Productions gone live, as Jlin joins Third Coast Percussion on “Vernacular”

If today is a day to celebrate good things happening in the USA, you better also be listening to the epic collaboration between Jlin and Chicago’s Third Coast Percussion. That puts the Gary, Indiana-born Jerrilynn Patton (Jlin) right up alongside Philip Glass and David Longstreth, where frankly, she totally belongs. And it’s touring.

XEN FX LAB: sequel to Zen Delay adds tweakable spring tank, dub mode

XEN FX LAB is a follow-up to a software hit (and hardware, before that), adding a modeled spring reverb, strike for “knocking” the virtual tank, and a dub button for adding dub-style throws, plus significant performance optimizations all round. And yeah, it’s time for more wild drones and dubs and echoes and the lot. macOS, Windows; VST3, AU, standalone; also on iOS.

Peter Kirn - October 29, 2026

Arturia’s new MiniFreak 49 synth is tactile, exploration-friendly: tested

It’s not just some extra keys or minor feature tweaks. Arturia’s MiniFreak 49 has evolved the range into a synthesizer you can freely explore just by playing, not programming. It’s a fusion of tactile experience and sound, right when we need that. Here’s a full hands-on test.

Peter Kirn - October 20, 2026

Bana Haffar’s Ancient Future mutates memory and meaning in machines

Peter Kirn - October 13, 2026

The best lesser-sung sounds of 2026 so far

David Abravanel - August 22, 2026

Lucid slices, stretches, and scrubs sound like no other granular FX

Peter Kirn - August 19, 2026

Organismi OR—1, free for iPad: breathing, stochastic pattern generator

Peter Kirn - August 18, 2026

DeafMan transforms Ableton Live with custom colors, interactive editor

Peter Kirn - July 29, 2026

Sequential Prophet-5 gets an official software remake by GForce — tested

Peter Kirn - June 16, 2026