaimed ‘Material Stories’ series. It’s a massive moment for tech enthusiasts and sports fans alike, pulling back the curtain on the advanced engineering shaping global entertainment.

The brilliantly produced episode uncovers the hidden high-tech architecture built directly into the official 2026 tournament gear. This isn’t just a standard piece of athletic equipment anymore. It features an integrated internal sensor that meticulously tracks high-speed movement hundreds of times per second. This cutting-edge hardware feeds data directly into complex AI judge systems to instantly streamline critical offside calls and deflections. It’s an incredible look at how automated data is revolutionizing the global playing field.

You’ll journey straight onto the bustling factory floors where global production actually happens. The documentary highlights the historic city of Sialkot, Pakistan, a global manufacturing powerhouse responsible for creating the vast majority of the world’s soccer supplies. It maps out the rigorous physical construction and meticulous assembly lines required to bring these advanced sporting goods to life. The narrative captures the immense scale of global industrial craftsmanship with absolute precision.

It’s a story that details how corporate innovator Adidas pioneered a massive shift away from traditional hand-stitched panels toward modern thermal bonding techniques. This specific manufacturing evolution drastically alters how the equipment interacts with the elements during high-stakes matches. The presentation beautifully showcases how even slight reductions in panel counts completely change aerodynamic flight paths.

Anthony Head, The Beloved Giles Of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” And A Singer At Heart, Dies At 72

Eric Alper
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Anthony Head, The Beloved Giles Of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” And A Singer At Heart, Dies At 72

Anthony Head, the English actor and singer who became a cult hero as Rupert Giles, the tweedy, secretly rock-and-roll Watcher of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” has died at 72. His death, from complications of pneumonia, was announced on 5 June 2026.

Born Anthony Stewart Head in Camden Town, London on 20 February 1954, he came from a creative family. His father was documentary filmmaker Seafield Head, a founder of Verity Films, his mother was actress Helen Shingler, and his older brother is actor and singer Murray Head. Both brothers would play Freddie Trumper in the musical ‘Chess’ at London’s Prince Edward Theatre, Murray in the original 1986 cast and Anthony in the final cast in 1989. He trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and traced his calling back to playing the Emperor in a childhood production of ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’, when he decided this was what he wanted to do.

Theatre and music ran through everything he did. He cut his teeth in ‘Godspell’ in the late 1970s, sang backing vocals for Red Box, and turned the role of Frank N. Furter in ‘The Rocky Horror Show’ into a signature, releasing his rendition of “Sweet Transvestite” as a single in 1991. British audiences first knew his face, and that distinctive baritone, from the long-running Gold Blend coffee commercials opposite Sharon Maughan, a will-they-won’t-they romance that played out across screens from 1987 to 1993.

Then came Sunnydale. In 1997 he took on Rupert Giles in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” the librarian and mentor whose buttoned-up exterior hid a sharp wit and a buried past, and the role made him a fixture of a show that defined a generation of television. He appeared across 121 episodes and returned for the celebrated musical episode “Once More, with Feeling,” which showcased the voice that had always been central to who he was. He reprised Giles decades later in the Audible series ‘Slayers: A Buffyverse Story’ in 2023.

His range kept widening. He played the Prime Minister in “Little Britain,” King Uther Pendragon across five seasons of “Merlin,” and a string of roles in “Doctor Who,” “Warehouse 13,” “Dominion,” and “The Split.” On radio he was Herc Shipwright in the beloved “Cabin Pressure” and a gleeful villain in “Bleak Expectations.” Director Darren Lynn Bousman, having seen the “Buffy” musical, built the rock opera ‘Repo! The Genetic Opera’ around him in 2008. Later still, he found a whole new audience as scheming Richmond owner Rupert Mannion in “Ted Lasso,” earning a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination with the ensemble for the show’s final season.

Head lived in Bath, Somerset, with homes in Surrey and Northumberland. His partner of more than four decades, animal-welfare advocate Sarah Fisher, died in December 2025. He is survived by their two daughters, actresses Emily and Daisy Head.

Video: Psych Rockers King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard Unleash Wild Energy In New Concert Feature

Eric Alper
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Video: Psych Rockers King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard Unleash Wild Energy In New Concert Feature

An explosive 2024 performance from psych rock legends King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s taking center stage in a new Chicago concert video. This captured outdoor set highlights the group’s relentless drive, shifting gears from their ‘Nonagon Infinity’ era into the bluesy textures of ‘Flight b741’. Guitarists Stu Mackenzie and Joey Walker trade jagged riffs over Michael Cavanagh’s tight drumming. The live delivery of “Le Risque” serves as a magnificent sonic firecracker, bursting with infectious energy. It’s a spectacular showcase of their wild edge.

