Vince Staples is the latest artist to perform a ‘Tiny Desk (Home) Concert’ for NPR. The Long Beach rapper and his band set up in a cabin in the Hollywood Hills to play tracks from his new self-titled album, including lead cut ‘Law of Averages’ and the Fousheé collaboration ‘Take Me Home’, for which the R&B artist made an in-person appearance. “I don’t live here,” the 28-year-old remarked halfway through his performance. “I would never live here, but it’s an amazing view.” Watch it below.
Staples’ latest LP, his first since 2018’s FM!, was produced by Kenny Beats (who played bass during the performance) and arrived earlier this month via Blacksmith/Motown. Recent Tiny Desk guests include The Weather Station, Dry Cleaning, and more.
Kanye West has reportedly delayed the release of his album Donda to August 6. The news was shared on Twitter by internet personality Justin Laboy, who attended a private listening party at a Las Vegas church last week and was the first person to report the album was ready for release. “KANYE WEST WILL MOVE THE RELEASE DATE OF DONDA TO AUGUST 6TH,” he wrote. “THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE. HE WANTS TO GIVE HIS FANS THE BEST POSSIBLE PRODUCT WITHOUT RUSHING ANYTHING. HE LOVES YALL WITH ALL OF HIS HEART. GOD BLESS.”
West premiered Donda, the follow-up to 2019’s Jesus Is King, at a massive listening event broadcast live from a sold-out stadium in Atlanta on Thursday night. The album was supposed to be formally released the following day, but no album materialized. During the event, fans were able to hear a new collaboration with JAY-Z – their first since they both featured on Drake’s 2016 track ‘Pop Style’ – as well as guest appearances from Pop Smoke, Travis Scott, Pusha T, Baby Keem, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, and more. West previously said Donda would drop in July 2020.
KANYE WEST WILL MOVE THE RELEASE DATE OF DONDA TO AUGUST 6TH. THANKS FOR YOUR PATIENCE ❤️ HE WANTS TO GIVE HIS FANS THE BEST POSSIBLE PRODUCT WITHOUT RUSHING ANYTHING. HE LOVES YALL WITH ALL OF HIS HEART. GOD BLESS 🙏🏾 #DONDA#RESPECTFULLY
Moin is a London outfit comprised of Raime’s Joe Andrews and Tom Halstead as well as percussionist and longtime collaborator Valentina Magaletti, who contributed drums for both Raimealbums and has been part the band’s touring lineup for several years. Their music under this name trades the shadowy electronics of Raime for the sinewy, guitar-driven sounds of post-punk and post-hardcore, but a similar darkness pulses through the group’s debut full-length album, Moot! – which arrives almost a decade after their originalEPs. More than just a different set of influences, what makes Moin stand out is their relatively straightforward approach to composition: there’s an immediacy to the way they combine live recordings and studio techniques that yields thrilling and often surprising results. With its thunderous guitars, dynamic grooves, and intriguing vocal samples, Moot! is an album of visceral intensity generated through unconventional means – an assortment of familiar sounds that manages to feel wholly refreshing.
We caught up with Moin for this edition of our Artist Spotlight interview series to talk about the origins of the project, the process of making their debut album Moot!, and more.
What was the initial inspiration for Moin?
Joe Andrews: The initial inspiration was kind of the same inspiration as this one, really. Tom and I had been getting into guitar-based music a bit more around that period; when we started the project, that included things like post-punk and industrial, and to be honest, the whole American alternative scene from the late ’70s through the ’80s and ’90s. We’d been into electronic music pretty strictly for a long time before that, so it’s a bit of a reawakening for us, finding that amazing stuff that we got really into. So it came out of just being like a little release from our main project, and sort of simultaneously we met Valentina, and Valentina had done some work with us on our first record for the Raime project, Quarter TurnsOver a Living Line. With the outtakes from that, we kind of just put it together. It came very easy, very much like this project.
