House – Page 2 – 7th Level Music

Annie-Claude Deschênes teams up with Shit Robot for a killer remix of “Main de Fer.”

Annie-Claude Deschênes presents the first in a series of remixes of “Main de Fer“, her latest single released in April. Produced by Shit Robot (DFA Records), it is available now on all platforms. The track is out now via Italians Do It Better (US) and Bonsound (ROW).

“I chose Shit Robot because his unique sound and creative vision felt like the perfect match to reimagine Main de Fer in a bold, new way”, explains Annie-Claude. The Irish producer and DJ, known for his affiliation with the DFA Records label, brings an analog touch to the track by using a variety of synthesizers and sequencers straight out of the 90s. “This was one of those great projects where you fire up the machines and everything falls into place really quickly. I was very excited to get started on this as the original vocals are great and the energy of the track is infectious”, adds Shit Robot, who also mixed the final result alongside LCD Soundsystem member and Grammy Award winner Korey Richey.

Listen to “Main de Fer (Shit Robot Remix)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDzgEPGcnHA
Listen on other streaming services: https://bonsound.co/maindeferrobotRP

Annie-Claude Deschênes will perform at the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg on September 18th and at Rialto Hall at POP Montreal on September 25th before embarking on a European tour in October. This series of dates will take her to Brussels, Strasbourg, Lyon, Luxembourg, and Paris, among other cities, after which she will return to Canada for dates in Toronto and the province of Quebec. She will also be part of M for Montreal’s official selection in November. See the list below for all tour dates.

Multidisciplinarity is an integral part of the creative process of Annie-Claude Deschênes, who continues her perpetual personal quest of uniting music and performance art by bending the pre-established conventions of stage presence. A key figure on the Montreal independent music scene for almost twenty years, she made her mark as a singer, musician, songwriter, performer and visual artist with Duchess Says and PyPy, two bands that are renowned as much for their electrifying performances as for their artistic sensibility. Over the course of her career, she shared the stage with a number of internationally renowned bands, including The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, The Black Lips, The Hives, The Hot Snakes and Buzzcocks. Duchess Says and PyPy’s extensive touring has taken her all over North America and Europe, playing venues and festivals (Primavera Fest, Eurockéennes de Belfort, OSHEAGA, Sled Island, etc.) as well as unconventional locations such as golf courses, factories and churches. Her exploratory approach to staging and sound design takes a new direction with this solo project: the urgency that characterizes her work remains, but frustration and aggression give way to introspection and vulnerability. Annie-Claude Deschênes explores and reinvents herself under her own name, driven by a constant need to create outside of her comfort zone.

Inspired by minimal pop and the pioneers of electronic music, LES MANIÈRES DE TABLE, her first solo album released in spring of 2024, is as danceable and melodic as it is disquieting and dystopian, proposing to set the table differently by deconstructing the social codes of politeness imposed on us. LES MANIÈRES DE TABLE earned a spot on the Polaris Prize long list and garnered attention from international media outlets such as KEXP, BrooklynVegan, CLASH, The Guardian, Les Inrockuptibles and Radio Nova, as well as landing on several year-end lists.

Tour dates:
09/16/2025 – Berlin, DE – Berlin Experience (Reeperbahn Festival)
09/18/2025 – Hamburg, DE – UWE (Reeperbahn Festival)
09/19/2025 – Hamburg, DE – MOPO Stage (Reeperbahn Festival)
09/25/2025 – Montreal, QC – Rialto Hall (POP Montreal) *
10/03/2025 – Brussels, BE – Botanique (Festival FrancoFaune)
10/04/2025 – Mulhouse, BE – Motoco (Festival Microsiphon)
10/07/2025 – Reims, FR – La Cartonnerie
10/09/2025 – Longwy, FR – The Long Way
10/10/2025 – Strasbourg, FR – La Grenze ***
10/11/2025 – Lyon, FR – Le Sonic
10/14/2025 – Luxembourg, LU – Les Rotondes
10/16/2025 – Tours, FR – Le Super 9
10/17/2025 – Metz, FR – Les Trinitaires
10/18/2025 – Troyes, FR – Midi O Halles (Festival Off Off Off)
10/22/2025 – Dunkirk, FR – Le LAAC ***
10/23/2025 – Paris, FR – Le Hasard Ludique ***
10/31/2025 – Toronto, ON – Wavelength @ St. Anne’s
11/07/2025 – Alma, QC – Café du Clocher +
11/08/2025 – Jonquière, QC – Côté-Cour +
11/15/2025 – Rimouski, QC – Salle Desjardins-TELUS +

