The obscure software synth wonders of the Commodore Amiga hold up today as unique sound creation instruments. And as early as 1985 they offered real-time polyphonic synthesis, thanks to the onboard Paula chip. Paulee Bow shares their deep dive into a wide assortment of these in a new documentary – and makes the platform tantalizing enough that even generations born long after the Amiga may find themselves booting an emulator or hunting flea markets.
Music
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TR-8S owners can get a free sound pack from Underground Resistance’s Recon X
If you want to be inspired to discover more futuristic potential lurking inside your everyday Roland machine, where better to look than Detroit’s legendary Underground Resistance? Recon X produced a free Production Pack for the TR-8S that’s pure fire.
Pioneer has added Beatport streaming to the CDJ-3000 – even if we’ll still carry USB sticks
It’s one last obstacle to streaming DJing becoming a reality: the mighty Pioneer has announced it’s adding streaming to its decks. Meet StreamingDirectPlay with Beatport.
Conway’s Game of Life, reimagined as Eurorack module with 8×8 jacks
Conway’s Game from Nervous Squirrel brings the cellular automaton “Life” to Eurorack form – complete with an 8×8 matrix of jacks, one for each cell.
Olivia Artz Time Machine makes the multi-tap delay tactile and modular
Now in its final hours on Kickstarter, Time Machine is a unique and essential Eurorack rendition of the classic multi-tap delay. And it’s also the project of a growing group of queer inventors, from the co-creator of the original Dark Sky – meaning Olivia is now returning to Kickstarter after 12 years.
Keysette is a micro piano to cassette instrument – and limited edition faux vintage
It’s the musical invention that “should not exist, but does.” Keysette is an unholy combination of the 80s and 90s worst cheap synth technology with the worst cassette adapter technology and – is kind of impossible not to love.
Premiere: Ireen Amnes delivers a brisk, growling cut for Keyi Magazine
Keyi Magazine has brought together over four hours of bleeding-edge Berlin productions in a compilation – and accompanying live event – organizing artists around hunger, poverty, and conflict. We get to premiere a bracing scorcher from producer Ireen Amnes to set the mood.
Dreamlike solitude from Johnstown PA, in Nondi_’s Flood City Trax
In Nondi_’s music world, fuzzy reveries of grooves emerge as if half-remembered from sleep, sometimes insistent and raw, sometimes fading to murk. It’s the Internet-fueled sound of artist Tatiana Triplin from Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in a city whose entire history is marked by neglect and ruin.
Control Matrix is the missing parameter tool for Ableton Live devices – floating as a window
The latest Max for Live gem is killihu’s new wonder, Control Matrix. It consolidates parameters in a floating window, complete with A/B compare and preset storage.
Erica Synths surprise: Bullfrog with Richie Hawtin features swappable cards, youth-friendly features
Here’s “one more thing” from Erica Synths, unveiled at SONAR+D in Barcelona. They’ve added to their EDU line with Bullfrog, a modular synth co-created with Richie Hawtin, featuring swappable voice cards that can transform its functionality.