Tom Halstead: There’s a degree of naivety in the making side of it, which is actually exciting, because we’d been working on electronic stuff and so it’s quite freeing to make that switch.
Why did this feel like the right time to revive the project? Was there a specific reason you were drawn back to these sounds?
JA: We felt like we just wanted to work within a framework – you know, the framework of this record is bass, guitar, drums. Obviously we put some of our own slightly stranger touches in there, which is the electronic stuff and some of the samples. But working in electronic music, there’s a lot of options. Electronic music a lot of the time is about finding worlds to inhabit and to explore that are not necessarily completely new, but you’re trying to find some difference, I guess. Whereas this one, we just enjoy taking that pressure off and just working within a band framework. It’s like the other way to come at creativity: you start at a very established point and you see how you can mess around with that, rather than necessarily doing it the other way of trying to explore unknown territory.
You used the word framework, and I was wondering how you contextualized the sound of the band this time around – was the space post-punk is occupying within the current music landscape at all on your mind, or was it more oriented towards your own individual tastes and impulses?
JA: I think it is very individual. It was all about a little cocoon, man. We were just like, “Let’s not worry about what the world is doing, let’s not worry about what other people are doing or what’s happening anywhere. Let’s just put ourselves in a little cocoon and make whatever we want to make and not be worried about how that fits in and we’ll see what happens at the end of it.”
Valentina Magaletti: It’s approached like post-rock, but it really is like electronic music. I’m having loads of people texting me constantly, because I think they’re like, “What the fuck is it?” You know, they can’t really place it, which is the freshness that he’s describing; it’s just like, “Let’s play,” and then they produce it according to the values that they really like at the time – what they’re listening to, what they’re absorbing, what they want to transmit. And that really comes across. I think it’s part of why this has been so far very successful in terms of how it’s been received, because people just gain exactly what Joe described.
At the same time, there’s such a singular focus when it comes to your performances. How locked-in do you feel when you’re playing together during those sessions?
TH: The sessions are actually more constructed. We do sessions with Valentina and do drums first, and we construct it around that afterwards, post-production-wise, rather than all of us playing in a room at the same time. But the idea is to get across that we are all playing in a room together. [laughs]
JA: I think that’s what makes it interesting, right? You know, we come from a production background and we love spending time making things balanced and making a composition. It’s like, Valentina goes in there and essentially does an amazing improv session, and then we get to use our production ear, which is always about picking the parts we like and finding the bits that inspire us and then almost building the composition out from there. So it’s a really weird way to come to the sound that it comes to, and that’s what gives it a slightly different feel. It’s not a straightforward band in the traditional way; it’s taking those pieces, rearranging them, putting them back together in a bit of a different way.
How did you go about maintaining a balance between the directness or the live dynamic of those sessions and the production that came afterwards?
JA: That’s a really good question, because it’s a really tricky balance. Too much electronic stuff sounds pretty gross and a bit odd and unreal and kind of cheesy, but the right bit at the right time inspires in the listener a sense of the Other, which actually transcends the band. So you’re kind of looking for those moments where you’re like, “Shit, that really adds, but it doesn’t take your eye off the ball.” And that’s just trial and error. [laughs] That’s pure trial and error. We have a huge amount of improv electronic stuff, sounds that we have created and we go through, and it’s about finding those moments that you didn’t expect but actually really make a difference.
TH: Both Joe and I come from more of an electronic dance music background, growing up with that, and when you start building stuff afterwards, you can take the life out of something by being too – your natural inclination will be, like, 16 bars of this and then 16 bars of that, and it can be quite blocky. You’ve got this incredible rhythm, the drums underneath, and that can get swallowed if you’re too systematic. So we do have to keep our ear to make sure it doesn’t sound laboured.
Were there any moments during the making of the album that you were surprised with an idea that came up?
