The Paul Hamlyn Foundation has awarded £600,000 to new recipients of Awards for Artists 2022. Ten visual artists and composers receive £60,000 each with no strings attached from the largest awards for artists in the UK.
Awards for Artists supports visual artists and composers at a pivotal moment in their careers. Each award offers recipients £60,000 over three years – with no obligations or conditions as to how the money is used. Not only the largest award in the UK, this ‘no strings attached’ approach sets the awards apart from other schemes by giving artists the time and freedom to develop their creative ideas and to further their personal and professional growth.
The Awards reflect the Foundation’s strong belief in the value of artists to society, and the vital contribution that they make to our culture. This year’s recipients span a broad spectrum of visual arts practice and composition, including Mariam Rezaei’s pioneering turntablism; Sarathy Korwar’s heady mix of South Asian jazz and Indian classical music; Ntiense Eno-Amooquaye’s exploration of the intersections of writing, scenography and performance; and Vanley Burke’s intimate photographs documenting the lives of Black British people.
Jane Hamlyn, Chair, Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Chair of the Visual Arts Panel commented: “Artists are facing enormous challenges right now. These awards give artists much-needed time, resources and headspace. There are no strings attached, but I’m sure they will give back in many different ways.”
Moira Sinclair, Chief Executive of Paul Hamlyn Foundation said: “We believe that a healthy civic society is one where artists thrive – we want to support artists and composers to have the freedom to develop creatively, and to grow personally and professionally.”
Since the Awards began in 1994, PHF has recognised a total of 337 artists across a range of artforms with funding totalling £9.94 million. Previous recipients include visual artists Yinka Shonibare (1998), Jeremy Deller (2001), Phyllida Barlow (2007), Ed Atkins (2012), Michael Dean (2014), Sonia Boyce (2016), Charlotte Prodger (2017), Ingrid Pollard (2019) and Hetain Patel (2021). Composers include Sally Beamish (1994), Janek Schaefer (2008), Tansy Davies (2009), Eliza Carthy (2012), Shabaka Hutchings (2014), Daniel Kidane (2016), Serafina Steer (2017) and Abel Selaocoe (2021).
Each year, a panel of four new judges selects the recipients on the basis of talent, promise and need, as well as achievement. The awards might be made at any point in an artist’s career with no age restrictions unlike many other awards schemes; Gustav Metzger was 80 when he received the award in 2006. In selecting recipients, the panel always considers an artist’s potential for future development.
2022 Visual Arts recipients:
Vanley Burke is a photographer who uses his work and imagery as a counterpoint to any perception of negative or stereotypical imagery of Black people found in mainstream media. His photographs capture experiences of his community’s arrival in Britain, representing members of the Black community back to themselves in an intimate portrayal.
Ntiense Eno-Amooquaye is a writer, performer and maker of artwork, integrating the visual, written and spoken word through print, text, image, and live performance. Eno-Amooquaye creates the environments in which she performs her writing, developing complementary stage sets and bespoke garments, allowing her work to explore the intersections of writing, scenography and performance.
Trevor Mathison is an artist, musician, composer, sound designer and recordist. The defining feature of his work is the integration of environmental sound and archival material into his sonic practice, with the fragments combining to create fractured and haunting aural landscapes. Mathison is a founding member of a number of experimental groups, collaboratively producing and performing sonic and visual events using installation and ambient scores.
Libita Sibungu is an interdisciplinary artist working with writing, performance, photography, print and sound to build environments that weave decolonial narratives into immersive installations and poetic arrangements. Through storytelling Sibungu connects her familial history with political movements, and wider collective memories and cosmologies to amplify displaced, buried and marginalised voices.
Alberta Whittle choreographs interactive installations, using film, sculpture, and performance that are often made in response to current events with themes including xenophobia, the catastrophe of the weather and the global pandemic. She is motivated by the desire to manifest self-compassion and collective care as key methods in battling anti-Blackness.
2022 Composer recipients:
Laura Bowler is a composer, vocalist and Artistic Director specialising in music-theatre, multi-disciplinary work and opera. She has been commissioned across the globe by ensembles and orchestras, producing award winning compositions and multimedia music theatre. As a vocal soloist she has performed and premiered works internationally, and is the vocalist in contemporary music ensemble, Ensemble Lydenskab.
Brìghde Chaimbeul is a Gaelic musician established as one of the leading experimental purveyors of Celtic music. Chaimbeul plays the Scottish smallpipes and has devised a unique way of arranging and composing for pipes that emphasises the rich textural drones of the instrument; the constancy of sound that creates a trance-like quality in the music.
Sarathy Korwar is a musician specialising in North Indian classical music and jazz. He has established himself as one of the most original and compelling voices in the UK jazz scene, using his experiences as an Indian in Britain alongside his training in classical Indian percussion. Korwar is the founder of the UPAJ Collective – a group of South Asian jazz and Indian classical musicians.
Mariam Rezaei is an award-winning composer and performer. Her work is at the forefront of cutting-edge research in ‘Turntablism’, composed from her perspective as a northern, mixed heritage, working class, queer, female turntablist. Her innovative music has recently been described as “genuinely ground-breaking” (LCMF 2022, London Jazz News) and “high-velocity sonic surrealism” (LCMF 2022, 4* The Guardian).
Orphy Robinson is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist who has been a major force in contemporary jazz, improvised and classical music for over 40 years. Robinson’s compositions use influences from across historic timelines, combining melodies and rhythms that underpin their stories with spoken word narrative and improvised textures of sound to create a unique soundtrack for each performance.
Aphex Twin’s debut album, Selected Ambient Works 85-92, was released 30 years ago today.
A landmark release in electronic music’s history, the album compiled 13 tracks made by Richard D. James over the seven years preceding its release, beginning when he was aged only 14.
The record’s unique sound fused serene ambient pads and atmospheric synth melodies with techno-inspired drum patterns, resulting in a hybrid style of ambient techno that was as mesmerizing as it was propulsive. Labeled ‘intelligent dance music’, or IDM, by fans and critics (a term James himself dismissed) the album has since been named as an influence by countless other electronic artists.
Although James undoubtedly now owns an envious collection of synthesizers and recording gear, Selected Ambient Works 85-92 was produced at the beginning of his career, using a more limited selection of kit. A 1993 interview with Future Music revealed that his set-up was based around a Korg MS-20, a Roland SH-101 and a Yamaha DX7. James also used a Casio FZ-10M sampler with custom filters, estimating that he used it on 80% of his songs.
The album was sequenced using an Atari 520ST computer and a Korg SQ-10, along with custom-built DIY sequencers. James likely also used the onboard sequencers on the Roland SH-101, while using CV and MIDI to keep different devices in sync. He’s said that his tracks are “99% sequenced”, with only the synth strings parts occasionally played by hand.
To achieve the uniquely grainy reverb sounds that characterise the record’s sound, James made use of the Alesis Quadraverb, a rack-mounted digital reverb from 1988. In a 2014 interview with Noyzelab, James mentioned that the Quadraverb was “used on all tracks on SAW85-92” and praised its “dark and muddy” sound, along with “nice arrangement of subtle pitch shifting, delays into reverbs”. All of the tracks on SAW were recorded to cassette, which imbued them with a noisy, lo-fi sound, and audible distortion.
