ICYMI: Check out the Top 10 stories on AMI this week

It’s been another busy week of product launches and big interviews at AMI this week, as we run down the most popular stories from the past seven days.

Among the big hitters this week are a trio of in-depth interviews with some of the industry’s most revered talents. Pet Shop Boys and Talk Talk producer Steve Spiro filled us in on the making of his binaural audio-focused new album Real Life, while indie rock icon Marika Hackman told us about her new upcoming Covers album and going it alone as producer for the first time.

Meanwhile, kicking off AMI’s new Showcase interview series with some of the biggest names in music, we sat down for man extensive chat with legendary Nirvana, Pixies and PJ Harvey producer Steve Albini to discuss a life behind the desk, the state of the industry and what went on during the making of Nirvana’s classic 1993 album In Utero.

Elsewhere, new the announcement of three new USB interfaces from Tascam caught the industry’s attention, as did L-Acoustics’s play for the in-ear monitor market with a new collaboration with JH Audio.

See below for the full Top 10 rundown…

1. Pet Shop Boys and Talk Talk producer Steve Spiro on how binaural audio shaped his new album

On November 6, electronic music producer Steve Spiro (Pet Shop Boys, Talk Talk) releases a new solo album under the name Frequent Traveller. Entitled Real Life, the record makes strong use of binaural audio technology, providing immersive soundscapes from field recordings taken from a variety of locations across the globe.

2. Tascam debuts trio of high-res USB audio interfaces 

Tascam has revealed its new US-HR Series of high-resolution USB audio interfaces, comprised of three models – the US-1x2HR, US-2x2HR and US-4x4HR 

3. AMI meets Steve Albini: The studio icon talks formative years, Nirvana and the state of the industry 

Audio Media International is honoured to present the first in a new series of video interviews with some of the most influential and inspiring producers, DJs, engineers and artists on the planet, kicking off with legendary Nirvana, Pixies and PJ Harvey producer, Steve Albini.

4. Redefining the concept of music: Jean-Michel Jarre AV project aided by APG

France’s Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille (PBA) art museum recently unveiled a new immersive AV exhibition developed by electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre and digital musical instrument and app created BLEASS, with an APG system delivering sound.

5. ‘It made me feel young again’: Marika Hackman talks ‘Covers’ and making music through COVID

On November 13, indie icon Marika Hackman releases Covers, an eclectic new album of covers from artists as diverse as Radiohead, Beyonce, Grimes and Elliott Smith. It’s also the first album solely produced by Hackman herself. AMI editor Daniel Gumble caught up with her to find out how the production process took her back to her artistic roots…

6. L-Acoustics enters in-ear monitor market with JH Audio collaboration

French loudspeaker giant L-Acoustics has broken into the in-ear monitor market with the Contour XO, powered by IEM specialist JH Audio.

7. ‘An important vote of confidence’: UK recording studios to stay open during lockdown

UK Music CEO Jamie Njoku-Goodwin has hailed the government’s decision to allow professional recording studios to remain open during the latest lockdown as “an important vote of confidence”.

8. AMI launches Next Generation Spotlight 

Audio Media International is thrilled to announce the launch of its Next Generation spotlight, in association with Genelec, which will celebrate the most exciting emerging studio engineers and producers in the business.

9. Getting To Know… Tony Szabo

This week, Tony Szabo, director of applications, touring, EMEA at L-Acoustics, takes the hot seat for our Getting To Know interview…

10. UK Music reveals 2020 diversity survey results, unveils 10-point action plan 

Music industry trade organisation UK Music has published the findings of its 2020 diversity survey and announced a 10-point plan to boost diversity across the business.