“Deep calm”: Roland Mood Pan is a digital handpan

Sometimes, Roland gives us predictable things. Sometimes, the company decides to digitize the handpan for an electronic hand percussion instrument that can also make gamelan and singing bowl sounds, pretty environmental noises, and function as a Bluetooth speaker.

Two stills of Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay leaping in front of checkered green and gray background, in his signature hat, a Sony logo in the upper left-hand corner.

Peak 1996: When Jamiroquai met Sony MiniDisc in Japan

It was once the pinnacle of digital recordable audio, a would-be successor to the mighty cassette tape. And for one glorious moment in 1996, Sony MiniDisc was all that was right with the world, exemplified by a trippy Japan-only ad campaign with none other than Jamiroquai.

Peter Kirn - May 22, 2025

HyperSplash is glitchy hyperactive fun – $3 Max for Live from MIRA新伝統

If you don’t know the hyperfuturist post-anthropocene duo* MIRA新伝統 aka Honami Higuchi and Raphael Leray, you need to. But now for three bucks – $3!! – you can drop their absolutely addictive Max for Live mayhem into your Ableton Live set. Should you? You should.

Peter Kirn - April 23, 2025

Celebrate #404day with great grooves from Japan and one cute t-shirt

Peter Kirn - April 4, 2025

KORG’s adorable Sanrio tuners and other stuff you can only get in Japan

Peter Kirn - March 13, 2025

RIP Seiki Kato, KORG President lead 80s product innovations, KORG USA

Peter Kirn - February 28, 2025

Here it is, a cover of Kendrick Lamar and more awesomeness for the Otamatone

Peter Kirn - February 14, 2025

Throwback Thursday: Kerri Chandler DJing on reel-to-reel tape is a joy

Peter Kirn - June 27, 2024

C4NDY KeyVLM, a USB keyboard that connects to a vinyl turntable for mixing

Peter Kirn - December 30, 2023

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