Pads
SAW is full of dark, spacious synth pads. These usually outline the song’s chord progression, and the song “I” consists of only a pad run through a heavy amount of reverb. These ambient pads were likely recorded with the Yamaha DX-100 or DX7, as these were the only polyphonic synths James mentioned owning at the time. He likely used the DX strings patches, as they have long attack and release times as well as mellow, sine-like oscillator sounds.
Bass
Bass sounds are a fundamental part of SAW85-92, with a mixture of mellow riffs, acid synths, and flowing melodic basslines present. One recurring sound is a dark sawtooth synth with a high resonant filter at a low position, which creates a dull, bass heavy sound with little high-end. It also has a soft attack, which prevents it from sounding too plucky. You can hear this prominently in “We Are the Music Makers” and “Tha”.
Elsewhere, “Green Calx” and “Ptolemy” feature a more resonant sound associated with acid music. These synth patches are created by setting the filter resonance to medium or high settings and using the envelope filter with a quick decay time and no sustain. “Plotemy” has a medium amount of envelope and resonance, whereas “Green Calx” has much more of both.
Leads
Although lead synths aren’t often in the foreground of SAW, two memorable melodic parts can be found in the gliding lead in “Schottkey 7th Path” and the short, melodic plucks that open “Ageispolis”. These were likely recorded on the Roland SH-101, a revered analog monophonic synth from 1982. There are plenty of software emulations of the SH-101, including TAL-BassLine-101, D16 LuSH-101 and the new Softube Model 82.
The main synth heard “Schottkey 7th Path” is a monophonic patch using a single sawtooth wave, with the filter set at around 60% open and a very fast glide time. The “Ageispolis” patch can be recreated using a square wave oscillator, with the filter wide open. There’s a very short decay time on the VCA envelope, and no sustain. Both synths would have been run through plenty of Quadraverb, though we’ve used Valhalla VintageVerb as a replacement on these clips.
Yamaha DX synthesizers can be heard clearly in the rhodes-style comping in “We Are The Music Makers” and the melody of the album closer, “Actium”, both of which use the DX7’s infamous ’11 E.PIANO 1′ preset. We recreated these parts using the Arturia DX7 V software plugin, though the free synth Dexed also features the preset. The DX7 is velocity-sensitive, so sequencing lower velocities will result in softer sounding notes.
Samples
Album opener “Xtal” features a vocal sample from “Evil At Play”, a piece of library music recorded in 1986. The song’s grainy chords are also sampled from “Evil At Play”, which was discovered by YouTuber SynaMax last year, 19 years after the song’s release.
The sounds were likely sampled on Richard’s Casio FZ-10M, a rack-mount version of the FZ-1 that allows the user to save and load sounds via floppy disk. Elsewhere on SAW, there are several movie samples buried in the mix. A sample from RoboCop can be heard in “Green Calx”, appearing at 3:56, and a sample of dialogue from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory can be heard in “We Are the Music Makers”.
Effects
SAW was initially recorded to cassettes, which were given to James’ friends before being recorded to DAT tapes for the final versions you hear on the album. As such, the tracks have a high level of background noise, a muddy sound and audible distortion at points.
If you want to recreate this lo-fi aesthetic yourself, you could record the master from your DAW to cassette, then re-record the cassette back into your DAW. If you don’t have a cassette player handy or fancy more flexibility, plugins are also an option – there’s plenty of decent tape emulation plugins out there that can produce a good imitation of this kind of sound.
All the audio clips in this article were processed through Soundtoys Decapitator and XLN Retro Color 2 on the master channel, to add distortion, saturation and tape artifacts.
Drums
Most of SAW’s drums sound like they come from the Roland TR-808, however Aphex Twin didn’t own a TR-808 at the time this album was produced – instead he used a Roland R-8 with an 808 expansion card. There are many instances when the bass drum and hi-hats are repitched, which wasn’t possible using the original 808.
A booming four-to-the-floor 808 kick is one of the album’s main fixtures, it can be heard drenched in Quadraverb in “Xtal” and without reverb in “Pulsewidth”. There’s also a signature hi-hat pattern consisting of two closed and one open hi-hats that appears in both songs.
James is an adept sequencer, and uses a meticulously programmed fast triplet hi-hat roll in both “Ageispolis” and “Heliosphan”.
James also used the Roland R-8 sequencer to repitch the 808 kick to create basslines in tracks like “Ageispolis” and “Xtal”. 808 basslines are commonly heard in techno and house music, and can easily be recreated by loading a sample of an 808 kick into your DAW sampler and programming basslines in the piano roll.
The snare from the historic “Apache” drum break also appears to have been a favourite of Aphex Twin’s, as he used it on both “Heliosphan”, and on ”Xtal”, repitched 5 semitones lower. You can also hear repitched 808 basslines and plenty of hi-hat programming tricks in this “Xtal” beat.
Today, Spotify announced a new design language for its Apple Watch app to help users quickly download music to listen to offline while being able to browse and choose their favorite podcasts.
According to a blog post, this new listening experience is now rolling out to Apple Watch users – which means it could take a few days or weeks to be available to all people.
This “improved listening experience” for Spotify users on Apple Watch will let them easily browse and choose their favorite music and podcasts in the “Your Library” section and more quickly download music to listen offline from the Watch itself.
A new design brings a larger artwork for album and podcast covers. This combines with new animations and an added functionality to like a song by swiping it.
In addition, there’s a new blue dot to mark new podcast episodes, so “you’ll never miss fresh episodes from your favorite creators.”
In its blog post, Spotify also announced that the music streaming service now appears in the Ambient mode on Amazon Fire TV QLED Omni Series.
Sometimes, bigger is better—users who’ve been listening to their favorites from the big screen on the Amazon Fire TV QLED Omni Series know that. With the all-new Ambient Experience, your Fire TV Omni QLED Series TV proactively shows helpful information throughout the day and provides hands-free access to your favorite music and Spotify recommendations.
Spotify is also improving its partnership with Delta to put “our own spin on the boarding process” by curating the music that plays overhead as customers find their seats.
Last but not least, for Ray-Ban Stories owners, Spotify added its Tap technology so users can easily enjoy their favorite tunes without taking out their smartphones. The company explains that people need to tap and hold on the side of the glasses to play Spotify. To hear something different, they need to tap and hold again, and the music streaming service will recommend something new.
More Apple coverage:Apple Watch Ultra: A more rugged Apple Watch is finally here
The event brought together creators, artistes and enthusiasts to celebrate and develop on the connection that the Gen Z share with the audio realm
Anumita Nadesan in performance
Agnideb Bandyopadhyay
|
Published 09.11.22, 07:48 AM
Spotify IRL, held at the Jio World Garden in Mumbai on November 5, brought together creators, artistes and enthusiasts to bond over music, drinks, munchies and refreshing conversations, to celebrate and develop on the connection that the Gen Z share with the audio realm. Peppered over the day were a chain of performances, relevant and fun panel discussions and activities in the respective Spotify pods : Heal, Learn and Game.
