Kudos to living artists series challenges mixing just one artist – hear the results

From the mind of Behrang Najafi – known as half of Temp Illusion, among other things – “Kudos to Living Artists” asks the question, how would you make a mix of just one artist? Invited artists have crafted tributes to Boards of Canada, Brigitte Fontaine, Peder Mannerfelt, Grischa Licthenberger, Tania León, and more.

Two stills of Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay leaping in front of checkered green and gray background, in his signature hat, a Sony logo in the upper left-hand corner.

Peak 1996: When Jamiroquai met Sony MiniDisc in Japan

It was once the pinnacle of digital recordable audio, a would-be successor to the mighty cassette tape. And for one glorious moment in 1996, Sony MiniDisc was all that was right with the world, exemplified by a trippy Japan-only ad campaign with none other than Jamiroquai.

El Jaguar: re-amped Colombian Picó sound systems as instrument

El Jaguar, out now, is a rhythmic excursion from sound library sameness. This toolkit from boutique house MNTRA produces a deeply customizable sound world by re-amping through the legendary Picó sound systems of Barranquilla, Colombia. It’s something new, melding Montréal synth love and afro-Caribbean percussion into a new hybrid playground for producers.

Roland Cloud now has BOSS pedals; here’s what you should know

Roland has quietly added eight classic BOSS Effects pedals as Roland Cloud plug-ins, including OD-1 OverDrive, PH-1 Phaser, DS-1 Distortion, and more. That’s a welcome addition, but you should know where to find still more effects in Roland Cloud’s expansive, if sometimes confusing, lineup.

A sequencer that bends: Fugue Machine Rubato for iOS, macOS hands-on

It’s time to escape mechanical loops and rigid, on-the-grid timing. Fugue Machine Rubato does everything Alexandernaut’s brilliant Fugue Machine did with multiple playheads. But now it can also accelerate, decelerate, bounce, echo, strum, swing, and bend, for both pitches and rhythmic triggers. It’s what has been missing in our digital sequencers: freedom.

Support former Keyboard editor Stephen Fortner after a stroke

The people we work with in music and music tech are more than just colleagues: they’re friends, inspiration, and part of our lives. Stephen Fortner, long-time editor-in-chief of the former USA-based Keyboard Magazine suffered a stroke earlier this month can use some support as he heals.

Artemis illustration, a ghostly white face with white flowing hair against a black starscape, as pictured by creative director Afroditi Bitzouni.

Artemis combines Dreadbox analog, Sinevibes FX – and the result is lush

Getting hands-on with Dreadbox’s new 6-voice synth was a clear Superbooth highlight. Artemis is one instrument that combines 6-voice polyphonic analog with Sinevibes digital effects. But it wasn’t just my hands on it; we’ve got Sinevibes’ Artemiy playing this for us, too. And there’s more to this one than just the sum of its parts.

25 years of improvisation and experimentation at Lebanon’s Irtijal

Young independent outlet Megaphone tells the story of Irtijal Festival’s impact on Beirut and Lebanon through local eyes and a compilation of the folks who made it happen. It’s a must-watch as a way of reflecting on the spaces we create for music in all parts of the world.

Today, childrens’ voices in Gaza join with Amwaj Choir in a live broadcast

Today, Ahmed Muin, director of Gaza Birds Singing, rose with drones loudly buzzing in the background. The sound of bombings through the night in Gaza has been relentless, he says. But he’ll join live with the Hebron/Bethlehem Amwaj Choir in a livestream today, a second musical encounter defying violence and starvation.

Sinevibes Cache 1.1 on NTS-3 kaoss pad is killer; Artemiy shows us why

Sinevibes’ creations are all gems running on the ultra-compact, ultra-economical KORG NTS-3 kaoss pad (via logue SDK). But the Cache update is an especially big deal, with new reverse, rewind, and scratch modes. Creator Artemiy Pavlov showed us just how. Cache was designed specifically for the NTS-3, so the whole effect and how you interact […]