* Opening for Bolis Pupul
*** Opening for Camilla Sparksss
+ Opening for Choses Sauvages

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Frankie at Stereo Sanctity.]

Ela Minus releases new remix EP and tour dates.

Earlier this year, Colombian artist Ela Minus released her new album, DÍA, via Domino. The album has garnered widespread praise, landing on several mid-year best of lists, including Billboard, Rolling Stone, Stereogum, and SPaste, with the latter raving, “the state of electronica as we know it is fuller because Ela Minus is making music within it. DÍA is unforgettable.”

Today, she releases QQQQ (Remixes) and announces a fall North American Tour. Tickets go on sale this Friday and will be available here. The five track QQQQ (Remixes) EP reworks the “haunted techno stomper,” (PAPER) “QQQQ,” into “Apocalypto” and extended club mixes by South Florida electronic producer Nick León, who recently released his debut album, A Tropical Entropy, of which Ela featured on the lead single, “Ghost Orchid.” The EP also includes club and live edits by Ela alongside the song’s original mix. Of the EP, Ela says: “Nick’s remixes feel like a collaboration. It’s the first time I’ve had so much input on a remix of my music. We were sending versions back and forth. Two came out of the process: A straight-on extended club mix (which the original was always calling for) and then a beat-less version which we called ‘Apocalypto remix‘. I’ve also recorded a live version of the song. After playing it live, the shows ignited something new in it, or in me when I play it, so I recorded a new live version included in this EP.”

Purchase/Stream QQQQ (Remixes)

Watch the Visualizer for “QQQQ” (Nick León Apocalypto Mix)

Beginning this week, Ela will play a run of UK/EU festival dates, with today’s newly announced tour kicking off in October and wrapping in Colombia in November. A full list of dates is below. As previously announced, Synth History is launching an ongoing and in depth docu-series on Ela’s story and music. Preview the first episode here, second here, and third episode here. A short film presented by Synth History will be released digitally this year.

Ela recently launched www.forthebirds.xyz, a platform where fans can write to Ela, and she writes back, covering personal and technical topics or whatever approach grabs her interest. Purchase/Stream DÍA

QQQQ (Remixes) Tracklist
1. QQQQ (Nick León Apocalypto Mix)
2. QQQQ (Nick León Extended Club Mix)
3. QQQQ – Club Edit
4. QQQQ – Live Edit
5. QQQQ

Ela Minus Tour Dates
(New Dates in Bold)
Wed. Aug. 6 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Deseo Club
Sat. Aug. 9 – Barcelona, ES @ Brunch Electronik Festival
Sun. Aug. 10 – Budapest, HU @ Sziget Festival
Fri. Aug. 15 – Paredes de Coura, PT @ Paredes de Coura Festival
Fri. Aug. 22 – Lincoln, UK @ Lost Village
Fri. Aug. 29 – Salisbury, UK @ End of the Road Festival
Sat. Aug. 30 – Terni, IT @ Letz Festival
Sat. Oct. 11 – Bologna, IT @ Robot Festival
Sat. Oct. 18 – Miami, FL @ III Points Festival
Thu. Oct. 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere (Hall)
Fri. Oct. 24 – Chicago, IL @ Outset
Tue. Oct. 28 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Wed. Oct. 29 – Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
Thu. Nov. 6 – Caracas, VE @ TBA
Fri. Nov. 7 – Medellín, CO @ TBA
Sat. Nov. 8 – Cali, CO @ TBA
Sun. Nov. 9 – Bogotá, CO @ TBA

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Matt at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Lorenzo Dada & Leo Benassi – Island EP

Don’t let the cartoonish cover fool you, Lorenzo Dada and Leo Benassi‘s Island EP is a solid house record with plenty of bounce and bump in it.

