iWorld
Bloodywood sign to Fearless Records; release ‘Nu Delhi’ single
Mumbai: Rising Indian folk metal stars Bloodywood have announced their signing to Fearless Records with the release of ‘Nu Delhi’, their first recorded music since 2022 Rakshak album. Alongside the announcement, they’ve revealed plans for their biggest India tour to date.
‘Nu Delhi’ pays homage to their home city, expanding on the band’s unique signature sound, blending Punjabi and English lyrics and utilising native instruments like the flute and the dhol, against a powerful, stomping metal backdrop.
The band commented, “Nu Delhi’ is our love letter to New Delhi, the city that raised us, where we grew up dreaming of doing exactly what we are now. It’s a city of vibrant chaos, filled with love yet quick to set you straight if you overstep. It’s not just a city, it’s a game of chess.”
Expanding on the signing to Fearless, they declared:
“We’ve always been DIY to the core, figuring things out ourselves rather than relying on others. The success we achieved with Rakshak, all on our own showed us what we’re capable of. But now, we’re ready for the next chapter. Now we wanted to see what a label could bring to the table. We wanted a partner who’s as passionate and committed to our music as we are. We found that partner in Fearless Records, and we’re excited to kick off this collaboration with the release of our first single from the new album.”
The tour in India for 2024 includes the following dates: 9 November in Kolkata at Republic of Rock, 17 November in Mumbai, 24 November in Bangalore at Bandland, 1 December in New Delhi (TBC), and 15 December in Dimao, Assam.
iWorld
X launches XChat messaging app on iOS with calls and encryption
Standalone app marks shift from “everything app” vision, adds E2E messaging.
MUMBAI: From one big app to many small chats, X seems to be splitting its ambitions. X has rolled out its standalone messaging app, XChat, to iOS users, opening up a new front in its evolving product strategy. The app allows users to connect with existing X contacts through private and group messages, file sharing, as well as audio and video calls. The launch follows a limited beta phase, where the platform tested the product with a smaller user base to refine the experience. Now available publicly, XChat marks a notable pivot from earlier ambitions championed by Elon Musk to turn X into a single “everything app” combining messaging, payments, commerce and more.
Instead, the company under xAI ownership and backed by SpaceX appears to be building a suite of standalone applications, each targeting specific use cases while expanding its broader ecosystem.
At launch, XChat includes end-to-end encrypted messaging, PIN-based access, disappearing messages, and features such as message editing, deletion for all participants, and screenshot blocking. The company has also said the app is free from advertisements and tracking mechanisms, positioning it as a privacy-first alternative in a crowded messaging space.
However, security claims around the platform are likely to face scrutiny. Earlier iterations of XChat drew criticism from experts who argued it fell short of established encrypted platforms like Signal. With the wider rollout, the app is expected to undergo fresh evaluation to assess whether those concerns have been addressed.
Beyond messaging, XChat will also house X’s Communities feature, which is being discontinued on the main platform due to low usage and spam concerns. Migrating these users could provide an early boost to adoption, effectively turning XChat into both a communication and community hub.
The move underscores a broader recalibration at X less about cramming everything into one app, and more about spreading bets across multiple touchpoints, one message at a time.