Roots Trailblazer Alexandra King Unveils Transatlantic Magic On Magnificent Debut Album ‘Across The Pond’

Eric Alper
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Roots Trailblazer Alexandra King Unveils Transatlantic Magic On Magnificent Debut Album ‘Across The Pond’

A brilliant musical bridge just dropped today, permanently connecting 3 distinct corners of the folk world. Nashville-based folk-country trailblazer Alexandra King’s officially released her debut full-length masterpiece, ‘Across the Pond’. It’s a gorgeous 10-track collection that weaves together Irish tradition, Americana soul, and contemporary storytelling. The highly anticipated record arrives via a transatlantic lens that feels incredibly fresh. It’s a triumphant milestone for a creator who’s spent years honing her craft across multiple continents, and the global music scene’s taking notice immediately. Listen here.

The album’s rollout arrives alongside a deeply moving focus track titled “Anchored to the Sea”, a stunning showcase of emotional depth. King wrote the track about the intense reality of loving someone who feels like home while chasing an engineering dream oceans away. It’s an absolutely beautiful acoustic composition that pairs Celtic folk revival elements with rich Americana resonance. The song unfolds with an infectious energy that’s bound to captivate listeners everywhere. Producer Evan Sieling handled the engineering, mixing, and mastering, ensuring the track’s sonic landscape shines beautifully from start to finish.

This massive full-length project beautifully builds upon her 2025 EP of the same name, incorporating all 4 beloved tracks including “Lose Me to Dublin” and “Freckles (in an Old Pub)”. You’ll also find her standout 2024 singles like “Chasing Rainbows” and “I’d Be Lying” embedded in the tracklist. It’s a cohesive artistic statement shaped by heritage, resilience, and a profound sense of place. The music thrives on an amalgamation of Celtic folk revival-infused anthems and deep emotional resonance, creating a sonic experience that’s completely unforgettable.

The momentum started building earlier this year with the Irish-infused country single “Bottoms Up”, which dropped on March 13. The track’s gained massive recognition after winning American Songwriter’s Shamrock & Roll Road Ready Contest, proving its widespread appeal. Co-written with Sieling, it channels the roaring spirit of a classic pub sing-along, celebrating the warmth of Irish culture. It features spectacular fiddle work by Oliver Bates Craven, alongside traditional bodhrán percussion. The accompanying music video even features her father and childhood friend Luke Manley, bringing a tight-knit community vibe to the screen.

King’s journey to this momentous debut’s defined by an extraordinary level of personal grit. In 2020, a severe diving accident caused a cervical spinal cord injury that temporarily left her partially paralyzed. While recovering in the hospital, she heroically relearned how to hold a guitar pick, entirely reshaping her path forward. She packed her bags for Nashville in January 2022, completely recommitting to her musical career. That relentless determination pulses through every single track on ‘Across the Pond’, turning the record into a magnificent testament to survival and self-discovery.

Listeners’ll also discover an intimate meditation on family through the track “Spare Key”, which released on May 15. It’s a heartfelt tribute to her mother, who raised her to be completely fearless and take big risks. The official music video was filmed right at her mother’s home, beautifully capturing their unbreakable bond. King’s currently hitting the road to support the record, booking essential performances across New York, Ireland, and Nashville. She’s inviting the world into an environment where heritage and reinvention meet, and you’ll want to secure your tickets immediately.

Across The Pond Tracklisting:

“Bottoms Up”

“Galway Girl”

“Freckles (in an old pub)”

“Anchored to the Sea”

“I’d Be Lying”

“Chasing Rainbows”

“Spare Key”

“Lose Me to Dublin”

“Willie McBride”

“The Parting Glass”

Swedish Rockers The Devil Wears Nada Recruit Evan Stanley For Explosive Single “Victoria”

Eric Alper
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Swedish Rockers The Devil Wears Nada Recruit Evan Stanley For Explosive Single “Victoria”

A massive wave of stadium-sized energy is currently surging out of Scandinavia. The formidable Swedish melodic rock force The Devil Wears Nada just unleashed their electrifying new single “Victoria” upon the world. It’s a triumphant teaser for their highly anticipated sophomore album, ‘In Lust We Thrust’, which officially lands on Friday, July 10, 2026 through Eönian Records. This upcoming collection marks a giant leap forward for a group that’s rapidly ascending the ranks of the modern rock revival.

The newly released track delivers an absolute golden era punch with a brilliant modern identity. Listeners’ll immediately notice a monstrous guitar solo delivered by none other than Evan Stanley, the son of the legendary Paul Stanley from KISS. It’s a spectacular collision of rock royalty and fresh blood that makes the track feel incredibly urgent. The song unrolls with soaring polished harmonies and explosive choruses that instantly command attention. It’s an absolutely magnificent piece of retro-fueled songwriting that stays lodged in your head for days.

Hailing from Falköping, Sweden, the four-piece lineup expertly anchors themselves in the legendary sounds of the mid-1980s and early 1990s. They’re combining that classic arena grandeur with theatrical inspiration drawn from icons like Alice Cooper, Ghost, and Lordi. It’s a fascinating mix of vintage hard rock energy and dramatic horror aesthetics. Their celebrated debut album, ‘Postalgia’, previously earned global acclaim and quickly became a highly sought-after collector’s item among rock purists. They’re carrying that exact same fiery momentum straight into this next chapter.