VM: For me it’s like a major, beautiful surprise when I actually hear the tunes. Because we go from the drum sessions to just plan and scheme and take it into songs, so it’s like, you’re telling a lot of things and then your speech just gets back the one thing that you want people to hear. But if I just hear what’s ready at the end, it’s like, “That’s quite good, actually.” [laughs]
Tom and Joe, for you, were there any moments where you were surprised either by what Valentina had come up with in the first place or by your own production, in that you felt like you were stepping out of the mode that you’re used to working in?
TH: We’re always surprised by Valentina, because we go in with ideas and then she always supersedes those. And there were bits that we didn’t expect we’d do, like ‘I Can’t Help But Melt’, that has a guitar solo at the end. Joe was like, “This needs something else, I don’t know what it is. Have you ever done a guitar solo?” I was like, “I don’t think I’ve ever done that, let’s give it a go.” So that was that was a surprise, I didn’t think that would be coming out of the woodwork.
JA: That’s my favorite moment on the whole record, hands down, the most fantastic moment. ‘Cause if you know us, a guitar solo is absolutely anathema to everything that we have ever thought we stood for. [laughs] Also, the actual guitar solo, Tom did it first take, no re-recording – we actually did a mess about, re-recorded it, but we re-recorded it to try and be as accurate as possible to that first take. Which is kind of amazing, because again, as Tom says, he doesn’t do guitar solos in his room on his own a lot, you know what I mean? [laughs] So it was just a wonderful moment, because when you’ve been producing for a long time, you obviously have habits as a creative, and those moments where you’re able to step outside of those and to rest some of the rules that you have placed yourself in your head about what you do and how you do it – for that to work and also inspire you a little bit, to show you that you can always do that and it’s not that much of a risk to do it. You’ve just got to give it a go.
That moment definitely took me by surprise as well, I’m glad you mentioned it. I was wondering if you could go a little bit more into the guitar sound on the record – what were you aiming for and how did you go about getting there?
TH: There’s a lot of guitar influences, but the actual quality of sound, there’s always a balance of wanting to get the bite, really have it – not being too distorted or it sounding too macho. We went into the studio and tried a few different amps, actually – there’s basically one pedal to give a little bit of bite to the guitar sound, but it’s actually the amps and the way that the guitars are played to get the sentiment that feels right for whatever track.
JA: I think our parameters are always – minimal is a really difficult word and not something I would probably apply to this, but the idea of like, we know that the guitar is never supposed to outweigh any of the other elements. You know, Valentina’s drums are equally if not more important in some aspects, so we’re always trying to keep things balanced.
What was your general approach to the vocal samples on the record?
JA: Vocal samples kind of work in two ways: the most obvious way is, they’re a counterpoint, and they work in a very similar way to electronic and dance music. They are there at the right time to usually say a short enigmatic phrase or sentence at a particular time in the composition, which drives the narrative. They’re often more enigmatic than they are definitive, so they often suggest something but don’t quite define it. And the other part of it is that that they basically provide the human element of the singer; they take that space of the singer, but because we never wanted a singer, that’s not what this music is about, we wanted to have that human presence at the right time. But it’s also great for that never to establish itself to the point where it feels like this is a song, because these are not songs in our minds, these are pieces of music or tracks. And I know that might sound – I’m not trying to belittle the music, I’m trying to say how we contextualize it in our heads.
Why was it important for it to still have that human presence?
JA: Because we’re playing with the format of a band – and also, it’s kind of fun finding those samples and putting them in. They make different things happen in the tune.
VM: It really sets the mood that people can relate to, really carefully selected to create and put you in [a specific mood].
TH: It took a while actually finding the right cover. We’re very visually-based and we work with designers, and there were a lot of suggestions floating around. This was a picture I took maybe six years ago. It was a laundrette in Hackney that had been vandalised, but in a very painterly way. And that picture, Joe did a crop of it, and we were like, “Actually, that is pretty strong.” It felt right by that point.
VM: I feel it’s incredibly strong to put a washing machine – you know, it’s trying to clean the urban filth, but it’s just vandalised.
