Throwback: Happy 82nd Birthday, Barry White!

JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 82nd anniversary of the birth of Barry White.

New Audio: Van Horton’s Woozy and Glistening Take on Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature”

Van Horton is a North Carolina music scene veteran: He started his career in earnest as a resident DJ and production manager at North Carolina State University‘s WKNC back in 2003. Since then, he won an Emmy Award in 2006 while firmly establishing a unique retrowave sound through the release of six albums that have earned critical acclaim globally. The North Carolina-based DJ’s sets are immersive and hypnotic wall of sounds that are warm and enduring.

His latest single “Human Nature (Synthwave Version)” is a hook-driven and club banging take on one of my favorite Micheal Jackson tunes “Human Nature” derived from roughly two bars of the 1983 smash hit, paired with dense layers of glistening synth oscillations, woozily arpeggiated synths and skittering beats. The result is a bold, fresh, Giorgio Moroder-meets-Tweekend-era The Crystal Method-and Come with Us-era The Chemical Brothers-like take on a beloved oft-covered and oft-referenced song.

New Audio: My Morning Jacket and Preservation Hall Jazz Band Team Up to Tackle Neil Young’s “Like A Hurricane”

Cinema Music Group and Killphonic Records recently announced that they’ll be releasing Heart of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young, Vol. 2 — Out of the Blue and Vol. 3 — Into the Black on November 6, 2026. Featuring contributions from King Princess, Draco Rosa, Lucinda Williams. Ann Wilson, Peter Frampton, LP, MJ Lendermann, Ben Gibbard, Cold War Kids, Kurt Vile and The Violators, Los Lobos and a lengthy and impressive list of others. these new volumes beautifully blend cherished classics with innovative interpretations that honor Neil Young‘s enduring and towering musical legacy.

Proceeds from the albums will benefit The Bridge School. Founded in 1986 by Neil and Pegi Young, The Bridge School to serve individuals with severe speech and physical impairments, much like their son Ben. The organization was built on a simple but powerful belief” every individual deserves the opportunity to communicate. Over the past 40 years, The Bridge School has helped transform the lives of thousands of individuals with complex communication and physical disabilities while helping shape the fields of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and assistive technology (AT) through innovative education, research and professional development.

The Bridge School’s impact extends far beyond its campus. Its education model, professional training. and outreach and research programs have reached professionals, families and individuals around the globe. Through their Bridge to Life program, the organization now provides direct services, consultation, and training for individuals with communication and/or physical disabilities from infancy through adulthood. ensuring that people of all ages have access to th tools and support they need — and deserve — to communicate, participate, and thrive.

As the organization celebrates its 40th anniversary, it continues to advance the belief that communication is a fundaamental human right — and that every voice deserves to be heard.

And to support the international release of the complications. Cinema Music Group and Killiphonic Records partnered with City Slang, who will oversee physical distortion and marketing across the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, expanding the reach of the Heart of Gold project while brining all three volumes to fans through its established retail and distribution networks.

Vol 2. — Out of The Blue’s latest single features My Morning Jacket teaming up with the iconic Preservation Hall Jazz Band to tackle “Like A Hurricane.” The My Morning Jacket and Preservation Hall Jazz Band cover, lovingly retains the drunken, wistful sway and aching longing of the original while adding some subtle NOLA soulfulness to the proceedings, before building up to a passionate frenzy for the song’s coda.

“We were so honored to get to be at several of the Bridge School Benefit concerts in the past, and are so honored to once again be a part of raising funds for this amazing school, with these amazing songs of Neil Young,” My Morning Jacket’s Jim James says. “We felt like teaming up with Preservation Hall Jazz Band would add some magic to this track, so we all got together with producer Ross Hogarth down in New Orleans and recorded it live at Marigny Studios. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed playing it!”

New Video: EL Drez Teams Up with Jessmine and Lavien on Breezy “We Outside”

Marphus L. Drez Stewart, is a Buchanan, Liberia-born and-based Afro pop/R&B singer/songwriter, best known as EL Drez. The emerging Liberian artist can trace his passion for music and the origins of his music career to his upbringing: As a teenager, he was the choir director for his church.

Since then, Stewart caught the attention of Relumae Liberia, who signed him, and have released a handful of singles over the past 17-18 months or so, including sleek, hook-driven, KrisBeatz-proudced “Hosanna” and his latest single, the Masterkraft-produced “We Outside” feat. Jassmine and Lavien.

“We Outside” is breezy and hooky blend of dancehall, Afrobeats and hip-hop that’s simultaneously club, lounge and radio friendly. The song manages to capture the effortless, playful simpatico between each collaborator while being remarkably accessible — and just a much-needed bit of joy. Each collaborator gets their moment to strut and shine creatively; but at its core, “We Outside” is the sort of song meant to get you to the dance floor, dance away your worries and to live a little bit.

The accompanying video is a gorgeous, stylishly shot visual that’s meant to bring the party — directly to you and your home.