The upcoming record promises to shatter expectations with its razor-sharp modern production and cinematic atmosphere. You’ll find an abundance of massive hooks and deep emotional resonance spread across the eleven tracks. Longtime devotees of classic Scandinavian melodic rock’ll definitely recognize the arena-sized ambition behind the music. It’s a bold reawakening of a beloved genre, meticulously crafted to captivate traditional glam metal loyalists while simultaneously recruiting a brand new generation of followers.

The group’s creative philosophy perfectly explains how they balance these diverse elements so well. “Take the raw pulse of the ’70s, ’80s hard rock and glam metal, and mix it with our fascination for the macabre and the dramatic, that’s where The Devil Wears Nada lives,” explains guitarist Henrik Westergren. It’s a collaborative passion that shines brightly through their material. They’ve poured countless hours of sweat into this new recording, and it’s completely obvious that they’re just getting started on their global takeover.

‘In Lust We Thrust’ Album Track List:

96.2 FM Postalgia Radio

Brat With a Baseball Bat

Last Forever

Misery Is You

In Lust We Thrust

Elephant In the Room

Victoria (Featuring Evan Stanley)

Dead & Breakfast

Shotgun Wedding

Wednesday

Ms. Black Widow

Sonic Pioneer Mary Kouyoumdjian Announces Album ‘Paper Pianos’ And Drops Single “III. All Good Things”

Eric Alper
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Sonic Pioneer Mary Kouyoumdjian Announces Album ‘Paper Pianos’ And Drops Single “III. All Good Things”

A monumental piece of contemporary music-theatre just secured its definitive place in the digital landscape. The highly anticipated world premiere recording of ‘Paper Pianos’, a brilliant composition by the Grammy-nominated Armenian-American sonic pioneer Mary Kouyoumdjian, arrives globally on August 7, 2026 via Cantaloupe Music. It’s an evening-length sonic-documentary co-created alongside the brilliant South African-American director and writer Nigel Maister. This upcoming digital release marks a massive milestone for a project that’s already captured the deep attention of the global music community. Listen here.

To mark this major announcement, listeners can dive into the album’s breathtaking third movement, “III. All Good Things”, which drops as a standalone single today. It’s performed with spectacular precision by the Grammy Award-winning ensemble Alarm Will Sound, offering an immediately immersive experience. The music unfolds with a magnificent blend of acoustic instrumentation and recorded human testimony, creating a shimmering sonic world that feels completely vital. This release stands out as a triumphant showcase of modern storytelling, flashing immense creative energy from the very first second.

The foundation of this project runs exceptionally deep, earning a well-deserved spot as a finalist for the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in Music. The production combines live performance, real recorded testimony, and documentary storytelling to map the harrowing journeys and profound resilience of refugees. It’s an essential narrative that explores dislocation, longing, and optimism from the perspective of the displaced individuals and the dedicated resettlement workers who aid them. There’s an undeniable honesty to the storytelling that bypasses simple abstraction to deliver something genuinely transcendent.

Real histories anchor the entire musical landscape, weaving together 4 distinct voices of immigrants who relocated to New York. The work draws its name from Afghan pianist Milad Yousufi, who fled Kabul under the threat of the Taliban. He taught himself to play in total silence by drawing piano keys on paper, an unforgettable image of creative survival. His story intertwines seamlessly with testimonies from Ethiopian judge Getachew Bashir, Somali-born refugee worker Hani Ali, and Iraqi refugee Akil Aljaysh. They’ve given the world an incredibly generous gift by sharing these intensely personal moments.

The creators approach this heavy subject matter with a shared belief in the transformative potential of their craft. Maister notes that the immense gratitude these individuals hold for a second chance is constantly balanced by painful personal sacrifices. Kouyoumdjian views the project through a lens of profound empathy, using real voices to bridge the gap between distant humanitarian conflicts and our shared human desires. It’s a gorgeous philosophy that elevates the entire recording into a historical document, and the artist proceeds from the sales will go directly to support the International Rescue Committee.

The path to this historic recording includes incredible milestones on the live stage. Alarm Will Sound originally delivered the world premiere of the piece at EMPAC in Troy, New York back in 2023, followed by an equally stunning presentation at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in 2025. The live experience features striking animations by Kevork Mourad, scenic design by Afsoon Pajoufar, and lighting by Seth Reiser. Now, they’ve ensured that this recorded version reaches a massive global audience.

Paper Pianos Tracklist:

  1. I. Overture: This is Not a Choice (Gee-Gee’s Primer)
  2. II. Child of War
  3. III. All Good Things
  4. IV. Bad to Worse
  5. V. Flight
  6. VI. An Open Fist
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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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