Attack Magazine: Recent Episodes
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In this edition of Beat Dissected, we're diving into ‘90s-infused, high-energy techno and trance with all the elements of a future classic.
From DJ sets to producers’ latest releases, we’ve been hearing a distinct shift in electronic music —reviving the spirit of the 1990s and early 2000s rave scenes with a fresh, modern twist.
Belgium-based Dana Montana (they/she) is a rising Ukrainian DJ, producer, and event organizer whose sound moves fluidly between hard house, techno, and trance.
In this edition of Beat Dissected, we explore the 2022 release "Speed Killer (feat. SKEMER) – Edit" on London-based HE.SHE.THEY, a fashion brand, event series, and record label committed to talent, equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Rather than replicating the track, we’ll break down some of Dana Montana’s key production techniques and build a new track inspired by the sound.
Here’s what we're making today:
And here’s how the beat sounds with melody for context:
[spec tempo="147 BPM" swing="50%" sounds="Ableton 12"]
Step 1: The KickLet’s start with layering our kicks to punch through the mix. First, create a new MIDI track and load in the 909 Core Kit. Then we’re going to insert an empty MIDI clip.
On the Bass Drum, program in the following pattern.
Now copy the pattern, paste and move it with the arrow keys to the other kick.
Turn down the sample Volume of the deeper kick to -12.00 dB and -9.00 dB of the higher kick. Let’s also bring the 909 Core Kit track Volume down to -7.0 dB to avoid any signal clipping or distortion.
Onto the deeper kick, drop in Kick EQ 4.
To glue the drums together and balance out the frequencies, we’re going to add the ‘Mix Gel’ Compressor after the 909 Core Kit.
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Step 2: Hi-HatNow let’s give the track some movement by replacing the rack’s Open Hi Hat with ‘Hihat Open 808’.
Place a hi-hat on the third step of each quarter bar.
Transpose to -1 st and turn down Volume to -14.0 dB.
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Step 3: Handclap & RimshotLet’s program in a beat on every 5th and 13th step of our four bar loop.
Next, let’s adjust the clap settings to: Attack 0.68 ms, Decay 60.0 s, Release 27.6 ms, Volume -5.00 dB. Pan the clap to 13L.
Now, we’ll insert Reverb from the Core Library. Turn Dry/Wet down to 40%.
For a nice accent, we’re going to replace the rack’s rim with ‘Rim-808.adg’. To pitch up, Transpose to +8 st. Pan the rim to 13R.
Ok, now let’s program our rim by copying the pattern.
Lastly, we’re going to pop in ‘Reverb-Delay + Room.adg’.
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Step 4: Mastering ChainLet’s add the Glue Compressor. as the name implies, to bind the sounds to sit cohesively in the mix.
And follow these settings: Attack .3, Release .4, Ratio 4, Threshold -10.0 dB, Range 50.0 dB, Dry/Wet 34%.
Now we’ll include the Master Full Chain.
To finish off the chain and make sure our headroom is safe, we’ll add the ‘Lookahead’ Limiter.
With context:
Vamp Acid is a music producer, live techno artist, and co-head of Hrdwre.io based in Berlin. Find Vamp Acid on Instagram.
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New tool dime [ms] offers flexible mid/side processing to your existing plugins. No fancy rerouting required.
Time Off Audio has released dime [ms], a plugin designed to give producers and engineers greater control over mid/side processing. The tool acts as a plugin host, allowing users to apply AU or VST3 effects on mid and side signals independently — even if those effects don’t natively support mid/side operation. Confused? Check it out below:
dime [ms] offers four plugin slots each for the mid and side channels, enabling custom signal chains. Users can map up to ten parameters for quick access and tweak their setup using built-in mix controls and stereo width visualisation. Time Off Audio emphasizes that the plugin aims to simplify what is often a complex routing task in your DAW.
Key features of dime [ms]* Mid/side channel soloing to hear effects in isolation * Input/output gain staging for level-matched A/B comparisons * A built-in visualizer with multiple display modes * Support for AU, VST3, and AAX formats * Light and dark UI modes * Zero added latency and low CPU usage
Expansion of the ‘dime’ lineup The launch follows the release of dime [tt] in late 2024, which separates transient and tonal components for targeted effect application. Time Off Audio reports that user feedback has driven recent updates to dime [tt], including GPU-accelerated UI improvements and enhanced plugin browsing.
Additionally, Time Off Audio has joined Plugin Boutique’s roster, giving its products wider exposure within a curated retail environment known for music production tools.
For many in electronic music production — where mid/side treatment of space, depth, and stereo imaging is routine — tools like dime [ms] offer a modular way to integrate deeper processing chains without redesigning a session from scratch.
Availability and pricingdime [ms] is available now from the Time Off Audio website and Plugin Boutique, with an introductory price of $/€19 (regular price $/€29).
Find Time Off on Instagram.
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By now, you've likely heard of Indira Paganotto. But what really makes her tick? We put her through a quick-fire Q&A to find out.
When we first spoke to Indira Paganotto, it was just after COVID and it felt like the start of something special. Four years on, her career has skyrocketed. With millions of followers (if that's your metric) and streams in the tens of millions, things have moved fast. From her eclectic musical roots in the Canary Islands to commanding stages at Coachella, Tomorrowland and Amnesia Ibiza, she has built a truly global following, all while founding the genre-defining label ARTCORE.
With the release of her new single "Dragon" alongside trance icon Armin van Buuren, we caught up with her for a quick-fire Q&A.
Why music?
Music is art, love, family, nature, creation, and religion. I am all that and more. The best part about being human is being in a constant state of progress, just like music.
If you weren't making music, what would you be doing?
Probably running an animal care centre. I love animals. Or owning a garden shop where people could spend the afternoon surrounded by animals, enjoy some Italian coffee, and buy exotic plants. I also love interior design and painting, so I’d create a space for art there too.
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?
To be yourself. Ignore people who are jealous, lack vibe or goals. They are dangerous and can bring you down.
"I believe we (ARTCORE) release music that stands alone in its own genre. No one else is like us."What inspires you?
Pureness and people with goals who love to work hard.
What's the next big thing?
Personally, it has to be my album, a selection from hundreds of unreleased tracks from the last 14 years. Also, to have an ARTCORE stage Tomorrowland, Dreambeach, and Mysteryland. The family is growing, and we’ll soon release our best line of merchandise yet.
Best club experience?
Time Warp.
What's the worst job you’ve ever had?
Every job is hard; they all come with a learning process.
How do you know when a track's finished?
If I finish it in a day, I’m fully into it, and it gives me goosebumps. When I close my eyes and get that feeling then it’s done.
What was your last day job and when did you realise you could give it up?
When I was 20, I worked in a restaurant in Madrid, but the owner was so rude I eventually just walked out...but with a big smile.
Which song do you wish you wrote?
Any kind of metal track. I’m really into metal music and always have been.
What's the easiest way to make it in the music industry?
There is no easy way, unless it’s short-lived.
What's the worst track you've ever released?
Hahaha, good question. But I think each track reflects the moment I was in. There isn’t good or bad, just life emulated in music.
Recommend us a film.
Midsommar.
Recommend us a book.
Art of War.
What or who is underrated?
Your health!
What or who is overrated?
Being busy. Sometimes I just need sleep.
What are you addicted to?
Frozen rosé aka Frozé! I tried it for the first time at Coachella. And schnitzel!
What do you lust over?
Food! Always good food, alongside deep, meaningful conversations.
What is your greatest regret?
Being too nice and friendly to everyone, and then getting hurt. But that’s also part of who I am. Some people take advantage, but I’d rather stay true to myself.
What one thing would most improve your life?
Thinking less.