The opening bass of “Midnight Piano” alone will make your head turn and your hips shake. The tapping beats of “Slow Ride” mix with subtle horns and softer bass for a smooth make-out groove.

Apparently, there are “No Flamingos in Salinas,” but there are plenty of smooth, lush beats and grooves on this track. It’s bright and bouncy and something you’ll probably slide into a dozen mixes this summer. The EP ends with the dreamy “Dream On,” bringing in bubbly beats and looping synths to create a groove that I’m sure a lot of hip hop DJs will slow down and sample.

I’m sure you’ll dig this and drop it into many sets of your own, too.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Various artists – Disco Italia: Essential Italo Disco Classics 1977-1985 (2008)

The importance and sound of Italo disco from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s cannot be underestimated. The disco scene in Italy at this time was something unlike anyone had seen on either side of the Atlantic and it influenced DJs, club owners, club goers, and bands across the world.

Disco Italia: Essential Disco Classics 1977-1985 from Strut Records is an excellent compilation of such music. It begins with Five Letters‘ “Tha Kee Tha Tha” from 1980, in which you can still hear disco and also hear just a touch of the New Wave of music to come. The bass plucks and pops alone are worth a listen. Kasso‘s “Brazilian Dancer” from 1982 is a great disco house track with fun, goofy lyrics about a man so handsome he might be an alien because no one on Earth could be such a stud.

Number One Ensemble‘s “Flor de Coca” is such a slick disco track from 1980 that you might fall on the dance floor when you hear it. “Now Baby Now” by Kano somehow adds early Devo and krautrock sounds to 1983 disco…and it works. Jumping back to 1979, we get the fabulously named Freddy the Flying Dutchman & The Sistina Band with their bass-popping, post-punk saxophone honking “Wotjyla Disco Dance (Part 1).” Firefly barely attempts to hide their stealing of Chic‘s “Good Times” on 1983’s “Live (Is Gonna Be on Your Side),” and it’s thus a lot of fun.

The cowbell-forward “Burning Love” by D.D. Sound is over nine minutes of funk from 1977. It’s amazing – full of hot bass licks, low-end male vocals, breathy female backing vocals, some sort of falsetto vocals, and more grooves you’ll find on an interstate roadway. When Revanche tells you it’s “1979 It’s Dancing Time,” you believe them. The percussion-heavy “Let Me Be Your Radio (Part 1)” by Red Dragon Band from 1980 would make Bow Wow Wow‘s jaws drop.

Rainbow Team‘s 1983 groover, “Dreaming,” follows a path laid down by Diana Ross with its lovely female vocals and tight drumming. 1978’s “Do It Again” by Easy Going is “What if Steely Dan made disco records?” It’s great. The bass on the “Maxessa Edit” of Tullio De Piscopo‘s “‘E Fatto ‘e Sorde! E? (Money Money)” from 1985 is so thick it feels like the song it going to tip over at any moment. Valentine asks “Tina Are you ready?” at the beginning of this weird 1983 track that is more new wave than disco, which is fine by me.

Don’t skip out on this collection if you love disco or odd European stuff from the 70s and 80s.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Various artists – French Electro (2008)

I found this two-disc collection of great French techno, house, and jungle tracks in a record store’s used CD bin for less than five bucks. It practically felt like I was shoplifting it. The Wagram Music collection from 2008 has thirty-one tracks on it from heavyweights of the genre and covers a wide ground of EDM.

