Interview: 33EMYBW on Amalgamate, metamorphosis, and insect philosophy

The patterning on butterfly wings is constructed of tiny blade-like scales (lamellar), with color structured into complex messaging and variation. That’s precisely the sonic feeling of Amalgamate, the latest from Shanghai-based artist 33EMYBW. We got to talk to 33 about alienation, metamorphosis, and the meaning of some of those lyrics. Photos by Di Wei Aamalgamte […]

Cook every day: read Suzanne Ciani’s 1976 Buchla Cookbook, for free

In 1976, Suzanne Ciani reported back to the USA’s National Endowment for the Arts with a report on her compositions, in the form of a modular cookbook. Now you can read her notes and follow along using entirely free software, complete with sound examples. I love overusing the cookbook metaphor, maybe just because food is […]

Peter Kirn - September 21, 2026

Impactor, Rupture 2 by Rawton Forge are perfect percussion synths for Live

That’s it. Rawton Forge has nailed it. With the new Rupture 2 on the kick and bass drum synthesis side, and Impactor handling general-purpose percussion synthesis for kicks/toms/tonal, you have an ideal floor-rattling, punchy, snappy synthesis duo for Ableton Live.

Peter Kirn - July 31, 2026

With Latent Terrain, crack open AI and explore neural synthesis in Max

Peter Kirn - June 17, 2026

Synplant’s new PhenoType tech uses neural nets for more alien patches

Peter Kirn - June 10, 2026

Unreal Engine 5.8 is a major audio release, despite Epic staffing cuts

Peter Kirn - June 1, 2026

New, free TechAudioTools lets you get serious with Unreal’s MetaSounds

Peter Kirn - February 12, 2026

What’s new in the DIY world of Music Thing’s Workshop System

Peter Kirn - January 7, 2026

SuperSonic: SuperCollider synth is fun, playful, colorful, free, in any Web page

Peter Kirn - November 15, 2025