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever played?
One time in Lebanon there were gunshots in the crowd. It was terrifying.
Collaboration: rich creative experience or pain in the ass?
100% a rich creative experience. You learn so much and get inspired.
What’s the secret to a great mix?
A journey. Take your listeners on an adventure with highs and lows.
If you could only listen to one more track, what would it be?
Q Lazzarus – "Goodbye Horses"
How do you relax?
Spending time at home with my dog and family, going for hikes, and cooking.
What one piece of software/kit could you not do without? Why?
My Roland V-Synth GT. It’s a part of every one of my productions.
Art or money?
Art. Every single time!
Ronaldo or Messi?
Messi.
Strangest place you ever wrote a track?
On the road in India.
Must-visit record store?
Ater Cosmo in Madrid.
What's your single biggest frustration in the music industry?
Comparison.
What’s your favourite label? Why?
ARTCORE, of course! I’m biased, but I believe we release music that stands alone in its own genre. No one else is like us.
What's the worst thing about making music?
Time! It’s my biggest enemy. I’d love to spend my whole life in the studio—but I can’t.
What’s your motto?
Heaven is for warriors.
Name something timeless.
Art. It’s subjective, it comes in many forms, and it never dies. To be immortal is to be creative—to leave something behind for future generations.
Tweet us a tip. What’s the best production advice you can give in 140 characters or less?
Go with your flow. No one can give you rules.
Complete this sentence: At heart I'm just a frustrated …
Gypsy!
Can music change the world?
Of course. It’s deeply emotional. It can take you back to moments in life, help you heal, and create connection.
What are you listening to right now?
Cèsare Cremonini, Elisa – "Nonostante Tutto" (Indira Paganotto Remix)
What should you do before you die?
Get married again, have kids, visit the Himalayas, start a farm full of animals, create art in every way, and keep smiling through it all.
Find Indira Paganotto on Instagram. "Dragon" is out now on Armada Music / ARTCORE Records.
Photographer @michele___perna
Stylist @PalmiraDelVecchio
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Live 12.2 is here and it finally introduces Bounce to New Track. If you’re a longtime Live user, you might not be familiar with some techniques more commonly used in other DAWs. We’ve broken down six tips to help you get started with this long-overdue (and seriously helpful) new feature.
Sometimes the most boring-sounding features can be the most exciting. Which means that of all the new features announced for Ableton Live’s 12.2 update (Expressive chords, new device updates, additional Push features etc.), the most exciting might well be Bounce to New Track.
Why? Well, here are six of the coolest bounce-in-place-based production tricks that this new feature makes much quicker and easier.
Give them a try, and let us know in the comments which you use, which you’d never heard of before, and which we’ve missed.
Remember, click any image to enlarge.
Essential reverse reverbReverse reverb creates a magical swelling of echo that can be used to add interest to grooves, fill gaps, introduce new vocal / musical parts, and loads more.
It’s really easy and quick (45-60 seconds when you know what you’re doing) but requires a number of simple steps.
Done right, it sounds amazing (most people miss an important step), so you’ll often find yourself using it on many elements in the same project. And Bounce in Place makes it quicker than ever before.
By the way, while following these steps, say a prayer for the guy who invented reverse reverb (Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, if legend is to be believed), using actual strips of magnetic audio tape!
Without reverse reverb:
With reverse reverb:
- HIghlight one bar of the audio section you want to use and Bounce to New Track.
- Un-mute (called ‘Activate’ in Live) the original audio clip that Live has automatically muted.
- Reverse the freshly bounced audio (the step most people overlook!) and move it one bar to the left
- Add a reverb (plate types sound great), fully wet, and set the reverb time to about 15 seconds.
- Highlight the bar of reversed audio, plus the next eight bars, then Bounce to New track
- Delete the bar of reversed audio (but leave the channel and plugin in place if you want to use the same reverb device again in the same project).
- On the new channel delete the first bar, leaving only the eight bars of reverb tail and reverse the audio. This is our reversed reverb.
- Add a bit of low cut EQ / filtering and raise the level of the reverse reverb if you like/ Some kind of pumping effect can sound great too.
- Tailor the length of the build with a Clip Fade. Shorter is usually better but the full eightworks in breakdown builds.
Top Tip: When using reverse reverb on different sounds in a project, you can save a lot of time at Step 4 by dragging in the same reverb device each time.
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Perfect delay / reverb tailsAdding reverb or delay effects to individual words or notes is great for adding emphasis, filling gaps, smoothing transitions, and more.
Now, production is all about attention to detail and sometimes those reverb or delay tails just carry on a bit too long, or sound a bit static, or… whatever else bothers you about them. And you might want different lengths for different words.
Automation was a game-changer, and gave us total control over our tails, but let’s be honest… having loads of automation lanes can be annoying and fiddly. And you have to remember to reset the values if you want to use the same effect later in the arrangement.
No thanks. Bounce to New Track is our friend.
Here it is in action...
And here’s how to do it…
- Highlight the word to be delayed / ‘verbed and select Bounce to New Track
- Un-mute (Activate Clip’ in Live) the clip Live has automatically muted.
- Add your delay or reverb (set to fully wet) to the new channel and tailor the effect settings to suit.
- Highlight the new bounce (plus as many of the following bars as you need for the tail) and Bounce to New Track again.
- Use Clip Fade to tailor the tail (and add any other audio edits you like, like gated chopping edits and panners).
- Repeat for any additional words / sounds
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Punchier eight-bar loopsThe key to a great electronic dance track is making each new eight bar section feel as if it’s kicking in like the first time.
There are many things you can do to create this feeling, but a really cheeky (and easy) one for four-on-the-floor tracks is to double up the very first kick drum of each eight bars (the downbeat) with a copy of itself.
And if you don’t feel like you need it every eight bars, you should absolutely try it on the first beat after breakdowns.
Try it now with these three simple steps…
- Highlight the first kick of an eight bar loop.
- Bounce to New Track and then unmute the audio Live has just muted (Groundhog Day vibes here).
- Copy the bounced kick drum to the start of each eight bar loop. (Or just to the first kick after breakdowns if you prefer…
Perfect loop editsThere are countless reasons you might want to edit audio on a new dedicated track, so we’re just gonna pick one scenario here. We’ve got a drum loop audio clip playing and we want to do some cool little choppy edits.
But… there’s a reverb inserted on the channel. If we do the edits to the audio on this channel directly the reverb will be applied to the edits too… so it won’t sound choppy.
Here’s the effect without using the Bounce to New Track...
And now with…
Totally different vibe, right? Both are cool and have their uses, but while the first sounds like part of the beat, the second sounds like an edit. That difference is even more clear when you play them one after another…
- Highlight the section we want to add edits to and Bounce to New Track.
- Apply the edits you want to the new bounced section below.
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Vinyl-style beat juggling editsEvery turntablist and classic hip hop DJ knows this amazing-sounding beat-juggling trick, and you can use it on your productions too.
The original trick involves using two copies of the same track, with the second playing an eighth note earlier, then crossfading to the second track to create the beat-doubling.
It’s amazing on drum loops, vocals, both, and more. And Bounce to New Track makes it really easy.
- Highlight a one-bar section of the track you want to apply it to (in this case a drum loop) and Bounce to New Track.
- Duplicate this new track, so you have two identical tracks on top of each other.
- Move the second copy an eighth of a bar to the left.
- Delete the first eighth of a bar on track one, the second eighth of a bar on track two, the third eighth of a bar on track one, and so on.
- Create any additional variations you want.
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Reversed percussion groovesUsing reversed percussion hits such as hats, snares, claps, and kicks can be a great way to shape, enhance, and change the groove of your drums.
