Social media algorithms have enforced a mind-numbing sameness across the music world – pose for the camera, post a few seconds of playing a crowded rave. But not so on DJ Stingray’s feed. It’s time for ear mites. No, not metaphorically — like actual parasitic mites.
Music
Lists aside, these 2024 albums are personal must-listens
Music Reviews Stories December 31, 2024
Saying goodbye to 2024 with music and reflections: David’s picks
Music Reviews Stories December 31, 2024
Tbilisi’s music scene is still out in the streets, defiant
Music December 27, 2024
Immerse yourself in the raw, vibrating AV world of Temp-Illusion x Amir B Ash
Fling yourself onto a timbral buzz saw, with brutal synthetic surfaces, and then unleash a pounding groove. Temp-Illusion have released a full-length, multi-camera video of their live audiovisual performance Caustic Surfaces with artist Amir B. Ash, and it is punishingly good.
Marie Wilhelmine Anders’ Frozen Music: Debussy, dance, and foghorns
In ethereal stretched harmonic recollections of Debussy, across cooly confident grooves echoing from dance floors, composer Marie Wilhelmine Anders has again constructed a rich musical reverie. I spoke to her about her process for Frozen Music, down to the bar, and how Scottish poetry fed this lush sonic landscape.
Arturia Pigments 5: new sequencer, audio input, more in free update
Arturia’s polysynth software flagship now adds a generative, polymetric/polyrhythmic sequencer and the ability to process external audio inputs, along with other features. It’s also easier on the CPU, and this is a free update. Here’s what’s new in Pigments 5 – and how to dive into its best sound and sequencing features right away.
Lower your blood pressure, raise your vibration: eu-IV’s tape beats
Dark days need sounds like eu-IV – “you-four,” as in euphoria. The prolific Baltimore-based producer cut his teeth backing rappers, and now his ultra-chilled beat-tape music has an ease and honesty that you’ll feel right in the heart.
Mega Milton puts all the analog utilities in 8HP: new from ALM / Busy Circuits
It’s like someone took all those questions you see on forums and Facebook groups and built a module out of it. Line input? Mixing? Noise source? S&H and slew? Put it all in one 8HP module.
3x new firmware for Noise Engineering’s Alia oscillator – and Cursus is back
The Cursus was lifted; now it returns. Following their release of the 10HP Alia oscillator module, Noise Engineering is repeating the formula: unveil one new firmware release and bring back two favorites.
NTS-3 is kaoss pad as kit, complete with SDK – plus updated NTS-1
KORG’s fun easy-assemble kits now see an updated NTS-1 mkII and even more fun, a new NTS-3 kaoss pad kit.
Erica Synths Megarack is the 8×126 HP Eurorack case of your dreams
The perfect Eurorack case doesn’t ex– OH. MY. GOD. Yes, this is all aluminum, and you might need a step ladder to reach the top-row ladder filter. And it’s beautiful. Full specs: It’s actually competitively priced – pre-VAT, EUR 1750. Of course, then you’ll have to figure out how to afford filling it. I’m sure […]
KORG’s microKORG, KingKORG NEO: vocalist, or Economy Plus
KORG remains on a quest to get some microKORG mojo going. But both new models – a new microKORG and a 37-key KingKORG Neo – are trying. One looks like it’s closer to the appeal of the original than the other. Here’s a preview.