Some of that brain-bending research from Paris’ famed IRCAM is coming your way in plug-in form – even (partly) for free. It’s a spectral remixing, sound morphing, audio shaping powerhouse that landed from some advanced alien civilization, but it’s usable by humans, whether we’re ready for this power or not.

The latest plug-in from Swedish boutique maker Klevgrand takes their idiosyncratic instrument line to a new level. Tomofon is wave/sample based, but not a wavetable synth or sampler. And the sounds it makes can be realistic, quirky, expressive, and bizarre.

What a way to go out. Mutable Instruments discontinues production this month, but leaves a reshaped modular landscape, a real legacy for open source design, and – oh yeah, still one more Plaits update new synth models and DX7 patch compatibility, too?

The situation in Ukraine grows literally darker, colder, and more urgent even as the world might want to move on. So it’s worth spreading the sounds of Kyiv’s Standard Deviation, which unites an array of adventurous and imaginative Ukrainian artists with friends like Marcel Dettmann, DJ Stingray, and Setaoc Mass.

In this episode of 1Uesday, let’s talk about the 1U module I’d easily tell people to buy first. It’s a perfectly elegant combination of clock, random pulse, analog noise, sample and hold, and slew – and here’s why that’s so essential.

Arturia is bringing improvements to every conceivable area of their flagship soft synth. Pigments started off demonstrating Arturia could do more than emulate the past; now it’s starting to look like the polysynth to beat.

In memory of Herb Deutsch, what better than to listen to his charming voice intoning a series of sound design experiments with tape and synthesizers, followed by some very out-there 70s musical creations from the composer.

Herb Deutsch, one of the leading figures in the early development of the synthesizer and a lifelong educator, died on Friday.

Feel like the techno scene already has some hidden game mechanics? Try out an actual, playable board game from Poland in the comfort of home – now with additional business techno merch add-ons, like a cozy pullover or pair of socks.

Creator and composer Giorgio Sancristoforo has posted a complete hands-on demo and tutorial for his invention Compusynth.