Here’s a basic 909 drum loop.
Now here it is again, livened up with some reversed percussion.
Much more exciting, right? And no prizes for guessing… Bounce to New Track makes it easier than ever.
- Highlight eight bars of some selected percussive channels in your project (we’re using a hat, kick and clap) and use Bounce to New track for each.
- Unmute (called ‘Activate’ in Live) all the audio Live has automatically muted.
- Reverse all of those new sections of audio.
- Loop playback over those eight bars and listen out for any reverses that sound good and delete the rest.
- Try moving the ones you like around – to the left or the right – to see if anything else jumps out
Top Tip: Don’t use too many or they’ll lose their impact.
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The funk icon and founder of Sly and the Family Stone, widely revered as one of the first to successfully place the robotic tics and hisses of a drum machine in place of a drummer, passed away in Los Angeles, leaving behind a genre-defining legacy that helped reshape pop, soul, and electronic music production.
Sly Stone, the influential American musician whose work with Sly and the Family Stone redefined soul, funk, and pop, died on June 9, 2025, aged 82. A family statement confirmed he passed peacefully at home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family, following a prolonged battle with Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other health conditions.
Stone, born Sylvester Stewart in Texas in 1943, emerged from the gospel-rich Bay Area music scene in the 1960s to form one of the most groundbreaking acts in American music history. Sly and the Family Stone fused gospel, psychedelic rock, soul, and funk into a sound that was as politically aware as it was danceable. Their songs became anthems for a generation navigating civil rights struggles and cultural shifts.
A Career that Redefined Popular MusicThe band scored multiple chart-topping hits, including Everyday People, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), and Family Affair, all of which reflected Stone’s talent for embedding social commentary within infectious grooves. Their 1971 album There’s a Riot Goin’ On, recorded largely solo by Stone and one of the earliest mainstream records to use a drum machine, is widely considered a landmark in American music history.
Sly and the Family Stone were one of the first major bands to feature a racially and gender-diverse lineup, which brought their vision of unity into real-world practice. This inclusivity, paired with a unique sonic palette, earned the group spots at both Woodstock and the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, underlining their reach across audiences.
Despite his trailblazing work, Stone’s career began to decline in the late 1970s, affected by heavy drug use and personal instability. His later years included legal battles, periods of seclusion, and financial hardship. He continued to perform sporadically and released his final album, I’m Back! Family & Friends, in 2011.
Influence Beyond GenreThough his later output slowed, Stone’s influence remained strong across generations of musicians and producers. The textures, rhythms, and production techniques he introduced in the studio echoed into the foundations of hip-hop, electronic music, and funk revivalism. His use of early drum machines and multi-tracking helped set a precedent for the DIY ethos embraced by many in the electronic music community today.
In his final years, Stone found renewed visibility. A memoir, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin), was released in 2024, praised for its candor and charm. He also completed a screenplay based on his life, which his family says will eventually be shared publicly.
Tributes have poured in from across the music world. Questlove, who directed the recent documentary Sly Lives!, described Stone as a “giant” whose work embodied “radical inclusivity and deep human truths.” Artists such as Queen Latifah, DJ Premier, and Mike Scott also noted Stone’s impact across genres and generations.
Stone is survived by his three children. His life and music remain a potent reminder of how rhythm, innovation, and activism can combine to shape cultural memory.
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Only 1.6% of DJs are booking five or more gigs — here’s what the numbers reveal about who’s actually thriving in 2025.
Electronic music continues to grow. Festival attendance is on the rise, streaming numbers are soaring, and new DJs are popping up daily. But, peer into the data, and you’ll find a more nuanced story — one that reveals how opportunity distributes in today’s market.
Market Insights: What the Numbers Really SayResident Advisor’s database has a total of 134,147 DJ profiles scattered across the global club scene. Just 21,351 — a mere 16% of all profiles — have at least one future booking as of May 26, 2025. These are your “active” DJs.
Dig deeper, and you’ll find 14,327 who show both experience (20+ career gigs) and current activity. But at the very top? Just 2,175 DJs with five or more upcoming shows. That’s 1.6% of the total.
Like any competitive creative industry, electronic music concentrates opportunities for a tiny percentage of the total. The interesting question isn’t whether this is good or bad, but what it means for navigating today’s DJ landscape.
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The Democratisation EffectTechnology has lowered the barriers to entry. Vinyl collections, expensive hardware, and technical expertise - all required heavy investment and a lot of time to master back in the day. Today’s DJ can start with a laptop and a basic controller.
This democratisation has created something fascinating but harsh: rapid growth in participation without a corresponding proportional increase in opportunities. More people can DJ than ever before, but club slots, festival bookings, and residency positions have just not increased at the same rate.
The math is simple — if barriers to entry drop while opportunities remain more or less unchanged, competition intensifies. Democratisation in an oversaturated market doesn’t create opportunity; it alters the limited nature that gave expertise its value.
Perhaps it's for these reasons that Audience Strategies’ “From Mix to Mainstage” research for Toolroom Academy found that 76% of surveyed electronic music artists don’t consider their careers financially sustainable. The economic reality forces 82% to take up jobs unrelated to electronic music, with 56% working full-time in other fields.
What is genuinely interesting, however, is how DJs are responding. Instead of competing over the limited existing slots, many create their own. The rise of DJ-promoted events, warehouse parties, and independent club nights are all great examples of this adaptation.
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Mapping the Gig EconomyWhere you are based affects the number of opportunities available, a fact that becomes crystal clear when looking at where bookings are concentrated, without surprise, in major electronic music cities.
London leads with 14,284 DJ profiles, of which 2,691 are “active” (18.8%), and 397 maintain five or more upcoming gigs. Berlin follows with 12,829 profiles, 2,657 active DJs (20.7%), and 393 in the top tier. Despite having only 2,883 total profiles, Amsterdam shows 643 working DJs (22.3%) and 131 busiest DJs.
These three cities alone account for 29,996 DJ profiles — nearly 25% of RA’s global database concentrated in just three major hubs of electronic music. The “active” DJ populations in these cities (5,991 combined) account for 37.8% of all “active” DJs globally. It shows that being located in these areas increases success rates.
The Digital Conversion GameHere’s where market dynamics get really interesting. After a recent Berghain gig, analysts examined how these powerful performances drive digital momentum across various platforms for the DJs who play there.
John Talabot’s Spotify monthly listeners grew by 2,400 the day after his set, while his SoundCloud gained 55 followers and 5,400 additional plays. Amotik saw Spotify followers surge by 112 while SoundCloud plays exploded by 66.9%. Ryan Elliott’s Instagram gained 189 followers post-gig, correlating directly with 240 new Spotify monthly listeners.
Each artist’s growth followed different pathways, but all showed the same principle: cultural moments create interconnected momentum across digital platforms. The question becomes how to convert that performance energy into sustained digital growth and maximise the impact of an opportunity like a gig at Berghain.
The challenge lies in leveraging the benefits of multiple platforms and avoiding excessive dependency on any single channel. Knowing how platforms interconnect gives a competitive edge. Successful DJs are good at creating multi-platform strategies for cross-pollination between different audience groups.
“... keeping your movements documented online (in a way that feels authentic and comfortable to you – not everyone has to be a social media star) can certainly be beneficial in this visual age …” - Jay Carder (DJ & Co-founder, Erbium Records)
There are exceptions, though — established artists who built their careers before the digital boom can maintain intense booking schedules without the pressure of social media presence. However, DJs developing their careers today need to understand the conversion of live performance impact into digital traction.
The Production PressureMany DJs starting in recent years have faced the somewhat uncomfortable question: "Do you produce?" For those who don't, this creates a particular challenge in today's market.
