Turn up Jaymie Silk’s 2-volume Reclaim the Music and Transform Ur Mind

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.

Akai update makes the MPC Sample a satellite to the rest of the MPC line

Today’s MPC 3.8 software integrates the mobile MPC Sample with the MPC family. Bring your MPC Sample projects to your MPC or computer, load MPC tracks onto the MPC Sample, and use MPC Sample effects anywhere. This really makes the MPC Sample a mobile companion. Even if the MPC Sample is the only standalone device […]

Peter Kirn - April 30, 2026

Akai’s pint-sized MPC Sample has already gotten a couple of updates

It seems like just yesterday we were ogling the launch of Akai’s inexpensive, ultra-portable standalone MPC …okay, three weeks. But Akai delivered some important updates in the 1.3 firmware, available today, on top of V1.2.1 (in case you blinked). Here’s what’s new.

Peter Kirn - April 13, 2026

Akai’s MPC Sample is compact, $399 — let’s compare it to an original MPC60!

Peter Kirn - March 24, 2026