Jaymie Silk just dropped volume 2 of Reclaim the Music, his spontaneous summer all-hardware bangers. It’s hard-hitting oldschool techno, it’s got that 90s sound (especially thanks to a vintage compressor), and it also has explosions of percussion that are true to African roots. “909, 808, percussions, groove.” You should check his calls to activism, too.
Read moreRoland’s latest handheld boutique synth is a departure. Instead of a synth or drum machine, it was inspired by the SP-404. Here’s the skinny on its onboard sampling, effect, and sequencer features, direct from the source.
They’re smaller and cheaper than the Boutique series and first-gen AIRA, they’re battery-powered, and they pack a surprising amount of functionality and hands-on control. Roland has a new compact platform for the AIRA, and they look cute and fun.