Universal Audio Apollo x4 £1,500

Universal Audio’s Apollo range of interfaces gains a new member. Jono Buchanan looks for signs of sibling rivalry

The Presets Apocalypso

Modular Recordings, 2008

The Emperor Machine

Former Bizarre Inc hit maker Andy Meecham, aka The Emperor Machine, chats to Danny Turner about the mindboggling arsenal of gear behind his latest album Music Not Safari

PreSonus E8XT £422 per pair

An update for this very popular PreSonus monitor range has landed. Jon Musgrave finds out what’s new

Niklas Paschburg

“The Polyend Perc is my ‘robot arm’. It brought me new live possibilities”

Lia Mice

Which Memories Will Make It? Optimo Music, 2018

Arturia MicroLab £69

Compact keyboard controllers can feel like a compromise. What does Jon Musgrave make of Arturia’s latest offering?

Fatboy Slim You've Come A Long Way, Baby

Skint, 1998

Is The MPC One The Backpack-Sized Beatmaker You've Been Waiting For?

Akai have unveiled the MPC One, a new standalone production tool that slots in as the smallest – and most affordable – of the company’s current crop of hardware beatmakers

Boston Bun - Don't Wanna Dance

Universal/Island Records Ltd, 2019

Steinberg Nuendo 10 £860

Bruce Aisher checks out the latest version of Steinberg’s well-established alternative to Cubase

Roland Cloud SRX and XV module updates from £18.50

It’s full steam ahead for Roland’s Cloud. Andy Jones checks out the latest four sound modules to reach for the skies

Novation Launchpad Mini Mk3 £100

Launcher control surfaces continue their rise. Jon Musgrave asks if small is beautiful with this latest offering

Korg ARP 2600 FS $3,899

Having achieved acclaim for their recreation of the ARP Odyssey, Scot Solida is pleased to see that Korg have at last tackled the venerable 2600. But does it live up to the legend?

Morgan Page

From tracker software beginnings to top ten hits, James Russell finds out what makes EDM’s hardest-working producer tick. After dispensing production tips on Twitter, what’s his advice for actually working in the industry?

Modal Electronics Argon 8 £579

Modal always make interesting synths and the Argon 8 carries on that tradition. Dan ‘JD73’ Goldman tries their latest creation…

Bloody Mary

Rising from the ashes of the acid techno era, Berlin-based Bloody Mary retains her fascination for all things 303. Danny Turner questions the DJ/producer on her old-school approach

Creative Resampling

This month, we’re turning our critical eye to the creativity and inspiration which can come from resampling. We’ll explore exactly what this term means, what resampling can do and why it forms such a significant part of the production process for so many musicians, irrespective of the musical genres they favour. We’ll explore the pros and cons of using your DAW’s audio capabilities compared to triggering resampled sounds from dedicated samplers, as well as having a look at some of the latest software developments which are facilitating creative resampling in new and innovative ways. What we’ll discover is that resampling provides a means for sound creation which is different from programming synths, or loading pre-existing samples into sample playback engines. If personalizing the sounds you reach for – either by building them from the ground up, or modifying presets – is an important part of the creative process for you, there should be plenty of advice, technique and theory over the next few pages to take your tracks in new directions. As always, take what you read, see and hear as a springboard for your own creativity. Ready to go down the resampling rabbit hole? Off we go…

Beatrice Dillon

On her debut album, Workaround, Beatrice Dillon finds new ways to unlock electronic music’s often rigid parameters. Danny Turner learns about the process behind its creation

Arturia AudioFuse 8Pre £630

Rob Redman assesses Arturia’s venture into the domain of rack audio interfaces

Berlin Techno

The signature sounds of the German capital reflect a cultural melting pot with strong ties to Detroit

Universal Audio Launch Next-gen Apollo

An updated Twin and new x4 are on their way to desktops near you

Floating Points

Sam Shepherd unleashes a late contender for album of the year with new album Crush, showcasing his ever-evolving brand of modular alchemy and shapeshifting. Hamish Mackintosh visits the nerve centre

Suonobuono nABC - $369

Not Another Boring Compressor brings sidechain pumping out of the box. Si Truss asks if the analogue effect earns its name?

Lapalux

Since signing to Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder label, Lapalux’s defiantly abstract sound has garnered praise from fans and critics alike. Danny Turner dives deep into the Eurorack setup that’s central to his approach

Control & Sequence

The lines between MIDI controllers, hardware sequencers and expressive instruments are increasingly blurring. Let’s look at some creative ways to get handson with gear in and out of the box

Rebekah

Birmingham-born musician Rebekah makes club music that combines distorted aggression with pristine sound design. Danny Turner casts an eye over the uncompromising producer’s Berlin-based studio

Extreme Effects

Effect processors are essential for all music makers, but if you’re just using them to mix or fix recording issues, you’re missing out on a vast world of sonic creativity. Let’s push those processors to the extremes and see how we can turn simple sounds into something unique. Let’s head down the rabbit hole...

Novation Summit £1,899

With its aftertouch-enabled keyboard, juicy new features and twin Peaks, the new flagship from Novation sounds like a dream. Dan ‘JD73’ Goldman scales the Summit!

Joris Voorn

Globally recognised DJ/producer Joris Voorn is at the fulcrum of the Dutch dance scene with his instantly recognisable take on techno. Danny Turner peers into his plush Amsterdam studio, home to his forthcoming album