Have you had any conversations about where you’d like to take the project next?
JA: We’re pretty much finishing record two now. It’s already written, we are pretty much in the final mixing stages and it probably will be finished within the next few weeks or so.
Are you able to give any details on it?
VM: I think it’s a bit early to talk about album two. We might change everything as well, so…
JA: [laughs] We might trash it all and start again.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. As of this writing, Kanye West’s long-delayed Donda has yet to materialize, and so here are the albums out on July 23, 2021:
Darkside, the duo of Nicolás Jaar and Dave Harrington, have returned with their long-awaited sophomore album. Out now via Matador, the follow-up to 2013’s Psychic is called Spiraland it includes the advance tracks ‘Liberty Bell’ and ‘The Limit’. “From the beginning, Darkside has been our jam band. Something we did on days off,” Jaar said in a statement. “When we reconvened, it was because we really couldn’t wait to jam together again.” Harrington added: “It felt like it was time again. We do things in this band that we would never do on our own. Darkside is the third being in the room that just kind of occurs when we make music together.”
Anika is back with her first new album in 11 years, Change, out now via Sacred Bones/Invada. The Berlin-based artist previewed the follow-up to her 2010 self-titled LP with the singles ‘Finger Pies’, ‘Rights’, and the title track. “This album had been planned for a little while and the circumstances of its inception were quite different to what had been expected,” she said of the album, which was co-produced by Exploded View’s Martin Thulin and recorded during the pandemic. “This colored the album quite significantly. The lyrics were all written there on the spot. It’s a vomit of emotions, anxieties, empowerment, and of thoughts like—How can this go on? How can we go on?”
Dave has followed up his Mercury Prize-winning album Psychodrama with the new LP We’re All Alone in This Together. The South London rapper’s latest features guest spots from Stormzy, James Blake, WizKid, Boj, and Snoh Aalegra. “I feel like Psychodrama was me aged zero to 20,” Dave said in an interview with Ciaran Thapar for British GQ. “Now, I get to go from zero backwards in time and explore stories from before, stuff that led up to the events of the first album: heritage, history, culture, my family, the countries that we come from, the regressive state of humanity in where we are now. Migration is a massive thing for me – boats, freedom of movement. The artwork represents that – the journey – all at the same time, as delivering life from the perspective of someone who has just come off the back of all this… It’s a massive change in character.”
Erin Birgy’s latest Mega Bog album, Life, and Another, is out now via Paradise of Bachelors. The new record, which follows 2019’s Dolphine, was recorded in various studios: the Unknown in Anacortes, Washington, Way Out in Woodinville, Washington, and Tropico Beauty in Glendale, California. The 14-track LP features contributions from Aaron Otheim, Zach Burba of iji, Will Segerstrom, Matt Bachmann, Andrew Dorset of Lake, James Krivchenia of Big Thief (who co-produced the album), Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy, Jade Tcimpidis, Alex Liebman, and co-engineers Geoff Treager and Phil Hartunian.
Producer, multi-instrumentalist, and singer Emma-Jean Thackray has released her debut album Yellow via her own label Movementt. The 14-song LP draws influence from ’70s jazz fusion and P-funk, as well as artists including Sun Ra and Alice Coltrane. “I wanted the whole thing to sound like a psychedelic trip,” Thackray explained in a statement. “You put on the first track, it takes you through this intense thing for almost an hour, and then you emerge on the other side transformed.” The album, which follows Thackray’s 2020 EPs Um Yang 음 양 and Rain Dance, was promoted with the singles ‘Our People’, ‘Spectre’, and ‘Say Something’.
yes/and is the project of singer-songwriter and guitarist Meg Duffy aka Hand Habits and producer Joel Ford (Oneohtrix, Jacques Greene, North Americans). Today, they’ve unveiled their debut self-titled record via Driftless Recordings. The pair made the 10-track LP during the pandemic and announced it back in April with the release of the singles ‘Ugly Orange’ and ‘Centered Shell’.