The relationship between DJing and production is a complex one. Many producers take up DJing because streaming royalties often will not pay enough. On the other hand, DJs transition into production for credibility and career advancement. It’s clear that DJing skills alone are not sufficient to differentiate in a crowded market, and also, simply producing will not pay the bills.
This intersection creates interesting dynamics. Some artists excel at both, using production skills to create engaging DJ sets. Others focus on mastering one area while also developing enough skills in other areas to meet industry standards.
“... I do feel that nowadays having music to support your DJ career is helpful. I have certainly had bookings off the back of my releases, so yes, it's helpful, but so is persistence, being really good as a DJ alone, and staying authentic to yourself …” - Jay Carder
Again, there are exceptions here, too — DJs who never produce but excel at marketing or networking. These outliers show that there are many paths to success, and achieving it requires focused effort in the areas you choose — a philosophical lesson!
Who’s Really Working: The “Active” and the 1%From the earliest radio disc jockeys to the club pioneers who transformed nightlife culture, the DJ's role has always been about more than just playing records — it's about creating moments, building communities, and pushing music forward.
The 14,327 experienced “active” DJs and the 2,175 with five or more upcoming gigs reflect just those strategies for navigating today’s market conditions. Some relocate to the major hubs that have a higher opportunity density, while some focus on specific genres or performance styles that set them apart from generalists.
Revenue diversification has become almost necessary for sustainable careers. Teaching workshops, offering production services, consulting on event planning, and creating income streams beyond performance fees. According to the Toolroom Academy research mentioned earlier, the data shows that successful artists are expanding beyond traditional roles, with 16% producing music for others, 13% working in sound engineering, and 8% teaching music production or DJing. The most successful DJs treat their career as a portfolio rather than relying solely on performance fees.
Social media and content creation can be time-consuming, but they are essential for getting noticed in crowded markets. The challenge is finding the right balance between making content and focusing on the music itself. Networking is also crucial, especially in competitive areas. Collaborative approaches — supporting other DJs, participating in collective events, and sharing opportunities — often yield better long-term results than zero-sum competitive strategies.
Business acumen separates sustainable careers from hobby-level activity. Understanding market dynamics, developing multiple revenue streams, and treating DJing as an entrepreneurial activity rather than just artistic expression appear crucial for consistent booking success. The most successful DJs balance artistic vision and practical market understanding.
“… not only be really good at what you do, but also have a USP. Make every performance count. Be the best you can, whether there are 10 or 1000 people there. In your down periods, work on building your skills even further …” - Jay Carder
The DIY ResponseOne of the most interesting developments is how DJs are creating their own opportunities rather than just competing for existing ones. Warehouse parties, pop-up events, and independent club nights provide DJs with opportunities to perform while building their audience and fostering industry relationships.
This DIY approach requires skills beyond just being a DJ - event planning, promotion, and business development. At the same time, it provides more control over career trajectory and audience development rather than waiting for bookings.
The rise of social media has also made independent event promotion more viable than before. DJs can build audiences, communicate directly with fans, and promote events without relying on traditional gatekeepers.
Navigating the “Scene” These statistics shed a light on the current market structure, its challenges and opportunities. Electronic music’s dedicated fans give good reasons to feel hopeful. The industry is evolving and accelerating through technological advancements, shifting consumption patterns, and global market growth. Equipment is more accessible, production tools more sophisticated, and distribution channels are direct.
However, success requires understanding these changes and adapting to them in real-time. The DJs who thrive aren’t necessarily the most technically skilled, but those who best navigate market dynamics while maintaining genuine artistry.
It's essential to remember that understanding these numbers enables us to make more informed choices about career growth and set realistic goals in this highly competitive industry. The key is to view market trends as helpful information rather than as problems.
Rufy Ghazi is a music tech and research executive based in London. She is also the author of "From Mix to Mainstage" for Toolroom Academy and the Electronic Music Industry Report for NTIA, featured in this article. Follow her on LinkedIn & Instagram or write to her.
Images: Unsplash
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New plugin Voice by Auribus integrates real singers into DAW workflows while ensuring artist compensation.
Auribus has launched a new vocal production plugin called Voice by Auribus, aimed at music producers, composers, and engineers who want to integrate AI-assisted vocals into their workflows without compromising ethical standards. The platform features real, licensed vocalists whose voices are modeled using AI — with each use tracked and compensated.
The release reflects an ongoing trend in electronic music production: increasing adoption of AI tools balanced by a growing awareness of ethical issues, particularly surrounding consent and fair compensation. As other platforms face criticism for scraping data or mimicking artists without approval, Auribus positions itself as part of a solution that centers the performer in the process.
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Voice By Auribus Features Voice by Auribus offers integration with most major DAWs, supporting AU, VST, and AAX formats. Users can manipulate pitch, prosody, tone, and accent to adapt vocal performances to a range of styles and languages. Unlike traditional sample packs or static vocal libraries, the plugin allows for nuanced control while retaining the realism of a human voice.
The platform’s functionality is aimed at real-world production needs — from quickly assembling demo vocals to remote collaboration and even replacing missing guide vocals in ongoing sessions. It offers potential for use in songwriting, sound design, and multimedia scoring where flexibility and vocal fidelity are essential.
Fair Play For Singers?Auribus positions its platform as unique by prioritizing ethical sourcing and fair artist compensation. Every vocal model originates from a real singer who has given permission for their voice to be used. Auribus pays artists each time their model is activated, including during preliminary demo stages — a notable distinction in a market where many tools do not compensate original creators.
Founder Juan Elias emphasizes that the platform is not intended to replace vocalists but to help them reach broader opportunities. “We’re using technology to help singers reach further – across geography, across time zones, and across projects they might otherwise never access,” he said.
This approach addresses widespread concerns in the music community about generative tools eroding opportunities for working artists. By formalizing royalties and artist recognition, Auribus offers a model that could influence future developments in music AI.
Promo OfferTo encourage early adoption, Auribus is offering a limited-time promotion: two free months of its Standard plan, valued at $40, for users who sign up by July 17th.
For more details, visit auribus.io.
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Energy Floors and TownRock Energy are redefining how we think about energy and heat generation at clubs by capturing it from the punters themselves.
There’s a growing awareness that we need to do more environmentally when it comes to parties. It’s not enough to just take public transportation to the event and recycle your bottles at the venue. Case in point: Massive Attack’s recent ACT 1.5 event set a new record as the cleanest and greenest festival ever held. “Clean technology is ready – it just needs to be facilitated,” said Mark Donne, the event’s lead producer, to the BBC. “Fans want clean shows, that's very clear. The challenge for promoters and government now is to meet that need.”
Two companies, Energy Floors in the Netherlands and TownRock Energy in Scotland, are meeting that need by pioneering new forms of green energy in clubs and event spaces. Their unique twist, however, is that they generate power and climate control not with electricity but through the exertions of the punters themselves.
Energy Floors: Power Through MovementThink back to your school science class and the lecture about different kinds of energy. Remember potential? That’s energy that lies in wait, ready to be released. An extended spring is a common example, but a punter stepping onto the dance floor is just as full of potential energy - especially when there’s a mechanism in place to capture the kinetic energy that’s released when they start to dance.
Energy Floors at Coachella 2016 (Credit: Benjamin Lozovsky BFA)Meet that mechanism: Kinetic Dancefloor from Energy Floors. Although it may look like a regular tiled floor, Kinetic Dancefloor is actually an ingenious device that captures the movement of dancers and turns it into energy. Groups of eight tiles can generate up to 160 watts-peak (a unit of measurement used with solar panels) of sustainable output. The more tiles on the dance floor, the more power you can generate.