The Heal Pod housed numerous sessions and sharing circles with speakers and creators like Rytasha Rathore, Tarini Shah, Renil Abhraham facilitating conversations on issues encompassing social media hatred, accepting yourself and adoring imperfections that define us. With an ambient serenity, the pod was quite comfortably the definition of a safe space that rejuvenated the soul. The Learn Pod had a chain of quizzes on pop culture, music and sex conducted by Aakash Mehta, Raghav Meattle and Leeza Mangaldas which drew immense crowds and the energy inside the pod was through the roof consistently throughout the evening — the highlight was certainly the final quiz of the evening conducted by the ever-charming Leeza Mangaldas which was a fun and enlightening segment on sex education. The Game Pod housed the crowd-magnet VR games, foosball, darts and everything that appealed to the gamers in town.
Weaved with the chain of activities inside the pods, were panel discussions on music and language, the importance of playlists and balancing the grind and drill of work with speakers like Shalmali Kholgade, Jonita Gandhi, Anuv Jain, Pooja Dhingra and others opining on these issues laced with personal experiences. The first panel OoAntaWow had Jonita, Shalmali and Nimrat Khaira debating over the subject of whether language in music matters anymore. Jonita said: “I think when they are listening to something, people need something to relate to, to vibe out. When we say music is universal and has no language, it’s the production and the music that is brought together to appeal to everyone, so that they can sing along or even dance to it, bringing something that initiates a connection. They are able to appreciate languages they haven’t even heard before, and I think that is incredibly important. When I’m recording something in a language that I don’t speak in, I sit with the lyricist and the composure, I try to know what each word means, bringing in an element of the same to the mood of the song. It is also very important to ensure that the native speakers of the language don’t get distracted from connecting with the song if I’m not getting the words right.” Shalmali who has sung and delivered hits in different languages added, ” I think the way the instruments are installed into the scope of the song is independent of the language. The way the words fit into the rhythm of the song makes or breaks the song for me. We are somehow conditioned to relate to the musicality, but certainly once the interest is sparked, we delve into the lyrical part of it as well. There’s a beautiful connection. Whenever I’m performing live, I try to go on to the stage absolutely rehearsed and I don’t take in a lot of requests, but two lines from a requested song always makes sense. They don’t try to correct or fixate over the words I couldn’t pronounce properly, as they are so happy that I try.”
The next panel discussion was one on the efficacy of playlists, what the Gen Z needs and the connection that they have and the one that is initiated with the ecosystem that is provided and playlists that are being curated or shared— titled ‘Soundtrack Your Life: The Playlist Phenomenon’. On the panel was Akshay Kapoor, editor of The Indian Music Diaries, singer Hanita Bhambri, Neha Ahuja, director, head of marketing, Spotify, and one of India’s biggest indie pop sensations Anuv Jain. When asked about how his growth can be charted with the songs that he recorded Anuv said, “It all started with requests to share my songs, but it sparked organically. I find myself on the cutest of playlists that are being shared between friends and romantic partners and I think, that’s the growth — a sweet mix of both. It’s a very intimate thing, and with the ecosystem that Spotify provides, it really helps a lot of artistes to find their way into the collective scene.”
The final panel of the day was on the importance of striking a balance between personal and professional called ‘The Grind vs The Peace of Mind’. On the panel were creator and singer Avanti Nagral, Suchita Salwan, CEO, Little Black Book and India’s leading pastry chef, Pooja Dhingra. Talking of striking a balance Pooja said: “I think I had to learn how to find the balance. When you are an entrepreneur, every problem is your problem, when you are juggling many hats at the same time. I started with all of it when I was 23, and there was a time, with everything going around, I felt like a burnout. I realised I had to take a step back and find myself among all of these things and all of my roles, and define balance. It’s still a work in progress but for me balance essentially means when I’m doing something, I’ll not be thinking about 10 other things, and give them their own spaces, channeling it accordingly.” Adding to the importance of the need to channel and space things out, Avanti said: “Often in the business of producing content, we have to draw a line between the person that we are and the persona that we put out there. I chose very consciously to maintain the same — indoors and out there. But it often becomes tricky where the lines blur and expectations come into question.”
To add to these was the Spotify Vibe arena which held the centre stage hosting musical acts like Anumita Nadesan serenading with her soft numbers and indie ambient pop-rock band Easy Wanderlings, composer-singer Kanishk Sheth and DJ duo The Lost Stories cooking the groove to close the night on a beautiful note.
The following information is subject tochanges, including cancellations. To list an upcoming gig, email us at newsroom@lakegenevanews.net.
Big gigs
Kathy Mattea — Nov. 12,7 p.m., Big Foot High School Auditorium, 401 Devils Lane, Walworth. Tickets: $58.75. Visit bigfootfinearts.com to purchase tickets.
Back In Time — Tribute to 1980s music and Huey Lewis & the News. Friday & Saturday, Nov. 11 & 12, 7 p.m., Belfry Music Theatre, 3601 Highway 67, Delavan, belfrymusictheatre.com. Tickets: $58-76.
Unforgettable Fire — U2 tribute. Friday & Saturday, Nov. 18 & 19, 7 p.m., Belfry Music Theatre. Tickets: $58-76.
Calendar
People are also reading…
Open Mic — 7-11 p.m., Broken Spoke Tavern & Eatery, 332 Fellows Road, Genoa City.
Glenn Davis blues jam — 9 p.m., Hogs & Kisses, 149 Broad St., Lake Geneva.
Mike VanDyke — 5:30-8:30 p.m., Pier 290, 1 Liechty Drive, Williams Bay.
Doug Sheen — 6:30-9 p.m., Flat Iron Tap, 150 Center St., Lake Geneva.
Jeff Trudell — 5-8 p.m., Topsy Turvy Brewery, 727 Geneva St., Lake Geneva.
Rick Venn — 5-9 p.m., Studio Winery + Geneva Lake Distilling, 401 E. Sheridan Springs Road, Lake Geneva.
D’Lite Duo — 6-10 p.m., Pier 290.
Andrew Tilander — 7-10 p.m., Crafted Italia at The Ridge, W4240 Highway 50, Town of Geneva.
LaMont — 5-8 p.m., Topsy Turvy Brewery.
Smooth Blues with John Gueher — 5-9 p.m., Studio Winery + Geneva Lake Distilling.
Nathan & Brido — 6-9 p.m., Duesterbeck’s Brewing Company, N5543 County Road O, Elkhorn.
Karen Shook — 7-10 p.m., Crafted Italia at The Ridge.
Randy McCallister — 7-10 p.m., Pier 290.
A.T.O. — 7-9 p.m., Delavan Lake Store & Lounge, 2001 North Shore Drive, Delavan.
The Acoustix — 7-10 p.m., The Hive Taproom, W2463 County Road ES, East Troy.