LA-born, Austin-based artist Molly Burch has released a new album called Romantic Images, out now via Captured Tracks. The follow-up to 2018’s First Flower includes the previously unveiled singles ‘Control’ and the Wild Nothing collaboration ‘Emotion’. Recorded in Denver with Tennis’ Alaina Moore and Pat Riley, the 10-track LP reflects Burch’s “radical choice to shed the anxiety and insecurity of her twenties and embark upon a confident embrace of her truest self,” according to a press release.
Leon Bridges has dropped Gold-Diggers Sound, his third full-length album following 2018’s Good Thing (via Columbia). The 11-track LP features the Terrace Martin collaboration ‘Sweeter’ as well as the promotional singles ‘Motorbike’ (which was accompanied by an Anderson .Paak-directed video) and ‘Why Don’t You Touch Me’. “I spent two years jamming in what often felt like a musician’s paradise,” Bridges said in a statement. “We effortlessly moved from the dance floor to the studio. We would be finishing our tequilas at 10:00 AM and waking up with coffee and getting to work at 10:00 PM. It was all for the love of R&B and musicianship. This is my most sensual and confident album to date, and I cannot wait to unleash it.”
Other albums out today:
Jackson Browne, Downhill From Everywhere; Alexis Marshall, House of Lull. House of When; David Crosby, For Free; Maxine Funke, Seance; Piroshka, Love Drips and Gathers; Peyton, PSA; Dusted, III; Taphari, Blind Obedience; LOLAA, La Marea.
Games are available in various formats, ranging from apps for tablets and smartphones to game consoles, and other internet platforms. However, one thing is certain: the growing capacity to talk, transmit files, share cameras, and other online activities enhances the potential for cyber thieves to exploit children. As a result, parents and guardians must speak with their children about how to stay safe online, what to look out for, and how to respond if they feel threatened.
There’s a game for everyone out there. Some people may like sports games, such as FIFA and NBA. Others prefer to play adventure games like Fortnite or Minecraft. Virtually all video games now allow you to play online with pals, making them better than ever. But, of course, young folks aren’t the only ones that play internet games. Did you realise there are more than 2 billion gamers on the planet? These gamers aren’t just wasting their time; gaming has been shown to increase coordination, problem-solving skills, and cognitive speed, to mention a few perks.
Every time you play, gaming may take you on incredible experiences, form lifelong friendships, and provide opportunities for creativity and fun. When gaming online, though, it’s critical to be aware of the available safety features and settings. The problem here isn’t just the brutality in some of these games; it’s also the danger posed by other people playing online. A child is prone to damaging influences if they are playing a game with random people. The majority of online games attract players of all ages. As a result, it’s possible that 10-year-olds will be playing with 20-year-olds. And, unfortunately, this puts youngsters at risk of being exploited by strangers.
Because of this, children are in danger of being bullied and being subjected to inappropriate language. In addition, children may carry this behaviour into the actual world due to the knock-on effect. Another significant issue with youngsters using the internet is that they may mistakenly reveal personal information to strangers. Here are some valuable tips to ensure that our children and young adults are gaming safely.
Who are you playing?
Because most online games are open to everyone, you may find yourself playing with people who are much younger or older than you. You could be significantly better or worse at the game than the folks with whom you’re playing. People have been known to utilise games to entice youngsters and teenagers to exchange sexual images or nudes. People who do this may make you feel safe and ask you to keep things private or offer you presents or accolades. This is referred to as grooming. You lose control of something you disclose online, even in private communication. If you’re chatting with someone online and they urge you to share sexual photographs or personal information, it’s a good idea to first speak with someone you trust.
Arranging contact
Meeting someone you’ve only communicated with over the internet might be risky. Only do so with your parents’ or caregivers’ permission, and only when they are available. Even if you’ve been chatting with someone online for a long time, keep in mind that they’re still strangers.