Kinetic Dancefloor functions much the same as the light on your bicycle that illuminates when you pedal. “You’re pedaling and the movement is converted to a dynamo, and the dynamo moves and power comes out,” explains Michel Smit, CEO of Energy Floors. “What we're doing with the dance floor, the dance floor goes up and down by one centimeter. There's vertical movement in the surface of the tile, and that's translated internally into a linear movement, and that goes through a dynamo, and then energy comes out. That's the simple version.”
Turning Dancing Into ElectricityIt seems like a no-brainer. People are already dancing; why not harness their movements and turn it into juice? “I think it is indeed a no-brainer because it's such a logical idea to capture the energy of the people to make a positive impact,” agrees Michel. “And that is already what's happening in clubs, of course. People are joining forces. People are aligning. People are experiencing new music, new social experiences.”
While it could be technically possible to power an entire club with Kinetic Dancefloor tiles, Michel intends it more as a personal experience, a way to raise environmental awareness. “Of course, the floor converts human movement into electricity. But it's not so substantial that you’re going to see it in your energy bill, or that the club can (turn off) the other power. That's not the goal.”
The Eye Catcher And The MotivatorBetter to think of Kinetic Dancefloor as part of a broader system of green solutions for power. “We call it the sustainable eye catcher of your location. If you want to make a location sustainable, you have to look at many, many factors. You have to look at waste, use of materials, how people are behaving. But a lot of that is behind the scenes. What gets everybody together is something that's visible and creates a unique experience. That's what the floor does. It's like the eye catcher and the motivator for all the sustainable behavior around it.”
Concertgoers dance during Coldplay's Music of the Spheres world tour on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. (Credit: Rick Scuteri/Invision/AP)And it really does motivate the people who have experienced it. “They say, ‘Wow, movement is energy,’” Michel states, noting conversations that they’ve had with punters at events. “Something happens in their brain, and they go, ‘Oh, we could do this. We could use the movement of people (in other ways)!’ And that's the real awareness creator.”
Right now, Michel and his team primarily supply events, like Coldplay’s Music of Spheres World Tour, but they’re also looking for forever club homes for their dance floor tiles. “We're still looking for a club that wants a more permanent purpose for energy as a topic in the club instead of a topic for an event,” says Michel. They do apparently get a lot of requests for Ibiza, though.
“The real power of the dance floor is making people aware of their energy and what they can accomplish if they turn it in the right direction, and how big that force is,” sums up Michel.
TownRock Energy: Power Through BODYHEATUp in Glasgow, there’s a multi-disciplinary art space called SWG3 with an unusual climate control system. Dubbed BODYHEAT, it uses purpose-installed boreholes in the ground to capture the heat given off by dancing punters. This cools the air at the time and sequesters the heat away, to be reused when necessary, for example, to warm up the venue in the cold winter months.
Honey Dijon at the New York Times Climate Hub takeover for COP26 at SWG3 (Credit: Michael Hunter)According to the BODYHEAT fact sheet, excess punter power is captured into a carrier fluid in a closed network of pipes and then deposited into the 12 boreholes on the event grounds. The system can heat and cool two different parts of the space simultaneously. For example, cooling an event space while a party is on, while also providing heat to the foyer. And if you’re concerned about smell or sweat, don’t be: “There is no body odor, sweat or other bodily fluids otherwise transferred, stored, or re-used,” the fact sheet reassures. It’s a marvelous system - and it’s all the work of TownRock Energy, a pioneer in geothermal energy.
Two Main BarriersSo what’s preventing other venues from setting up a similar system? “There are two main barriers to clubs and venues installing one,” explains TownRock Energy Founder and CEO, David Townsend. The first is cash flow. “Many venues don't have a lot of money in the bank and are not in a position to invest six figures in infrastructure, even if it will pay back from energy savings,” says David. The other is ownership. You have to own the property to drill into the ground.
Honey Dijon at the New York Times Climate Hub takeover for COP26 at SWG3 (Credit: Michael Hunter)Thankfully, as long as your venue has some outdoor space to access, like a beer garden, car park or street, you can benefit from the system. “Also, the financial attractiveness increases and the complexity decreases if the system is installed in a new build at the same time as the building is being constructed,” adds David.” It also works best for buildings that require both heating and cooling.
The other good news is that there’s no upper limit to its usefulness. “You could absolutely use a BODYHEAT geothermal heat pump to heat and cool an indoor sports stadium,” says David. "Volvo has used it to heat and cool their manufacturing plant in Sweden.”
You Are A Key Part Of The SystemAs with the Kinetic Dancefloor, part of the benefit is the impact that it makes on people directly experiencing the benefits - and the knowledge that they’re the ones creating the energy. “I love seeing people’s surprise and excitement when they find out how BODYHEAT actually works,” relays Bob Javaheri, Operations Director at SWG3. “What really captures their imagination is the realization that they are the key part of the system - just by doing something they already love, dancing to music.”
As long as you have an outdoor area, you can install BODYHEAT. (Credit: Loyle Carner)He continues: “That’s what makes BODYHEAT so easy to connect with. The idea that the heat you and everyone around you create can be harnessed in such a creative and impactful way is genuinely inspiring. It makes our journey of sustainability at SWG3 feel accessible and empowering for everyone involved.”
TownRock Energy is involved in all kinds of geothermal projects, and there are plenty of spaces where the capture of excess heat can be used in sustainable ways. David is hoping to see the BODYHEAT story inspire, “the elimination of waste from our energy sector so we capture and reuse all types of waste heat, including data centers, energy from waste, air-conditioning systems, waste water and sewage, and the list goes on.”
Summing up, he says, “We can all be a part of the solution to climate change and sometimes all you need to do is crank the tunes and dance more.”
Feature image Honey Dijon by Michael Hunter.
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CRSSD Festival has announced its Fall 2025 lineup, marking a decade since its debut with a diverse slate of electronic acts scheduled to perform at San Diego's Waterfront Park on September 27 and 28. The San Diego event features Empire of the Sun, John Summit, Ben Böhmer and more across three stages
This year's edition continues CRSSD's tradition of hosting a broad spectrum of electronic music, reflecting trends in global dance music. The festival’s three-stage format returns, each focusing on a distinct facet of electronic culture: Ocean View, The Palms, and City Steps.
Headlining the Ocean View stage are Empire of the Sun, returning with their visually rich live show, and house artist John Summit, known for recent mainstream success. Other highlights include German producer Ben Böhmer (performing live), experimental duo DARKSIDE, Canadian artist Caribou, and UK group Maribou State. This stage leans toward live sets and melodic sounds, offering a contrast to DJ-heavy lineups typical of large festivals.
House and Techno at The Palms and City StepsThe Palms continues to cater to house music with performances from Jamie Jones B2B Adam Ten, Claude VonStroke, Purple Disco Machine, and Dombresky. Rising artists such as Chris Stussy, Cassian, and Beltran also feature prominently, alongside new names like Swimming Paul and Max Styler. This programming reflects house music's evolving landscape, where veteran acts are joined by emerging producers gaining momentum online and in clubs.
City Steps brings a harder-edged techno focus. Boys Noize headlines, joined by Brutalismus 3000 and Berlin-based duo DJ Gigola B2B MCR-T. Japanese DJ ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U and artists like Blawan and OGUZ underline CRSSD's commitment to showcasing boundary-pushing underground talent. The inclusion of KETBOI69, a collaborative alias of KETTAMA and Partiboi69, points to CRSSD tapping into the energy of meme-driven club culture.
Changing scenes CRSSD's 2025 edition arrives amid a broader shift toward genre fluidity and multimedia performance in electronic festivals. Its continued focus on live electronic acts and hybrid performances sets it apart from many US festivals dominated by traditional DJ sets. The lineup demonstrates an awareness of both digital-native breakout artists and legacy acts, capturing a moment in the genre where innovation and nostalgia often overlap.