Kevin Kennedy — 10 p.m.-1 a.m., The Lookout at Lake Lawn Resort, 2400 E. Geneva St., Delavan.
Matt Jaye — 5:30-8:30 p.m., Pier 290.
Open Mic — 7-11 p.m., Broken Spoke Tavern & Eatery.
Glenn Davis blues jam — 9 p.m., Hogs & Kisses.
Jon Rouse — 5:30-8:30 p.m., Pier 290.
Matt Jaye — 5-8 p.m., Topsy Turvy Brewery.
Tom Stanfield — 5-7 p.m., Niche, 715 Hunt Club Drive Unit C, Town of Geneva.
Matthew Adam — 5-9 p.m., Studio Winery + Geneva Lake Distilling.
D’Lite Duo — 6-10 p.m., Pier 290.
Andrew Tilander — 7-10 p.m., Crafted Italia at The Ridge.
Matt Jaye — 5-8 p.m., Topsy Turvy Brewery.
Rebecca & the Grey Notes — 5-9 p.m., Studio Winery + Geneva Lake Distilling.
Karen Shook — 7-10 p.m., Crafted Italia at The Ridge.
Glenn Davis — 7-10 p.m., Pier 290.
Marr’Lo Parada — 10 p.m.-1 a.m., The Lookout at Lake Lawn Resort.
Sonic tonic: Most relaxing albums ever made
10. Steve Roach, “Quiet Music 1”
Grammy-nominated artist Steve Roach.
Contributed, steveroach.com
9. Brian Eno, “Ambient 1: Music For Airports”
Brian Eno, shown here in 2013 during the digital festival TagDF in Mexico City, popularized the term “ambient music.” His 1978 album “Ambient 1: Music For Airports” is a dreamy set of songs featuring piano, synthesizer and wordless vocals.
Ivan Pierre Aguirre, AP
8. Craig Kupka, “Clouds: New Music for Relaxation”
Cover of Craig Kupka’s “Clouds: New Music for Relaxation.” In the 1970s and 80s, Kupka made albums dedicated to dance techniques and relaxation. Today, he is a high school music director.
7. Joanna Brouk, “Hearing Music”
The cover for Joanna Brouk’s “Hearing Music,” a 22-song compilation released in 2016.
6. Deuter, “Ecstasy”
Pioneering New Age artist Deuter has been active since the early 1970s. His album “Ecstasy” is a soothing blend of eastern and western styles of music.
Contributed, New Earth Records
5. Fumio, “Meditation”
The cover of Fumio Miyashita’s “Meisou,” which was released in the U.S. in 1995 under the title “Meditation.”
4. Hiroshi Yoshimura, “Music For Nine Post Cards”
The cover for Hiroshi Yoshimura’s “Music For Nine Post Cards,” which was released in the U.S. in 2018. It was first released in 1982.
3. Scott Fitzgerald, “Bamboo Waterfall”
The cover for Scott Fitzgerald’s “Bamboo Waterfall,” which includes the use of over 40 different wind chimes and bells.
2. Laraaji, “Essence/Universe”
Laraaji used an electronically modified zither to create “Essence/Universe,” which was first released in 1987.
Contributed, All Saints Records
1. Steven Halpern, “Spectrum Suite”
Shown here arriving at the 55th annual Grammy Awards in 2013, Steven Halpern’s “Spectrum Suite” is nearing its 45th anniversary.
Jordan Strauss, Invision/AP
Stay up-to-date on what’s happening
Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
Music lovers are notoriously difficult to buy for. The problem is that there are many different types of music lovers — from quality-audio fans lusting over purist playback through audiophile headphones or speakers, to vinyl collectors, to listeners just looking to stream tunes from a mobile device as conveniently as possible, it can be difficult to know exactly what gift will hit the right note with individuals.
Rest assured that we’re all music fans on the Tom’s Guide team, and we’re here to help you make the best buying decisions we can. So if you’re struggling for gift ideas for the music fan in your life, you’ve come to the right place.
In selecting gift ideas for our list below, we’ve scoured the market, our reviews and our own personal experiences to draw up a shortlist of the best audio products for all kinds of budgets. Quality audio doesn’t often come cheap, but we’re sure our picks below will inspire and help you make the perfect gift choices this holiday season.
About Our Expert
About Our Expert
Lee Dunkley
As a former editor of the U.K.’s Hi-Fi Choice magazine, Lee is passionate about all kinds of audio tech and has been providing sound advice to enable consumers to make informed buying decisions since he joined Which? magazine as a product tester in the 1990s. Lee covers all things audio for Tom’s Guide, including headphones, wireless speakers and soundbars and loves to connect and share the mindfulness benefits that listening to music in the very best quality can bring.
Music streaming
(Image credit: Apple Music)
Apple Music subscription
Why you can trust Tom’s Guide Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Whether you’re buying for a music fan who listens at home, or someone who enjoys personal listening on-the-go via the best wireless headphones, a subscription to one of the best music streaming services is quite literally giving them the gift of music. With access to a library of literally 100 million songs at CD-quality or better for the highest quality music streams, Apple Music is the best value streaming service right now.
The Apple Music app is clean and intuitive to use via iOS mobile and macOS, and the music streaming service is being integrated into more third-party components including Sonos, Xbox (Series X, S and One), PS5, and Roku, as well as Android mobile users. The only slight downside is that hi-res output is not supported on Windows desktops.
The only way to gift a subscription to Apple Music is to purchase an Apple Gift Card (opens in new tab). Gift card givers can select any value from $10 up to $2,000, and cards can be personalized with your own gift message and either emailed or delivered by post. Of course, the value of the gift card can be redeemed on all Apple products from any of its stores. An Apple Music individual subscription costs $10.99 / month.
Earbuds
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple AirPods Pro 2
Another great gift for music lovers favoring Apple’s ecosystem are the AirPods Pro 2, which are designed for iPhone owners looking for a more tailored listening experience. Launched in September at the same price as the original ($249), they can already be found discounted to $239 via some online retailers. They are the pinnacle of Apple technology and take performance to the next level.
Externally, the AirPods Pro 2 look pretty similar to the first generation but battery life has been increased to offer 6 hours on a single charge from the earbuds and a further 30 hours from the wireless charging case. Not only are the earbuds IPX4-rated, but now too is the case itself.
With features like personalized spatial audio sound to listen to some of the best Dolby Atmos sound in any pair of earbuds, and noise cancellation twice as effective as the original AirPods Pro, these are among the best we’ve yet to test, period.
(Image credit: Bose)
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II
As the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 are the ones to buy for the music lovers who desire the best possible noise cancelation for listening to music without interruption. These are a remarkable follow-up that delivers better sound, great call quality and unrivaled ANC. Proprietary technologies like ActiveSense and CustomTune balance sound and noise neutralization extremely well.
Bose’s redesign also makes these buds less of an eyesore compared to the original, and only the high price and mediocre battery life count against them. CustomTune automatically calibrates ANC and the sound frequency profile to the unique properties of your ear and optimal performance that’s right for you. The MSRP may be pitched high at $299, but they can already be found discounted for less via online retailers.