Game content
Because of their subjects, most games have an age rating. Violent and sexually explicit games will receive a higher rating. PEGI’s age rating system provides an overview of each game, allowing you to determine whether or not they are acceptable. Because the ratings do not consider communication elements, a game with a low age rating may enable children to communicate with strangers.
Personal information
A fellow player who wants to access your personal information doesn’t always have to breach your account. You may not believe that using your real name on your account when gaming or chatting with other gamers about where you live is a big concern, but it is. On the other hand, bad people can use your information to track you down on other websites, harass you, or worse, impersonate you and steal your identity. Ensure your account name doesn’t contain any personal information, such as your first or last name, location, or birth year. When interacting with strangers online, always be cautious.
Charges
We hear stories about young people getting into financial trouble by unwittingly racking up bills while playing internet games. Some online games, known as advergames, are designed to promote specific products and may tempt you to buy items within the game/app. In-app purchases can be disabled on smartphones by heading to the settings menu.
Settings
It can be tough to keep up with the current games’ privacy and security settings. Still, several games allow users to disable communications, mute voice chat and report other misbehaving players. In addition, all of the major video game consoles feature settings that restrict kids from playing inappropriate games. For example, you can limit the amount of time a child can play and prevent them from communicating with strangers. It’s a good idea to look into these options before allowing your youngster to play the game.
It’s not enough to just know how to play the games. You should also know how to play them online for the best odds. Here are some ways you can avoid getting ripped off when playing casino games and live casinos. If you’ve ever fantasized about gambling, but are put off by the high cost of a casino vacation, read on for some great tips and tricks to avoid getting ripped off at live casinos.
This list has been compiled from extensive research and interviews of casino owners, industry experts and customer service representatives. From the best place to find potentials live casinos to rules that all players should know before playing at any venue, this article will be an invaluable resource for anyone thinking about visiting one of these venues for the first time.
Decide what you’d like to do before you enter the live casino
Choose your game and then go to the 888 casino website and learn about the rules of blackjack, roulette, poker or whatever else you choose to play. There are websites that list all live casino games for different types of players. If you want a better chance of winning, read up on the rules of each game before you play.
Always play with a card counter
If you like to try your hand at the rest of the table, especially if you’re playing live blackjack, you need to learn how to play without a card counter. Any time you’re dealing 7 or more in blackjack, the house edge is 3.88%. A skilled player can beat this amount by adjusting their bets every two hours while their opponent makes adjustments only every hour.
Pay attention to the house’s edge
Most casinos have an edge percentage posted somewhere in the casino. Check it out before you play so that you know what kind of odds you’re playing against.
Evenness is important
A casino with a 6% house edge will pay out more than a lower-edge one, but it depends on whether or not you get the same reward for winning. If you win regularly, take a closer look at the game where most people lose money and play there instead.
Find the best casino bonus codes
There’s nothing quite like a free-money offer. A lot of casinos will give you a free $50 or $100 when you sign up for their player rewards program, and even more, they will have a welcome bonus that lets you play with real money before you deposit any of your own. These are usually for new players only, so make sure you sign up soon after signing up.
Find a good live online casino for your type of game
If you like to play just one game or are looking for the best live casino bonus, you’ll want to make sure you’re playing at a casino that has great odds for that game. Online roulette fans who want to get the best odds should always play at European Roulette, while high rollers in Las Vegas may want to choose between the MGM Grand or Caesars Palace.
Be careful of bonuses with a lot of strings attached
Not all live casino bonuses are worth it. If you’re getting a bonus with 50X playthrough requirements, you may as well not even bother. Many online casinos have much better bonuses, including ones that just have a 20X playthrough requirement or even none at all. Always go for the best option!
Dealer is human, and sometimes she’s off her game
If the dealer is showing a lot of emotion, apologize for her mistakes and be extra nice to her. You don’t want to make her angry when she has the best hand and you’ve just got nothing.