CRSSD remains a 21+ festival and is known for its daytime, waterfront setting. Alongside the music, it features local food vendors, craft beverages, and interactive areas including a music-tech lounge and vinyl market. Afterparty events under the CRSSD After Dark banner will be announced closer to the event.
Ticket sales begin with an alumni presale on May 27, followed by SMS and general public sales on May 28. More information is available on the festival’s official website.
Follow CRSSD on Instagram.
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Kinder are Briony and Savannah, sisters from Maitland, Australia, making waves in electronic music. While sibling duos are common in other genres, it’s rare to find such a dynamic family pairing in dance music. Naturally, we had questions — so we sat them down for a quick Q&A.
Why music?Because the world can’t exist without it.
If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?Savannah – Clinical psychologist, something in marketing, or maybe acting. I’m not quite sure.
Briony – Social worker.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?Savannah – Hard conversations = easy life. Easy conversations = hard life.
Briony – Rejection can be the greatest guidance of all.
What inspires you?Other creatives and people doing what they love. We learn so much from bold artists who share their work authentically.
What’s the next big thing?Algae technology. Look into it.
Best club experience?Poof Doof at The Ivy – our first show after lockdown. The energy was incredible.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?Savannah – A local café in high school. I used to have nightmares because the boss was so scary and once called me incompetent in front of everyone.
Briony – A men's clothing store in Australia (not naming names). The manager made me work with a bucket behind the counter while I was sick.
How do you know when a track’s finished?We don’t.
What was your last day job and when did you realise you could give it up?After high school, we committed fully to music. We took every small club gig we could, lived paycheque to paycheque, and never looked back.
Which song do you wish you wrote?Savannah – "Graceland" by Paul Simon.
Briony – "Ribs" by Lorde.
What’s the easiest way to make it in the music industry?Don’t stop until you do.
What’s the worst track you’ve ever released?We’ll tell you our second worst because we couldn’t handle it if you found the worst. Our song "Something More" is... cute.
Recommend us a film.Savannah – Shutter Island. A great psychological thriller—I still don’t get it.
Briony – Casper Meets Wendy.
Recommend us a book.Savannah – Conversations on Love.
Briony – The Universe Has Your Back.
What or who is underrated?Savannah – Umbrellas. With all our technology, no one's improved them.
Briony – Mason Dane.
What or who is overrated?Savannah – Seafood and coffee.
Briony – Vaping.
What are you addicted to?Savannah – Overthinking my problems.
Briony – Love on the Spectrum (at the moment).
What do you lust over?Savannah – Tiramisu.
Briony – I think I need to find something to lust over.
What is your greatest regret?Savannah – I don’t live like that.
Briony – Not believing in myself sooner.
What one thing would most improve your life?Savannah – Getting my things back. I was mugged this week and lost everything important. But I’m grateful to be safe.
Briony – Honestly, I really like my life. I try to stay grateful.
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever played?A Sydney show years ago. Hardly anyone showed up and the decks fell on the few that did. No one got hurt, but we still talk about it.
Collaboration: rich creative experience or pain in the ass?Rich creative experience.
What’s the secret to a great mix?A journey.
If you could only listen to one more track, what would it be?Savannah – "WWT" by Lorde (at the moment).
Briony – "Rust" by Ben Böhmer.
How do you relax?Savannah – Drawing and painting.
Briony – Spending time with my best friends.
What one piece of software or kit could you not do without? Why?Savannah – Nexus. It was my go-to sound bank. I just lost it when I got robbed — still a bit sensitive.
Briony – Rekordbox. Every one of our sets is on there.
Art or money?Art.
Ronaldo or Messi?Ronaldo — we’re not really sure who Messi is, oops.
Strangest place you ever wrote a track?The steps at IKEA in Burbank, LA.
Must-visit record store?Technique in Shibuya (sadly now shut)
What’s your single biggest frustration in the music industry?There’s still a lack of equity for female, non-binary artists, and people of colour — especially in dance music.
What’s your favourite label? Why?Savannah – Warner—they believed in us from the start.
Briony – Sound International (Idris Elba’s label).
What’s the worst thing about making music?Too many cooks in the kitchen. It can overcomplicate things.
What’s your motto?All is well.
Name something timelessMiles Davis’s music.
Tweet us a tip. What’s the best production advice you can give in 140 characters or less?Build up your sound library. Patience is everything—you can learn something new every day.
Complete this sentence: At heart, I’m just a frustrated…Spirit living a human experience.
If someone saw one of your performances in 1,000 years’ time, what would it tell them about 2025?There were no boundaries.
Can music change the world?It can heal it.
What are you listening to right now?Lo-fi study music.
What should you do before you die?Love hard. Do that thing you can’t stop thinking about.
Find Kinder on Instagram and catch them on tour this June.
Photos by @BILLYZAMMIT
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We covered the bells in 'The Bells', as you’d expect — now it’s time to focus on the detuned chords.
"In the last instalment of Synth Secrets, we used u-he's Hive to recreate the namesake of Jeff Mills' classic techno track The Bells. This time, we'll build another classic sound from that track: the punchy, detuned chord stabs. This patch can be slightly modified and applied in many techno settings, so it’s worth adding to your toolkit.
Grab a demo of u-he hive here if you don’t have it already. You can also apply these moves to your favourite softsynth and get similar results, just as long as it’s a capable one with at least three oscillators at your disposal. Here’s what we’ll end up with:
Create a new session in your DAW, set the tempo to 137, use the MIDI info below, and let’s go.
Step 1 - Start With the BasicsPlace an instance of Hive on an empty MIDI or instrument track, then select Init from the presets list to initialize the patch. Change the Synth Engine setting from Normal to Dirty to introduce a little subtle dirt and instability the the sound, just the way a well-worn analog synth might behave.
Turn the Output knob at the very top right to 3 o’clock to get an overall volume that sits correctly in the mix.
Now head right over to the FILTER1 section and click on SUB1 and OSC2 to route the signals from those two oscillators through filter 1 and ultimately through the main output. Find SUB1’s settings and change the waveform from Pulse to Sawtooth. Then turn the Tune knob for sub oscillator 1 up to a value of 7. I guess it’s no longer a sub oscillator now that it’s pitched higher than the main oscillator. Is it a super-oscillator? Whatever you want to call it, it works.
Head to the OSC2 section and turn the Semi value up to 3. Now we have three oscillators stacked that create a minor chord triad when you press just one key. This is a classic techno and house approach. We’re well underway now.
Step 2 - ModulateLet’s get all our modulators set up and ready to go. First we’ll take care of the envelopes, which make a subtle impact on this sound. Move to the AMP1 envelope and turn decay and sustain down a touch. Then on MOD1 turn sustain all the way down to zero, and pull other parameters down just a little. This sound is quick and punchy,.
Now in the LFO1 section we turn the Restart mode to Sync and the Time Base setting to 1s. You won’t hear what these do until we change the filter settings and route the LFO but it’s coming soon.
Step 3 - Engage FilterTurn FILTER1 Cutoff down to about 11 o’clock and the Mod Env knob up to about 2 o’clock.
Step 4 - Route the LFOClick on MATRIX A to pull up the mod matrix. Now route LFO1 to Osc1: Tune. You can do this by clicking and dragging the crosshairs from the different fields, or by right clicking on the fields and selecting assignments from the list.
We want a bit of a dizzy, warped sound here, so turn the depth knob up to a value of 2. It will hardly look like you’ve turned it up at all, but you’ll hear it.
