dadamachines tbd 16: a groovebox that’s compact, capable, and open by design

tbd 16 does everything the other standalone grooveboxes do, but in a handheld form factor, built as an open platform that you’re free to customize, mod, and hack. Choose the engines and apps you want to use. And get them all on a compact, standalone device that rivals big-name competitors in a fraction of the […]

Tim Exile’s cancer recovery project is a generative, morphing groovebox

What began in a hospital bed as a Reaktor ensemble for making music into a video has become a fully generative, morphing take on a groovebox and music studio. Tim Exile is back in action with Scapeshift, out today. And this being in 2024, there’s even a promise: no generative AI.

Peter Kirn - November 26, 2024

The Speak & Spell is reborn as a chaos monster and glitchy groovebox

You’ve heard the Speak & Spell. You’ve heard circuit-bent Speak & Spell. But are you ready to open a Hellmouth of total destructive speech chaos based on combining those into a massively powerful groovebox?

Peter Kirn - July 29, 2024

Visco is a warped drum machine that lets you squish sound like goo [hands on]

Peter Kirn - March 20, 2024

Teenage Engineering’s EP-133 K.O. II: sampler-sequencer, $299

Peter Kirn - November 22, 2023

Novation Circuit Tracks update follows Circuit Rhythm – here’s what to know

Peter Kirn - December 23, 2022

Dreadbox’s new 200€ Dysmetria kit is an insane amount of analog groove fun

Peter Kirn - May 16, 2022

Elektron’s Syntakt, broken down: a box of goodness with synthesis, effects, sequencing

Peter Kirn - April 21, 2022

COLLIDZ° generates detailed ambient music, on its own or with a candy store worth of features

Peter Kirn - March 18, 2022