Headphones
(Image credit: Sony)
Sony WH-1000XM5
The goal for the majority of music fans right now is to block out the hubbub of their surroundings and luxuriate listening to their favorite music without interruptions. As one of our favorite headphones of the year, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are a great value active noise canceling headphone option.
The latest flagship headphones improve upon the already great WH-1000XM4 with better active noise cancellation, call quality, sound, comfort and connectivity. They have useful touch controls on the earcups, and playback time runs to 30 hours with ANC on (40 with it off), which is better than most.
Quality audio fans can bask in one of the best-sounding noise-canceling headphone experiences available with LDAC support for the highest-quality Bluetooth streams from compatible playback devices. The excellent Sony Headphones Control app works with both iOS and Android devices and provides useful customization, and the whole Sony XM5 package is one of the most eco-friendly headphone designs we’ve come across.
(Image credit: Apple)
Apple AirPods Max
If you’re looking for one of the best gifts to give Apple iOS users, the AirPods Max noise-canceling headphones are the company’s only over-ear option. As Apple’s premium headphone design, the list price of $549 may feel a bit extravagant for a pair of headphones, but they can regularly be found discounted for considerably less.
Apple has also loaded the AirPods Max with some rather advanced features, like Adaptive EQ and spatial audio. There’s only one level of active noise cancellation available, but it works like a charm and does a great job of blocking out ambient sounds, especially at the lower end of the frequency spectrum. They sound excellent, and the design standards and build quality are so high you can bet that any music lover receiving the AirPods Max as a gift will be very impressed indeed.
The only downside is that they come with a smart case, which only offers basic protection. Alternative and more robust carry case options can be found in our best AirPods Max cases roundup.
Bluetooth speakers
(Image credit: Anker)
Anker Soundcore 3 portable speaker
A great stocking filler, the Anker Soundcore 3 is an amazing little Bluetooth speaker. It costs just over $50 in black, and is also available in blue, red and silver colors for $56. It’s one of the standout portable speakers of the year, and made the list as one of the best cheap Bluetooth speakers around.
This tiny powerhouse delivers loud, well-balanced sound within an IPX7-rated design that can survive water and dust, while the robust rubberized outer case takes care of protection from everyday knocks. The speaker lasts up to a whopping 24 hours, and delivers powerful sound in any setting. It’s the perfect portable speaker for tossing into a bag on a road trip, and SharePlay allows multiple Soundcore speakers to be synced for an even bigger sound.
(Image credit: Sonos)
Sonos Roam smart speaker
As its most affordable speaker, the Sonos Roam is the perfect introduction to the company’s multiroom ecosystem. It comes in five color options and is one of the most versatile portable speakers around. It’s a connected smart speaker at home, and a powerful Bluetooth beast on the road. Battery lasts around 10 hours, and it juices up quickly via USB-C or wireless charging, its auto Trueplay feature adjusts the sound to suit your surroundings wherever you’re listening, even outdoors.
When you return back from your latest excursion, say, the Sonos Roam should rejoin your larger Sonos system on its own. It also gives you the option to hand off your current soundtrack to the nearest Sonos speaker. Or you could stick to Roam, bringing your voice assistant and streaming services room-to-room, or as far as your Wi-Fi can reach.
Turntables and vinyl
(Image credit: Audio-Technica)
Audio-Technica AT-LP120XBT-USB record player
As one of the best affordable all-round turntables, this Audio-Technica deck packs an awful lot in. It looks similar to Technics’ iconic SL-1200 turntable with a direct-drive motor for stable playback, stroboscope and pitch control, making it a great start for any budding DJ as well as vinylistas. A Swiss Army knife of a record player, it has an integrated switchable phono stage (making it easy to slot into systems of any kind), aptX Bluetooth wireless streaming (for uber-convenience) and USB output (for making digital copies of vinyl to a computer).
Although we’ve not reviewed this particular model on Tom’s Guide, we’ve seen it in action and love the sound it makes. It extracts plenty of detail, has an easy-going way with rhythms and puts some nice emphasis on the midrange (vocalists in particular). It’s the best turntable pick if you want a little bit of everything.
(Image credit: Spin-clean)
Spin-Clean Record Washer MkII
If you’re looking for a great gift for someone who loves to buy music on vinyl but hates the pops and crackles that can often be heard when it’s playing, then the Spin-Clean Record Cleaner is a great choice to clean up their LPs. This manual record cleaner will spruce up any record collection and remove extraneous sounds caused by a combination of surface noise from dirt trapped in the record’s groove and static to deliver crackle-free results.
The Spin-Clean cleans both sides of the record at the same time as you rotate records through a pair of brushes in a reservoir of distilled water (not supplied) mixed with record care solution. As even new records can suffer from unpleasant clicks and crackles as they play, you could include an LP or two to make the music fan in your life feel even more special.
Portable DAC and Headphone amps
(Image credit: Chord Electronics)
Chord Electronics Mojo 2 headphone amp/DAC
If you’re shopping for a music lover that likes to listen on wired headphones, Chord’s Mojo 2 battery-powered headphone amp/DAC is the perfect gift. Aimed at anyone who cares about getting the best sound possible audio quality from their playback device and headphones while on the move, Chord’s Mojo 2 is even better than the original and makes the most of hi-res audio streams as well as improving the sound of compressed music streams, too.
Although we haven’t yet given the DAC a full Tom’s Guide review, we’ve spent some time with it on our travels to and from the office, and is one best iPhone audio upgrades we’ve tried. It delivers a three-dimensional soundstage and far more realism than anything we’ve heard using the same pair of headphones connected wirelessly, the Mojo 2 simply lets whatever music you’re listening to sing.
Soundbars and subwoofers
(Image credit: Devialet)
Devialet Dione soundbar
If you’re wanting to splash out on the ultimate soundbar for your TV viewing this holiday season, then it doesn’t get much more high-end than the Devialet Dione. Properly expensive and strikingly stylish, it’s a full-on 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos affair, designed to deliver a surround-sound experience from a single unit.
We loved the way it handled full-on, action-packed Dolby Atmos soundtracks, and gave a dynamic, expansive and nuanced listen. For a soundbar that goes without the low-frequency reinforcement of a partnering subwoofer, the amount of bass it’s able to produce really is quite remarkable, and width and height soundstage elements are deeply effective. If you have deep pockets and are looking to gift big this holiday season, the Devialet Dione is top of the list in our best soundbars, and the most elegant Dolby Atmos soundbar solution on the market right now.
(Image credit: Sonos)
Sonos Sub Mini subwoofer
Adding a subwoofer to a home audio setup is one of the most rewarding audio upgrades we can think of, and the Sub Mini is the perfect Sonos add-on. It has a smaller design form to complement and integrate with Sonos One, Ray soundbar, or Beam soundbar speakers, and is a great choice if you’re looking to make a big impression.
