Amidst meaningful and justified disenchantment with digital media, NASA’s Webb offers a different course for understanding our relationship with technology. It offers a chance to peer into our existence with greater understanding. It could be this generation’s “Blue Marble” – looking instead outward and deep into time. And it promises to be more than one image – way more than just one.

The modular sound environment Pd (Pure data) is wonderful. Pd is free. Pd runs everywhere. Pd is … frequently lacking some of the stuff you’d ideally want out of the box. Enter Piloslib, totally free and just released.

The “daxophone” is a new acoustic instrument invented in the 80s. Its creator was a German typographer. It’s name is derived from “badger.” It sounds like an half-human, half-alien vocal. And virtuoso Kazuhisa Uchihashi has been able to coax a whole album out of it – with jaw-dropping results.

In 1974, lunar modules were landing in quick succession on the moon – and the Synthesizer Expander Module (SEM-1) landed here on Earth. Developer GForce turned to creator Tom Oberheim and 80s Oberheim veteran Marcus Ryle for input on this one – and it shows. This is a unique, very analog-y feeling software instrument. It’s simple, elegant – and at 30 quid, a no-brainer.

Here is one tasty-looking custom keycap design, adding the faders, knobs, and synth-y visuals your mechanical keyboard so desperately wants.

Resolume keeps packing features into their Arena and Avenue VJ / live visual / media server tools every few weeks. This time – easier-to-read, customizable time readouts, and a bunch of new features for slices.

Return to the days of MIDI-controlled LaserDisc players – Mark Coniglio, creator of Isadora, walks through this history of the work of Troika Ranch. It’s an incredible microcosm of where dance tech has come for – but you can do stuff today with Isadora, too, like finding a use for that Nintendo Wiimote.

More like this, please. Novation’s Launchpad 2.0 updates (for Launchpad Mini and X) are a great example of how manufacturers can make it easier to adapt hardware to your setup. Now they’ve added keystrokes to the custom faders and melodic and drum widgets you can lay out on your custom controls.

Roland just dropped a huge update for their SP-404 MKII, with a bunch of new features for playing and processing sound – including TR-REC step sequencing. Here’s your guide, if you’re lucky enough to have one of the units.

It’s the ultimate music gear you can swallow. Sorry, make that carry in your pocket. And now the TX-6 starts to make more sense.