Dim Chris starts us off with jungle (“Sucker”) and then big-time DJ David Guetta drops “Baby When the Light” on us to get the floor jumping. Charles Schillings‘ “Be Gone” is pure house, while the “Mike 303 & Baxter Baxter radio edit” of Superfunk‘s “Electric Dance” has so much thick electro-bass that it might clog your speakers. “Samplemousse” by Brian Arc is a fun house jam that builds just like you want a house jam to build. You’ll definitely want to get down to Antoine Clamaran‘s “Get Down,” and David Vendetta‘s “Bleeding Heart” (the “Arno Cost remix”) is quirky, funky, and junk-in-the-trunky.

Kiko‘s “Requiem for a Dream” brings in a touch of synthwave to the mix. Arias‘ “Flynn” practically reinvents “The Percolator” for 2008. Jaochim Garraud‘s “Street’s Sound” is a house track that’s both lush and a bit creepy. Are you looking for a naughty song to put on the next bedroom mix you’re planning for your lover? Look no further than DJ Gregory‘s “Breeze.” “Naughty” barely describes it. It borders on “filthy, almost to the point of absurdity.”

Alex Gopher goes big beat on us with “Aurora,” bouncing loud, bright synth sounds off the walls. “Punk” by Etienne de Crecy is a salute to Daft Punk, who appear with the “Para One remix” of “Prime Time of Your Life” after Surkin‘s “White Knight Two.” There’s even a bonus remix of ZZT‘s “Lower State of Consciousness” by Justice to round out disc one.

Yes, all that is just on the first disc. The second disc is a collection of fifteen “classics” (from way back in 2000, just eight years earlier than the tracks on disc one). “Intro” by Alan Braxe and Fred Falke starts it off with a great bass-heavy house track, and Cheek‘s “Venus (Sunshine People)” continues the house party feel. Bob Sinclair‘s “Visions of Paradise” ups the disco beats to keep you moving. Martin Solveig‘s “Heartbeat” takes that disco groove to Italy and back.

Julian Jeweil‘s “Air Conditionne” is a cool introduction to Super Discount‘s bossa nova-touched “Prix Choc.” The “Todd Edwards Vocal Radio Edit Mix” of St. Germain‘s “Alabama Blues” is a showcase of mixing techniques that will leave you impressed. The bass groove on “Use Me” by Alex Gopher with Demon Presents Wuz is infectious to say the least. Daft Punk returns with a fun remix of I:Cube‘s “Disco Cubism.” Arno Cost then returns, along with Arias, for their synthwave banger “Magenta.”

Da Fresh drops a “Fuckin Track” on us that’s as heavy as the growling synth bass on it. Didier Sinclair‘s “Lovely Flight” sounds like (and, by now, is) an old school house track. Speaking of old school, Sebastien Leger harkens back to old school raves when he suggests you “Take Your Pills.” If this song doesn’t take you back to dancing in an old high school gym with a leaky roof and the floor covered in straw, then Jack de Marseille‘s track will “Bring Back That Feeling.” The compilation wraps up with Laurent Garnier‘s “Wrap Up,” which will give you enough energy for the afterparty.

This whole thing is solid, and a fun mix of old school, house, jungle, and even synthwave. Start crate digging for it.

Keep your mind open.

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Review: Roi Turbo – Bazooka EP

Brothers Ben and Conor McCarthy, otherwise known as Roi Turbo, have been crafting their South African disco-funk since they were teenagers and sharing a bedroom they turned into a DIY studio. Now, with their second EP, Bazooka, they’ve added more funk, more grooves, and even vocal tracks to their mix.

The title track gleams and shines with instant catch-your-attention synth riffs and a beat that will have you strutting down the street. “Dystopia” adds some slight synthwave touches that are great, but it never stops being danceable, despite the track’s title leading you to believe it’s going to be morose or gothic.

“Super Hands” is a standout, somehow blending stuff that sounds like it’s from old Nintendo games with alien-disco, Italo disco, and acid-funk. “Bobo Spirit” is the bounciest track on the EP. It just bumps the entire time.