Know the difference between a good dealer and a bad one
If you always win when the dealer is good, she’s probably not a very good dealer and will probably show emotion when you lose. Watch her hand before putting it in order to make sure she doesn’t have any kind of tell.
Avoid talking to the dealer
Many casinos have a rule that players can’t talk to the dealer during a hand. This seems like a great rule, but it’s actually a bad one as you could be making the dealer angry, and she could mess up your play. Just let her take her time.
Look for alternative strategies in case you don’t know what to do
Casino rules change every single day and may be completely different from what you were taught at home. Always keep an open mind and consider the dealer’s strategy if you don’t know what to do.
Know how to spot a good or bad online live casino
The first thing you should do is check out the welcome offer. Bad casinos will let you play just a few spins or use your bonus funds just once, good casinos will have deposit bonuses with 20X playthrough requirements, and great ones will have wagering requirements that are very similar to the deposit bonuses so that you can double your money by making two deposits instead of one.
Know the rules before you play
As stated previously, read up on the rules of each game that you want to play. For instance, Pai Gow poker is a lot different from regular poker, and live blackjack is a lot different from video blackjack. Practice at home until you’re ready to take your game to the next level.
Pay attention to the live dealer’s hand
If you’re playing any kind of table game, make sure you watch the dealer’s hand and not just your own. The worst thing that a live dealer can do is ask the pit boss if he should bust someone, and if you’re not watching out for this, you could get caught up in an awkward situation.
Look out for multiple bets on a single bet
Many people play multiple hands because they’re afraid of getting stuck in a 100X blackjack game or something like that. This is a bad idea because the house edge is still very high depending on the number of games you play. If you want to play multiple hands, find out what your odds are and keep it down to one or two per hour.
Closing Notes
The best way to ensure that you’re always playing a live casino game with the lowest possible house edge is to learn how to play and then find an online casino with the best possible payoff. If you learn one thing from this article, make sure it’s this: You can’t have fun if you’re losing money. The idea behind going into a live online casino is to get “high” on gambling, not “drunk” on it.
Lil Nas X has dropped a music video for his new single ‘Industry Baby’. The track, which follows Lil Nas X’s recent singles ‘Montero (Call Me by Your Name)’ and ‘Sun Goes Down’, features Jack Harlow and was co-produced by Take A Daytrip and Kanye West. Watch Nas X and Harlow attempt to escape Montero State Prison in the Christian Breslauer-directed clip below.
“dear 20 year old montero,” Nas X wrote in a statement. “i wrote a song for us. i know sometimes you feel like it’s all downhill from here. i know your sexuality has made you feel like an outcast amongst your peers. i know going from having the biggest song in the world to being trapped in your apartment is weighing heavy on you. and i know if you hear the phrase ‘one hit wonder’ one more time you might combust. i need you to keep going. i need you to realize that you have the opportunity to be the person that you needed growing up. i need you to stop feeling sorry for yourself. and i need you to remember that the only person who has to believe in YOU is YOU.”
Every business needs to leverage the right technology to enjoy growth and compete effectively. This is where the salesforce consulting partner comes in. Their skills, expertise, and experience are essential to the development of a business. However, it is hinged on the nature of the salesforce consultant you hire. If you are looking for help with software automation and testing, you need to know that you have the right help. The testRigor tools are often the best there is and with the right person leading it, you can keep your IT and automation in check. When you need a salesforce consultant, you have to employ the same thinking as when you need the right company for test automation.
This article will shed light on the most effective ways to get the perfect salesforce consultants for your business. When you consider the massive input that salesforce has on a business, it is essential to be meticulous before selecting your salesforce partner.
Here are seven tips to guide you through a selection of the best salesforce consultant
Look for Soft Skills
Your Salesforce consulting partner is an integral part of your technical support team. This makes it essential for them to have impeccable people skills. With this, they will have no issue working and relating with your staff that is not as technologically savvy as they are. It is essential to ask questions to understand if such a partner will relate well with your team.