As part of Sonos’ reliably stable ecosystem, the Sonos Sun Mini is remarkably straightforward to integrate with other Sonos networked speakers, and achieves a satisfying boost to music listening with a full range of frequencies that everyone will be able appreciate. Movie fans will love the bass depth and boost it brings to TV sound, too.
Music system
(Image credit: Q Acoustics)
Q Acoustics M20 wireless music system
The Q Acoustics M20 is a wireless music system in a pair of powered bookshelf speakers with great sound. Available in black, white, or wood wrap finishes, the M20 is essentially one powered speaker partnered with a passive speaker that can be placed either side of the TV, a desktop computer, on speaker stands, or on a table top. It supports Bluetooth with aptX HD for wireless streaming (there’s no Wi-Fi), and there’s a digital optical input and USB port for wired digital connections. It does have a pair of analog RCA inputs for adding a music streamer or CD player, too.
We haven’t reviewed this active speaker system at Tom’s Guide, but we’ve had plenty of experience with it at home. The system has room-filling capabilities that belie the dimensions of the compact stereo speakers. You don’t get format handling for the likes of Dolby Atmos soundtracks, but you do get great stereo TV sound and music playback performance that will satisfy audio fans who want to fill the room with their favorite tunes.
Dan Berg, aka Fireberg, is a Brooklyn-based experimental/electronic music producer who combines sound art, synthesis, and sampling to create untraditional grooves and beats. Now, celebrating the launch of his own Mishbaka label, Fireberg returns to the scene with ‘Call of the Phoenix’, his latest EP and first release on the imprint. Featuring three tracks touching on transformation and renewal, each track is reincarnated or remixed into new evolutions.
EG caught up with Fireberg to learn more about the release of ‘Call of the Phoenix’, his newly launched Mishbaka imprint, views on the state of the scene, and more.
EG: Hi Dan! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us, as always. Where are you based right now?
Fireberg: Hi EG! Thanks for having me. And thanks for your continued work in telling artists’ stories! I’m based out of Brooklyn, New York.
EG: Thank you! By the way, congratulations on the release of ‘Call Of The Phoenix’! What has the initial reception been like?
Fireberg: Thank you. Yeah, it has been quite a process and I’m so glad the record is finally out. The reception has been good. I’m not much of an analytics guy, but there have been buckets of handclap and fire emojis, so I guess that means it’s liked :), kidding slightly on that, but I do wonder sometimes what to use as a metric to answer that very question. Sales and streaming numbers are nice, but they’re so fleeting and impersonal. I will say, the DJ and radio support has been exciting on this release, and there’s been a few seemingly diehard fans coming out of the woodwork, which is comforting and motivational.
EG: So, what can your fans expect to find on ‘Call Of The Phoenix’? Is there a conceptual or emotional trigger to it?
Fireberg: The album is an exploration of concepts around rebirth and renewal. The phoenix is an ancient mythical symbol depicted as a bird who continually regenerates, burning to ash and then emerging from those ashes, as a new being. As I’ve explored psychedelics and other healing modalities quite deeply over the past few years, this concept resonates deeper and deeper with me. In one way, it’s quite obvious to describe this process as it’s something that shows up everywhere, from the flowers to the moon, to our cells, and the very essence of life and death. But, on another level, we’re taught or “sold” other models all the time that suggest something else. For instance, the apocalyptic or entropy model in which life is kind of just a descent into chaos and disorder. Or, we often can get stuck viewing our life as one singular climb up a mountain, and then we judge whether we’ve reached the top, or whether we’re climbing fast enough. Focusing on the less personal, cyclical, process-oriented paradigm is what I’m both sharing as a practice of my own and suggesting or inviting for the listener. This can be achieved in many ways with the music: through dance, contemplation, somatic experiencing, or social connection.
EG: The EP comes with a remix by Prince Of Queens as well. What do you look for when listening back to a remix of a track of yours for the first time?
Fireberg: My first layer of assessment is whether this track will appeal to a new crowd or region with complimentary tastes to my own fan base. And that process starts with the remix artist selection. I want to know that those I’m working with have a unique identity and set of drivers with their brand and that, ideally, there’s a message or focused intention with their work. Then, after that, I listen to the track in the same critical way I would assess my own ideas or creations. “Does the music take me on a journey? Does it transport me to a new space? Is there a sense that there’s a human emotion or some sense of passion being delivered that came from the artist’s heart?”
Felipe, aka Prince of Queens, floored me when he sent back his remix. It did exactly what I was hoping, diving deeper into the Latin elements of the track while also moving into a more psychedelic, dub space, and somehow also heightening the energy. It’s been great getting to know Felipe during this process, seeing how he works, and learning his philosophy around music. I’m really excited to have him as one of the first artists featured on the label and I’m eager to hear where he goes with his sound.
“The phoenix is an ancient mythical symbol depicted as a bird who continually regenerates, burning to ash and then emerging from those ashes, as a new being. As I’ve explored psychedelics and other healing modalities quite deeply over the past few years, this concept resonates deeper and deeper with me”
EG: As you just said, ‘Call Of The Phoenix’ is out via your own Mishbaka imprint. Can you anticipate anything on that front?
Fireberg:Mishbaka is just a newborn child! This is the first release on the label and we’ve learned so much, already, about the industry and how we wanna show up as a brand. There has been deep attention to detail throughout the process, not just with the music, but also with the packaging, the artwork, and promotional content. Authenticity is really important to me, so I want to continue to explore my intentions with the imprint and what kind of experience and community I’d like to create. I still have a few other collaborations and Fireberg releases in the pipeline and there’s more I want to learn about the business side of things before I dive too deeply into expanding the artist roster, but all in due time…
EG: Let’s dive into your origins. How and when did you come across electronic dance music? Was there a record or show that pushed you down the rabbit hole?
Fireberg: There were a couple of records that I had on rotation in high school that were in the electronic realm. Some titles I remember were: The Prodigy’s ‘The Fat of the Land’, a compilation called ‘Verve: Remixed 3’, ‘Buddha Bar’, and Moby definitely had an impact as well. I didn’t even know that these were “electronic”, so to speak. I wasn’t going to raves, growing up. Mostly I was listening to hip-hop, classic rock, and Motown or soul. I’m still kind of that way. Even now, I’d more likely listen to Billie Eilish or an indie artist like Benny Sings, or perhaps some ambient or ceremonial sounds, than whatever’s hot and new in the EDM world. The interest in electronic music really comes directly from the machines and the studio process. And then, once I moved to New York, I started experiencing the underground club scene and appreciating that then-counterculture expression. Recently, I’ve been taking an interest in drum & bass, so I hope to incorporate that more when I get some time in the studio next.
EG: How do you usually keep entertained when not in the studio? Where does your inspiration come from? Any new books, movies, or series you’d recommend?
Fireberg: I currently have a deep interest in philosophy, psychology, and spirituality. I like reading about these subjects and I have recently been exploring concepts around Judaism and Kaballah, which has always been a more watered-down interest in the past. I like going to the Kava bar these days since alcohol and other substances have become a little less appealing over the past few years. I like getting out into nature or taking a swim when the weather is nice.