“Hot Like Fire” is their first vocal track. There aren’t a lot of vocals, mind you, but the McCarthy brothers use them to good effect to help the grooves stick in your head, shoulders, and hips.

It’s a fun record that’s ready for your summer playlists. Go grab it.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jessica at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Liminal – Keep Coming Back EP

Looking for some fun house music? Well, the Danish duo of Liminal has you covered with the Keep Coming Back EP, which features three different mixes of the main track.

The bass alone on “Keep Coming Back to Me” will keep you coming back to it, not to mention the lush grooves of the whole thing. Ray Mang‘s remix of it ups the space disco feel of it to make it perfect for your next space age bachelor pad get-together.

“The Moon is Changing” is trippy house, almost trip-hop stuff, that you’ll want the next time you’re settling in for a make-out session. Ray Mang returns on the end of Side B for a re-edit of his own remix to make it more robotic and quirky.

It’s fun stuff. Throw it into your next house party mix.

Keep your mind open.

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Roi Turbo release new single, “Bobo Spirit,” in advance of new EP.

Roi Turbo — the project of South African-born, London-based electronic duo of brothers Benjamin & Conor McCarthy — announce their new EP, Bazooka, out April 25th via Maison Arts, and present the new single “Bobo Spirit.” Additionally, the band announces they will be supporting Empire of the Sun on tour throughout North America in April and May.

On their second EP, Bazooka, Roi Turbo roar down many creative roads at once, celebrating the permanence of rhythmic pasts, the contrasts of analog and digital futures, and a familial bond which marries their shared idea of sonic ecstasy to a populist streak of giving listeners what they want.

In some ways, Conor and Benjamin have been moving toward this moment their whole lives. Growing up in Cape Town with music-loving parents, they abandoned drum lessons for self-taught strategies (Conor played along to Bloc Party records, Ben learned via YouTube). The brothers debated the pros and cons of band-driven sounds (Conor) versus electronic production (Ben), unknowingly laying the foundation for their future. Their musical curiosity led them to the psychedelic modulations of William Onyeabor, the ‘80s South African bubblegum and Nigerian disco scenes, and the danceable rock of Paul Epworth. By their early 20s, Conor and Ben began to understand how their separate skills mixed with shared values and perspectives, could blossom into a secret weapon.

In 2023, the brothers relocated to London. They recorded with only a fraction of their home gear in apartments whose neighbors reacted angrily to the loud sounds. This took the sound of Bazooka away from clamor and experimentation towards what could be done more quickly and inside machines. They found technical ways to recreate the big gated drums of ‘80s records they once laughed at, scaling back the cheesiness. They leaned into the vibe of pieces rather than getting stuck on perfecting mixes and takes, embracing a more streamlined process.

Today’s single “Bobo Spirit” brings acid house piano chords into a Balearic context of open air and sunsets— a world of heavyweight groove propulsion. Of the track, Roi Turbo say: “‘Bobo Spirit’ is a mid tempo groove that is driven by catchy guitar licks, bouncing piano chords, rolling digi bass, and sci-fi synth leads. We had the idea of making a song that infused psychedelic melodies with a spacey sci-fi like feel, in a way it’s a melting pot of all the sounds we were listening to at the time.”

Listen to “Bobo Spirit”

At its core, Bazooka reflects the lifelong bond between Benjamin and Conor McCarthy—their shared influences, differing perspectives, and unified vision. Picking up where other great beat-driven siblings like Soulwax’s David and Stephen Dewaele left off, the McCarthys rock the block, and blend the distinctions. In the process, they create a classic disco-funk-house sound that skips between soundsystem eras of multiple continents, winding up with a contemporary edge all its own. With the tank full and the roads open, Roi Turbo is just getting started.