The salesforce consulting partner needs to be willing to teach your staff the simple maintenance practices of the project. This involves having someone patient and friendly enough to spell these things out to your staff.
It will be easy for your partner to understand what the staff needs with the right soft skills. Also, a consultant that is easy to work with makes it simple for the team to understand the processes that require automation.
Check for Salesforce Certification
The certification is like an endorsement of the expertise of the partner. It also validates the experience, skill, and knowledge of such partners to handle implementation successfully. With Salesforce certification, you can quickly know which partner is updated on current practices.
While the developer and administrator certification are essential for all salesforce partners, the scope of your needs will determine other credentials you might need from the partner.
Passion is Vital
Change, they say, is constant, and this also applies to salesforce. It is an evolving field, making it essential to work with a partner updated on the latest practice to help your business. A knowledge of such new practice can be the edge your business needs. Your search for the perfect salesforce partner should not end with someone that has an administration certificate. After all, it takes more than having certification to perform well on the job.
This comes down to looking for someone passionate about the platform and fits perfectly into your business needs. Such a person might not necessarily have all the certifications you require. Someone passionate about salesforce will constantly interact with the salesforce community. As a result, you should endeavor to know their level of interaction with such a platform.
Method of Implementation
One vital thing you should keep in mind when hiring a salesforce consultant is their implementation methodology. The best delivery method so far is Agile-based incremental, as it takes iterations and phases into account. This way, all projects stay on time without exceeding budget.
Another reason to consider this approach is the possibility of a high level of interaction between the partner and your team, which is what your business wants. As a result, you will want to know the tools your partners employ for flowcharts and prototypes. A partner that cannot give you specifics might not be the best for you.
Location
While technology has made it possible for people to work without borders, salesforce is not advisable. With Salesforce, you are better off working with someone in the same vicinity as your business. This allows the partner to monitor the project and be readily available for your team.
Communicating physically many times helps ensure all essential parties are on the same page. It also gets rid of the issue of time zone differences.
Consider Your Budget
You also want to make sure you are on the same page regarding pricing to prevent surprises down the line. A salesforce consultant typically charges around $50 per hour, which can amount to hundreds of dollars per year.
Don’t rush to conclude that this is within your budget. Make sure you are on the same page when you consider ongoing supports, after-sales services, etc. As a result, make sure to understand the price implication of your contract. Also, you need to be aware of any additional charges spelled out in the contract. For instance, you could be billed for onboarding, initial meetings, every visit on-site, etc.
Consider Ongoing Support
Even if a salesforce consultant ticks all your boxes, make sure you know their plans when the implementation is completed. In other words, is there any plan for support for your business after the performance?
You are better off selecting a keen partner on Salesforce updates, which can go a long way to benefit your organization. Your partner might get more significant projects to work on; make sure you know if they do not prioritize others over you.
Conclusion
Working with a salesforce partner can be a turnaround for your business. However, this is hinged on choosing the right salesforce partner that will be fit for your project. Discussed here are the best ways to select the perfect salesforce partner for your business needs.
Coldplay have shared ‘Coloratura’, the 10-minute closing track from their upcoming album Music of the Spheres. It’s the second preview of the Max Martin-produced LP, following the May single ‘Higher Power’. Check out a lyric video for the track below.
Music of the Spheres, the follow-up to 2019’s Everyday Life, is set to arrive on October 15. The next single from the album is due for release in September.
“the road toward fulfillment is lonesome and dusty for a rambling ranger like yourself,” Tudzin stated. “for when you need a deputy’s hand, a sling of something sweet, or just a breather in paradise, there’s ‘u v v p.’ i brought along my pal Buck Meek to remind you to say something about how special your beau may be to you, even if you’re too shy to muster up the courage.”
Let Me Do One More, the follow-up to last year’s FREE I.H., is out October 1 via Snack Shack Tracks/Hopeless Records.
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