One movie I watched recently that really inspired me was a documentary called ‘A Trip to Infinity’, all about infinity and its many forms and functions. It was super inspiring and the animation in it is incredible!
EG: What are your thoughts on the current state of the scene? What would you like to see more and less of?
Fireberg: Honestly, I often have this fear—or perhaps, a founded observation—that the DJs are kind of taking over the music industry. I can’t tell you how many music venues have disappeared in NYC, and it’s only the clubs that survive. There are still, of course, the large, corporate venues, but the medium- or small-size, intimate venues don’t seem to be able to make it. I blame the DJs 🙂 My theory is, much like the trap that many men fall into with pornography, the standards can become very distorted once you get used to something being falsely polished and stripped of human qualities like vulnerability and imperfections. If people continually hear mastered music coming out of the PA speakers—tracks that have been perfected over many months or years in the studio—when they hear the raw musical performance, it doesn’t satisfy the same need. Social media often has the same effect, where people continually reinforce a polished side of themselves and as a user, you tend to forget that and start accepting it as reality.
Clubs are also at fault, though I totally understand their motivation—it’s way cheaper to pay a single DJ and have just a set of CDJs than to hire a live sound engineer, buy and maintain a backline, and deal with the less predictable crowds that come with musicians as opposed to the “partygoers.” So I’d like to see more risk-taking in performances and, perhaps I’m biased, but more instrumentalism. I have my own work to do around that, so no judgment, I totally understand the need to maintain the status quo and conform.
Resentments aside, though, I also truly appreciate the art of DJing and the inherent musicality in that craft. I can see the importance of DJs as curators and as a crucial tentacle of the distribution process. I just think there could be a little more balance in how our channels highlight these different roles. And hats off to artists like Nils Frahm, Bonobo, or LCD Soundsystem, who are keeping the flame of instrumentalism alive.
“My theory is, much like the trap that many men fall into with pornography, the standards can become very distorted once you get used to something being falsely polished and stripped of human qualities like vulnerability and imperfections”
EG: What’s next for Fireberg? What particular milestones are you looking forwards to now?
Fireberg: What’s next is I’ll take some time in retreat to re-assess how I’d like to be impactful and be of service. There was a good degree of burnout that happened over the course of this campaign and with the label launch. I’m excited that a lot of things are set up now and that I can expand off of what we’ve built, but I’m interested in figuring out how I can re-focus on fostering the creative spark and also exploring ways to have an authentic connection, either socially or through music. I’d like to continue to develop the team for the next set of releases as well. I don’t understand these people that are able to do everything themselves…
I’m developing my live rig and workflow which, as much as I had wanted to bang that out simultaneously with the production and label tasks, just didn’t seem possible. I’m hoping to start a regular live stream from my studio with invited guests and perhaps some interviews, as well. It might be either a Twitch thing or maybe a podcast too. Beyond that, I want to make another ambient album and perhaps record some music for meditation or other ceremonial functions. I have another full-length album that I hope to complete in the next year that is much more songwriting-inspired, with my own vocals as well as some featured artists. Lots to do… but again, my main priority is developing strategies and processes for maintaining balance and a slow pace so that I don’t burn out and can apply my full potential to what I’m doing.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Dan! We wish you all the best for the future.
Fireberg: Thanks EG. I appreciate this opportunity to share! Keep up the good work 🙂
Fireberg’s ‘Call Of The Phoenix’ is out now via Mishbaka. Purchase your copy here.
Alexander Gadjiev showed why he won 2021 Sydney International Piano Competition when he played fantasies on the Government House Fazioli grand piano on Sunday.
His technique was beyond reproach and his expression powerful and varied as he demonstrated how he took multiple categories of last year’s delayed, online contest, including programming skills and audience communication.
A dark rumbling in bass established a strangely familiar progression in the world premiere of Colin Spiers’ Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, a febrile left-hand motif leaping to the upper register.
An elaborate soundscape used the full range of pitch, tone and dynamics in a smorgasbord of piano mastery, settling at the last to somnolence in the first movement, Hallway.
For the second stanza, Duality, a bright attack in crushed chords led in fragmented melody as if switching from darkened interior to outdoor light; virtuosic bounds, runs and glissando creating a multifaceted ambience, glittering in sharp relief.
Jagged figures wrung the maximum impact from the Fazioli without overloading the room; dismounting in conclusion with gymnastic agility.
Alexander Gadjiev introduces the program at Government House Ballroom for Music on the Terrace. Credit: Nik Babic @ Artshoot Media
Two late Chopin works followed, deepening the context of the Spiers.
A simple descending movement into the Prelude in C-sharp minor Op. 45 summoned denser resonance with almost pastoral highlights, warming in ebbs and flows, exploratory and reflective; restive and restless qualities resolving at the last to a slow fade.
Polonaise fantasie in A-flat major Op. 61 opened dramatically, the Polish master reflecting his avant-garde Parisian ambience yet still clinging to the nationalist spirit that marked him as revolutionary.
Again, Gadjiev left nothing to doubt, coaxing every ounce of expression out of the work in a live-wire rendition with a relaxed intensity and laser-like focus.
In the more Romantic episodes he caressed the keys, swelling the theme with fluid phrasing to smooth the percussive effect of the instrument, blending its parts into one voice; all coming together in a reprise of the Polonaise theme, joyously grandiose in the cadence.
After the interval, Schumann’s Fantasie Op.17 sounded one plangent note then a flurry in bass to support a haunting melody, rising in intensity then subsiding to a sigh; the scurrying left hand relenting in a lilting pattern and fading to simple reflection.
Alexander Gadjiev plays at Government House Ballroom for Music on the Terrace. Credit: Nik Babic @ Artshoot Media
A quirky quotation from Beethoven teased expectation then reignited with full Romantic elan; feverish mood swings a hallmark of Schumann, soave and grandiloquent in conclusion.
Pealing bells introduced a march for the second stanza, as frankly joyful as the opening was complex and compelling; channelling the bells once more for an anthemic celebration, breaking to a thrilling cadenza then a romp and flourish to finish.
It seemed unlikely Gadjiev could top that, but the spirit of Beethoven crept in again with grace and feeling for the finale.
A duet of left and right hand — bass and soprano, Robert and Clara Schumann — evoked the passionate couple with operatic fervour; cooling to elegiac calm then returning to heriocs, mix and repeat, before waning like a sunset in the cadence.
In encore, Gadjiev first calmed the farm with Chopin’s E-minor Prelude, then left a blistering memory of the afternoon’s high drama in the D-minor Prelude: a glow to counter clouds on the western horizon.
Music on the Terrace concludes 2022 with Jazz on the Lawn, with the WA Jazz Project on Sunday, December 4, 4pm in Government House Gardens.
In this tutorial, Sweatson Klank, the LA beat scene legend and PBLA lecturer, shows how you can make ethereal and ambient soundscapes using Eventide’s effects pedals.