Pre-order Bazooka EP

Listen to “Super Hands”
Listen to “Bazooka”
Listen to “Dystopia”

Roi Turbo Tour Dates
Wed. April 23 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore %
Thu. April 24 – Chicago, IL @ Radius %
Sat. April 26 – St. Louis, MO @ Saint Louis Park %
Mon. April 28 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre %
Wed. April 30 – Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater %
Thu. May 1 – Eugene, OR @ Cuthbert Amphitheater %
Sat. May 3 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre %
Sun. May 4 -Sacramento, CA @ Channel 54 %
Thu. May 8 – Los Angeles, CA @ Cercle Festival %
Sat. May 10 – Los Angeles, CA @ Just Like Heaven %
Sun. May 11 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Pearl %
Wed. May 14 – Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheatre %
Thu. May 15 – Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom %
Fri. May 16 – Houston, TX @ 713 Music Hall %
Sun. May 18 – Atlanta, GA @ Coca Cola Roxy %
Tue. May 20 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore %
Wed. May 21 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Mirage %
Fri. May 23 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem %
Sat. May 24 – Boston, MA @ MGM Music Hall at Fenway %
Thu. June 19 -Sun. June 22 – Rothbury, MI @ Electric Forest

% w/ Empire of the Sun

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jessica at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Cie – Adventures II

Cie‘s newest EP, Adventures II, contains four rock solid tracks of booming, bumping deep house that you’ll want to throw on at your next party or anytime you need to feel like a bad-azz mofo.

The opening, swirling, pulsing, grooving bass of “Reichenstein” grabs hold of you and doesn’t let go for the next six minutes and fifteen seconds. “Der Turm” (“The Tower”) has cool tribal beats that put a neat spin on this house track. It’s a well-crafted blend of house, jungle, and a bit of synthwave. Nicely done, Mr. Cie.

Side B of the album contains two versions of “Stenzelberg” — the original and a remix by Mar io. The original’s funky bass groove is enough to sell you on the entire EP, and the rest of it is a flat-out house banger (Do I sound ancient using that term?). The remix is almost a minute longer and swaps out the house funk for more jungle flavor and darkness along the edges.

This is one of the best house music EPs I’ve heard so far this year. Go snag it.

Keep your mind open.

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Roi Turbo present their new single – “Super Hands.”

Roi Turbo — the new project of South African-born, London-based electronic duo of brothers Benjamin & Conor McCarthy — present their new single, “Super Hands,” out today via Maison Records. In contrast to the ‘80s South African Bubblegum disco-inspired “Bazooka,” released late last year and named a “Song You Need to Know” by Rolling Stone, “Super Hands” is an immersive ‘90s progressive house-inspired track with hypnotic synth riffs and a thick underlying groove. In the band’s words, “‘Super Hands’ is the warehouse industrial side of Roi Turbo with its modular sequencing and hard hitting drum machines. We were keen to experiment and mix warehouse dance with guitars and live percussion. We’ve always loved that progressive ‘90’s sound and had fun trying to make it fit into the Turbo world.”

Listen to “Super Hands”
Roi Turbo was formed in their home city of Cape Town in 2020. Ben came from an electronic background as a producer and DJ, and became a mainstay in the club circuit in and around their hometown. Conor, meanwhile, came from a band background, playing in alt-rock and alt-pop outfits. The two had always wanted to start a dance project together, dating back to when they were in high school. During COVID lockdown, the chance presented itself. The brothers moved back in together and wrote music with no real agenda, just the two of them with time on their hands, having fun writing music that felt the most natural to them. “We were listening to ‘70s and ‘80s African disco and funk records at the time, and the contrast between the synths and raw live elements of these records really inspired us,” say Ben & Conor, who are also quick to note the likes of Larry Levan, William Onyeabor, Air and Pino D’Angiò as musical inspiration. “Over the years we bought as many synths, drums, guitars and microphones as we could get our hands on and would experiment for weeks on end until we got the sound we were going for. This combination of analog gear has now become a staple in the Roi Turbo sound.”

Roi Turbo will perform at Retreat Yourself, a Cape Town festival on February 22nd, and Electric Forest in Rothbury, Michigan next June, with more live dates to come.

Listen to “Bazooka”

Listen to “Dystopia”

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]