Step 5 - FXJust a hint of distortion and compression give us the grit and punch that really rounds out this patch.
If you liked this Synth Secrets, you may enjoy our interview with Jeff Mills, Questioning the Norm. Read it on Attack here.
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Announced last month for a March release, Scaler 3 is shaping up to be something special, with exciting new reveals — including VST/ AU integration.
Scaler Music, the team behind the acclaimed Scaler 2 and DC Snares plugins, unveiled Scaler 3 last month. The plugin has become a fan favourite over the years for helping with chord progression, harmony and theory and with the latest update on the horizon, it looks to be getting a whole lot better.
After five years of development, the main announced features of Scaler 3 have been revealed. However, since the initial announcement, the company has introduced additional features through its 'Prerelease Reveals.' One standout addition is the ability to host VST/AU instruments and effects directly within Scaler 3.
This works similarly to Catalyst, but takes things a step further. For example, you can load Pigments inside Scaler 3 and then add an external effect — such as an Arturia's Pigments — all within the same interface. This new workflow makes Scaler 3 even more powerful and convenient for producers. Watch it in action below.
Key Features of Scaler 31. Intuitive Interface OverhaulScaler 3 introduces a refined design centred around three core sections — Browse, Create, and Arrange.
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Standalone ModeScaler 3 can now run as a standalone application.
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Advanced Multi-Lane TimelineManage multiple lanes for chords, melodies, basslines, and phrases with the timeline bases Arrange View. Each element is synchronised to the main chord track, with independent control over individual clips.
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Enhanced Chord ExplorationThe Explore page has been upgraded with a broader selection of genre-based and mood-specific chord sets. It also provides intelligent suggestions for experimental progressions.
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Expanded Harmony OptionsThe new Colours page simplifies the process of modifying chord voicings and harmonic alternatives. Users can quickly add parallel and relative chords or explore a variety of substitution techniques.
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Revamped Motions EngineScaler 3’s phrases, performances, melodies, and basslines have been consolidated into a new ‘Motions’ category, featuring hundreds of fresh patterns and mood-based tags to inspire creativity.
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Smarter Search and FilteringFinding the perfect chord or progression is now easier, thanks to improved filtering and search functionalities.
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Expansive Chord Libraries and ScalesA vast selection of additional chord sets, harmonies, and scales has been introduced.
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Drag-and-Drop MIDIMIDI sequences can now be dragged from Scaler 3 into a DAW.
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Customisable UIScaler 3’s interface is now resizable! Finally!
Release Date, Pricing, and Upgrade InformationScaler 3 is scheduled for release in March 2025. The introductory price is set at £49
Customers who purchased Scaler 2 after 15 January 2025 will receive a free upgrade to Scaler 3 upon release and users who bought Scaler 1 or Scaler 2 before 14 January 2025 will have the option to purchase a discounted upgrade (price TBC).
Find out more on the Scaler website.
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Attack Magazine breaks down 5 must-watch sets at this year’s CRSSD Festival.
CRSSD Festival returns in just a few weeks, set for March 1-2 on the sun-drenched San Diego waterfront. The festival is known for its diverse lineup, blending mainstream electronic acts with some of the underground's most prominent artists — offering something for everyone.
With so much to see, it can be tough to decide where to go and what to skip. These recommendations might help you make the most of your experience and ensure a weekend to remember.
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CinthieCinthie once called Attack her “favourite website.” So, yes, we have a soft spot. And while flattery never hurts, Cinthie certainly doesn’t need it. Her music, good nature and live show have propelled her career.
A vinyl veteran and Chicago house acolyte, Cinthie has spent the past decade relentlessly touring the world. But it wasn’t an overnight success. She has worked in music her entire career — as a record label boss and shop owner. Her Elevate Berlin store remains a haven for dance music lovers. With that in mind, her path was set long ago, yet she continues to evolve.
The last time we saw Cinthie live was at ADE’s The Loft in 2022, where she delivered a heady mix of modern classics, all-time classics and her own material. Dubbed the Berlin Queen of House, she has released music on Aus, Shall Not Fade, and Heist, and she curated a DJ-Kicks compilation that encapsulated the raw house sound she’s known for. Her productions, however, span genres, from downtempo and nu-disco to footwork, dubby techno and more.
A legend at the top of her game, good vibes, good weather — what’s not to like?
Catch Cinthie on Saturday March 1st at The Palms.
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Special RequestOne of dance music’s most enduring and eclectic artists, Special Request has been a fan favourite for years. From piano-driven bangers on Hotflush to elegant techno on Planet E and jungle under his Special Request alias, Paul Woolford is hard to pin down—but you can catch him next month at CRSSD Festival.
We last spoke to Woolford in 2017, and since then, his artistry has continued to evolve. Performing under numerous aliases, including Bobby Peru, Hip Therapist, Wooly, Skip Donahue and Special Request, he has constantly shifted his sound. That wasn’t always the plan — back in 2019, he announced he had only intended to release four albums that year.
The first, Vortex, arrived in May, a hard-hitting club record packed with what Woolford called “bowel-evacuating bangers.” It took his signature breakbeat hardcore sound to its most intense and abrasive extremes.
In June, he followed up with Bedroom Tapes, a collection of early tracks he rediscovered on cassette during a move. The album revealed a softer side, drawing a line from the left-field sounds of the ’90s to the airy, understated strains of late-2010s house.
October brought Offworld, an album inspired by the question: “What if Jam & Lewis signed to Metroplex?” Then, at the end of the year, he self-released Zero Fucks, the hardest-hitting of them all. In 2020, R&S Records issued Spectral Frequency, an EP centred around the album’s most well-received track.
At CRSSD, expect to hear Spectral Frequency — just make sure your ears are ready.
Catch Special Request on Sat March 1st at City Steps.
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Francois XA key figure in France’s underground techno scene, François X has built a reputation for deep, hypnotic, and emotionally charged club music. From atmospheric soundscapes to raw, driving grooves, his sound is compelling.
François X first emerged in the late 2000s, making waves with releases on Parisian labels like Deeply Rooted and Dement3d, the latter of which he co-founded. As a resident at Concrete, he became one of the defining artists of the city’s techno renaissance, known for marathon sets that blurred the lines between industrial weight and dreamlike euphoria.
In 2016, he released Irrational Expressions, a record that showcased his ability to balance intensity with introspection. Two years later, Murky Dreams saw him push further into cinematic, left-field territory, drawing from electro, ambient, and even R&B influences.
Never one to stay in one lane, he launched his label XX LAB in 2022 as a home for his more experimental instincts, exploring themes of identity, surrealism, and club culture’s darker corners.
At CRSSD, if you're looking for a gritter, deeper side of techno, you could do no wrong by checking out François X.
*Catch Francois X on Sat March 1st at City Steps.*
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O'FlynnA producer's producer? Would that be fair? Is that even a thing? With an ear for rich textures and infectious rhythms, O’Flynn has carved out a space where dancefloor energy meets deep musicality. Blending elements of house, UK bass, and global percussion, his sound is fresh despite the insane hit Otomo practically being unavoidable back in 2021.
That track was made in collaboration with Bonobo, and if you're a fan of Bonbo, there's a chance you'll enjoy O'Flynn live. That's not to say he's an acolyte, but you can hear the inspiration alongside others, notably Four Tet. Intricate drum patterns, use of percussion and euphoric melodies and all that...
In 2019, he dropped his debut album, Aletheia, a widescreen take on club music that moved between breakbeats, lush synth work, and emotive, sample-driven grooves. Since then, his collaborations—including a 2022 album with Frazer Ray — have seen him push further into dynamic, high-energy territory.
It might not get you going like other artists, but his set should be one to savour and soak in.
