Once I’d heard ‘Are Friends’ Electric?” by Tubeway Army, I knew synthesizers would be a huge part of my life. Despite drums becoming my main instrument for many years, I dabbled and lusted after countless pieces of gear and started using computers to help me make my own music with a Commodore 64 and a copy of Electrosound.
Over the years, I eventually progressed to more professional tools and began to truly indulge my love of electronic music making, slowly building a collection of gear that covered most synthesis methods, from sampling to physical modelling and beyond. However, my love of the gear that soundtracked my formative years was strong and I was fortunate enough to be asked to work with the inventor of the Fairlight CMI on their more recent projects. This then led to me restoring Fairlight CMI’s, something I still do to this day.
My home studio is now filled with classic vintage gear of the 80s and 90s, as well as modern classics. In recent years, I have been producing podcasts for Sound On Sound, as well as writing articles for them and I also present a weekly live stream for the Pro Synth Network. I still drum, albeit now on e-Drum kits, which are far easier to move around and a lot quieter when practising! You can often find me delivering seminars & lectures and at various synth shows around the world, talking about and demonstrating iconic synths.
This week, we celebrate the U.K. release of Resynator on Apple TV, plus we look at a drum machine for the PS Vita and a modern twist on the Trautonium.
The Arturia MiniLab 37 expands the affordable line of lightweight controllers, but does it add anything over and above a few more keys?
Minim Strings from Tempest Instruments seeks to address the issue of writing repetitive legato in a simple Kontakt package. We also have a bunch of Tribute banks from Arturia and new sounds for Chromaphone.
UVI Rumble is a brand-new take on bass synthesis, and it might just change the way we all approach the bottom end!
Bohemian Clarinet joins Virharmonic's Bohemian string range, but does it deliver the same level and depth of feeling and expression as its bowed brethren?
Why is Blade Runner so revered and referenced by those both inside and outside electronic music making, and how did the tools he used enable the great man? I have a theory...
This week, Marc Barnes delivers volume 2 of his MPE Expressions for Arturia's Pigments 7, plus we have free sounds for Arturia's SQ-80.
Arturia's Memory V seeks to bring back one of the most loved and legendary polysynths of all time. Can this software recreation do its hardware forebear justice?
The Rhodes Mk.8 in itself was a glorious comeback of one of the all-time classic instruments. Now with MIDI, you may no longer need another keyboard on stage.
SUPERBOOTH
The Bob Moog Foundation have done it again with another brilliant raffle prize. And if you're a Casio FZ-1 owner, Deft Audio show us some very cool hardware upgrades for your machine!
Orchestral Suite 2, a complete orchestra at your fingertips with enough articulations and nuance to have the big boys quaking in their boots. We also have a remarkable new piano library from Wrong Tools!
This week, we've got a brilliant bank of sounds for the Moog One, the proceeds from which will go to The Bob Moog Foundation, plus there are some great sounds for SWAYED, the SY/TG recreation!
SUPERBOOTH
SONICWARE return with a new groovebox concept that is LIVEN adjacent yet utterly its own thing. Welcome to the deconstruct MINIMAL.
SUPERBOOTH
It's just a few days until Superbooth 2026 kicks off in Berlin, so we take a look ahead to speculate what we may or may not see and hear at FEZ!
Everyone should own at least one Moog synth, and right now, there are some great deals on Moog synths to be had, so grab a bargain and treat your ears to the wonderful sound of a Moog!
Boutique synth book publisher BJOOKS has announced their latest publication, Beat Gems, a quality tome that does for drum machines what Synth Gems did for synths!
Available now!
Wolfgang Palm and Cornel Hecht have joined forces to resurrect the last fully analogue PPG synth, the classic PPG 1002 and it looks and sounds incredible!
This week, we have Inner Space, a free bank of sounds for Cherry Audio's wonderful Crumar DS-2, something completely unique from Soniccouture, plus Industrial and IDM banks for Pigments and the JP-8000!
SUPERBOOTH
The Osmose revolutionised what an expressive synth could be. Now the Osmose CE sets out to bring that expression to the world of MIDI controller keyboards, with DAW integration and a software plugin-based ...
Available now!
Shortly after the JN-80, the Behringer BMX also arrived at Thomann. This sampling drum machine is available for immediate shipment!
Echoes of Machines sees a brand new set of 64 sounds for Moog's brilliant Muse poly synth by Anton Anru, with Kulshan Studios providing two of this week's other selections!
Available now!
The JT-2, Behringer's desktop/Eurorack synth based on two of the JT-16's voices, is now available to order, but don't expect shipping just yet!
Augmented PERSIA from Arturia expands its range of fusion instruments into the Iranian plateau with a powerful and deeply expressive blend of the traditional and modern.
Galactic Spaces and Between Worlds... a distinctly astronomical feel with a twist to this week's column!