Eventide’s intuitive range of hardware pedals is a must-try for any musician looking to experiment with their sounds. Whilst great to use in the studio, these are perfect for live performances and are certain to take your live sets to the next level. In this video, Sweatson Klank focuses mainly on Eventide’s UltratTap Pedal, showing how easy it is to warp and shape your audio.
At Point Blank Los Angeles, we can teach you the ins and outs of how hardware like this works – as well as help you get to grips with software plugins and DAWs such as Ableton Live, Logic Pro and GarageBand. If you’re keen to study with us in LA or online, you can find out more about our LA-based courses here.
According to Eventide’s website, “UltraTap is a unique multi-tap delay effects pedal perfect for staccato leads, swelling chords, and other evolving effects — everything from reversed reverbs to the sound of ripping it up in the Grand Canyon! Think of UltraTap as the mother of all Echoplexes and you won’t be too far off. That’s basically how it operates but with the flexibility to add as many ‘tape heads’ as you want and expressively control their positions and levels.”
If you’d like to ask a question or talk to one of our LA-based advisors about the events or any of our courses, please contact us at (323) 594-8740.
When you register with Point Blank, you access an array of free sounds, plugins, online course samples and much more! Simply register below and visit our Free Stuff page to get your hands on a range of exclusive music-making tools and tutorials provided by the team. Fill your boots!
This post is included in News, Point Blank LA, Tutorials
Bryon Wilson has an IV in his arm, but he’s not in a doctor’s office.
There’s no hospital bed, no fluorescent lighting, no anatomically correct digestion tract model or posters about preventing skin cancer.
He’s in a dimly lit room, reclining in a zero-gravity heated lounge chair that’s giving him a full-body massage, ambient music whirling from the speakers, drifting to sleep as the needle injects B-vitamins and amino acids into his bloodstream.
Wilson, who lives in Cary, is receiving IV therapy, also called IV hydration or vitamin drips, a method of delivering vitamins, minerals and water through a person’s veins instead of orally. When delivered intravenously, the micronutrients are absorbed at much higher percentages than they would be in the stomach.
Wilson, an avid cycler, is on a routine of three IV drips and four muscle injections per month. “I believe in this,” Wilson said. “From the bottom of my heart I believe that this can help a lot of people.”
Like many wellness trends, IV hydration has received two types of attention: from those who swear by it and those who swear it off.
These medical spas, boutiques and “drip bars” sometimes offer multiple wellness treatments in the same location, like cryotherapy or Botox, and feature a “menu” of vitamin and mineral combinations like “The Myers’ Cocktail,” a blend of B vitamins, vitamin C and minerals, mixed with sterile water.
Clients can book a same-day appointment online for drips like “The Champion,” designed for athletes, “Slimboost” to curb appetite, or “The Glow” for anti-aging. Drip bar websites claim their IVs can treat a variety of ills, from hangovers, jet lag and sun exposure to more serious conditions.
Kim Clark, a resident of Durham, was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2011. After four years of treatment, she relapsed, struggling with speech and stability, suffering severe migraines, experiencing joint pain and having trouble sleeping. Her condition also depleted her body of vitamin D, magnesium, and B vitamins. To treat the new symptoms Clark was put on a medical IV drip for five months.
“When I got off of that, I almost died,” Clark said.
Besides the symptoms from Lyme, she had contracted C. diff, a bacterium that infects the colon and causes severe intestinal conditions. Clark stayed in the hospital for a week. Even after recovery, she had trouble regaining energy and strength. Her practitioner treated her with nutritional IVs in-office, but she stopped when the practitioner retired. When Prime IV Hydration and Wellness opened in Apex, she booked an appointment. Clark now goes there for vitamin drip every month.
“I’ll be 60 in November and I feel great,” Clark said. “Considering everything I’ve been through, I feel really good.”
Regulation for IV hydration centers varies by state, but in most cases are not held to the same scrutiny as medical providers. In the United States, the components of an IV hydration solution are considered prescription drugs and must be developed by a licensed pharmacist or physician to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. While some hydration clinics list a licensed pharmacist or physician on their staff, some are owned and operated by medical professionals who do not have a license to mix drugs, such as a registered nurse. Customers are usually not required to talk to their medical provider before receiving treatment or complete any preliminary health testing besides a vital screening and questionnaire.
According to a report published by the FDA in October 2021, the FDA has become increasingly aware of insanitary conditions where drugs are being mixed, particularly in IV hydration clinics, medical spas and mobile IV services.
In February 2021, a 50-year-old woman was hospitalized and treated for “suspected septic shock with multi-organ failure after receiving an IV-vitamin infusion in her home,” a result of a bacterial infection from the injection. Because IV clinics generally don’t register with the FDA, it is difficult to determine the extent of sanitation issues.
For IV hydration staff, the business can be an enticing alternative to stressful medical environments. Nicole Scott, clinical director of Hydrate Medical in Raleigh and Cary, had been working as an ER nurse in the middle of the pandemic.
The long hours late at night left her burned out and overwhelmed, so she began looking for a new job. At Hydrate Medical, she found an atmosphere completely different from the pressure of the ER.
Scott especially loves the work-life balance this job gives her. “It’s really awesome knowing that I can spend the morning with my daughter and get her after school, go to the gym and do all that stuff, and then be home in time for dinner, ” she said.
Their facility is owned by a board-certified emergency physician and an acute care nurse practitioner, and the rest of their medical team is comprised of registered nurses and paramedics. Scott said patients have been referred to them by neurologists or other physicians, sometimes with handwritten suggestions based on blood tests.
“Our providers are very committed to keeping this a health-centered facility, versus a lot of the other vitamin infusion clinics in the area that also do the cryotherapy or the Botox or the facials and stuff like that,” Scott said.
Some members of the medical community are still skeptical of the benefits of IV therapy. Sahil Dayal, a first year resident at West Virginia University, and Kathryn Kolasa, professor emeritus in nutrition at East Carolina University, published an article in 2021 titled, “Consumer Intravenous Vitamin Therapy: Wellness Boost or Toxicity Threat?”
In their study, they analyzed current literature about IV therapy and predicted potential risks. Most research they found concerning vitamin drips was anecdotal, meaning it is based on patient experience instead of trial-based studies.
“Everything anecdotal in my field, we do not rely on that,” Dayal said. “If I had a patient come in with a headache and she cracks an egg over her head every time to help the headache and she says it feels better, I’m not going to stop her. As long as it’s not causing harm. With this, I would stop it.”
Dayal worries about the risks of vitamin therapy, especially considering its lax oversight. Frequent use of IV therapy could cause nutrient imbalances, negative interactions with medications and increased risk of infection at the injection site. Even excessive water in the body can cause problems that consumers might not be aware of.
“You can get pulmonary edema, you can cause stress in your kidneys, you can cause confusion as your electrolytes get out of balance,” Dayal said.
Dayal suspects that the reason recipients might not report any adverse effects from their hydration experience is because they are often young, healthy patrons who care about wellness and are more likely to bounce back from imbalances in their system.
But to converts, the difference IV therapy has made in their lives is worth the risk. And, apparently, the price tag, as vitamin drips can cost upward of $100 each session.