Catch O'Flynn on Sunday March 2nd at The Palms.
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KlangphonicsIf you're like us, your first introduction to Klangphonics might have been through YouTube. This unique trio carves out their own space in electronic music, blending live performance with melodic techno. While many live techno acts rely on drum machines, sequencers, and analogue gear, Klangphonics take it further — integrating traditional instruments like guitar, bass, and drums into their setup. The result? A fresh and dynamic approach to live electronic music.
Hailing from Germany, Klangphonics started as a studio project but quickly found their sound belonged in front of a crowd. Their live sets blend crisp percussion, rolling basslines, and shimmering melodies —all performed live in the moment. No two performances are ever quite the same, with improvisation and instinct playing equally significant roles.
If you're a fan of four to the floor but played undoubtedly live, Klangphonics are for you.
Catch Klangphonics on Sunday March 2nd, at Ocean View.
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There’s more to music production than just Serum. Elevate your tracks with these 10 next-gen wavetable plugins - including three free ones.
There’s no doubt that Serum from Xfer Records is an amazing wavetable soft synth, both in terms of feature set and sound quality. It’s no surprise then that it’s been rinsed so hard, resulting in a lot of songs that all have a similar sound.
If you’re looking to differentiate yourself from the crowd, or just want some new creative inspiration, there are plenty of excellent wavetable alternatives out there with comparable feature sets to Serum. Many also offer additional synthesis engines like virtual analog and samples. And some are even free.
Check out these 10 best wavetable soft synths that you’re not using. They’re arranged in order of ascending price.
Vital Audio VitalAt $189, Serum isn’t necessarily any more expensive than other synths on this list. However, unlike them, it never goes on sale. You want Serum, you pay full price. Sure, you can do a rent-to-own scheme but you’re still laying out cash moneys - and with inflation what it is, that can be hard.
Hallelujah for Vital then. With a pricing system that starts at free and tops out at a reasonable $80, Matt Tytel’s Vital is a wavetable synth for the everyman (and woman). And the free version isn’t hobbled in any way - you just get more wavetables and presets the more you pay.
The real reason to use Vital though is the sound quality. It is, in a word, astonishing, and rivals any other synth out there. Throw in the spectral morphing wavetables, stereo modulation, keytracking LFOs, MPE and all the other good stuff, and you have yourself a dream of a wavetable synth. It really is that good. Three cheers for the little guy.
Find out more on the Vital Website.
Surge Synth Team Surge XTThe next synth on our list is also free. And also amazing. However, this one is not made by one talented individual but a whole team of geniuses all tinkering away and adding on to it in their spare time. This is Surge XT, an absolutely incredible open-source super synth that also happens to have one hell of a wavetable engine - actually two.
Packed with both factory and third-party wavetables, it has enough variety to handle most anything you need. You can morph and skew and in the Window wavetable model, adjust formants. Combine this with all of the other synthesis types, from VA to FM and beyond, and you’re in good hands.
Surge XT is growing and expanding all the time, so check back frequently for updates.
It's free. So check it out here.
U-he Zebralette 3Another “I can’t believe this is free” plugin, Zebralette 3 from legend u-he is a snapshot of the upcoming Zebra 3, and if this is anything to go on, that’s going to be one monstrously powerful instrument.
Zebralette 3 is a single-oscillator synth capable of rendering the oscillator wave as a wavetable. What does this mean? Using the spline editor, you get to draw in up to 16 waveform snapshots and then morph between them. (Yes, you can also export these as wavetables to use in other instruments.)
As you’d expect from u-he, the instrument is gorgeous-sounding. Despite the stripped-down display and seeming simplicity of it, it’s capable of some very complex sounds. It also does additive synthesis, which is always a nice bonus.
Zebralette 3 is currently in public beta.
Minimal Audio CurrentMinimal Audio’s Current is part of a post-Serum generation of wavetable soft synths. Something of a super synth that encompasses the company’s entire ecosystem, from effects to content subscription platform Steam, it represents a solid alternative to any other top-shelf synth you may care to mention. Most importantly, however, Current sounds amazing.
The wavetable engine gives you two spectral wavetable oscillators with more than 170 tables to play with and north of 40 warp effects. You can also layer in a multi-mode sampler, granular engine and additive sub. With all of its modulation possibilities, dual morphing filters and effects plucked from Minimal’s stable, it’s a real monster, especially when crafting cinematic sounds. Version 2.0 added a Play view as well, with four macros and an XY pad.
Price for a perpetual license is $199 but you can subscribe and get your payments back as store credit.
Find out more on the Current website.
Korg Modwave NativeKorg’s Modwave was one of the company’s more interesting recent hardware releases. With its dense wavetables, Kaoss Physics modulation section and Motion Sequencing 2.0 borrowed from the Wavestate, it’s a powerful digital hardware synth. And also now a software synth in the form of Modwave Native.
The wavetable engine in Modwave Native gives you more than 200 wavetables, each holding up to 64 waveforms. There are 30-plus modifiers, 13 morph types and even an A/B Blend function to create hybridized wavetables. You can, of course, import your own wavetables - there’s even a free custom version of WaveEdit to use. Add to this the filters modeled from Korg’s illustrious past and a comprehensive effects section and you have yourself one powerful, modern synth. And at $199, it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than the hardware version.
Find out more on the Korg website.
Universal Audio Opal Morphing SynthesizerUniversal Audio resisted the native market for years, keeping its gorgeous-sounding effects locked up inside its famous audio interfaces. Now they’ve been set free to run wild natively, and along with their effects, UAD also offers some quite excellent instruments, including Opal Morphing Synthesizer.
A three-oscillator synth, each sound source can be a VA waveform or wavetable. With around 90 tables to choose from. There are two morphing, sweepable multimode filters, a decent modulation section and a clutch of effects sourced from UA’s venerable roster.
Opal may not be the wildest synth out there. However, what it lacks in depth it more than makes up for in sound quality. If you like the sound of wavetables but don’t need too many bells and whistles, seriously consider this $199 gem.
Find out more on the Universal Audio website.
Arturia PigmentsArturia’s Pigments is a serious contender for best soft synth on the market today, no matter what kind of synthesis you’re talking about. This is the kind of jack-of-all-trades super instrument that could only comes from a company like Arturia, with tons of incredible instruments and effects to borrow from.
Need more convincing? Pigments does sample and granular, additive, virtual analog and yes, wavetable as well, with 160 wavetables to play with and user import. It’s got 11 filter models, tons of (easy to follow) modulation, plus 18 effects types, from tape echo to shimmer reverb and all points in between.
Now up to version 6, Pigments is a triumph of a wavetable synth that happens to do a lot more too - and all for $199.
Find out more on the Pigments landing page.
Kilohearts Phase PlantIt may seem like just another synth with multiple sound engines but Phase Plant from Kilohearts offers something that the other synths on this list don’t: a modular interface. Each piece of the puzzle can be combined and rearranged, with multiple copies of modules possible for more of everything. You can even purchase and add on additional effects should you need.
All this makes Phase Plant a synthesist’s dream and capable of some pretty impressive and complex sounds. For example, Reese bass. And not just the old-school techno kind but the up-to-date ripping and tearing neuro style. Drum and bass producers, 140 producers, bass producers in general, this is the one you want.
Get in the door for $199 and add on effects as necessary.
Get Phase Plant direct from Kilohearts.
Native Instruments Massive XIn 2006, Native Instruments dropped Massive, the soft synth that changed everything. It popularized wavetable synthesis for bass music production and pretty much ruled the roost until Serum came along. As with other long-awaited follow-ups, the sequel rarely lives up to the expectations of fans, so Massive X has never gotten the kudos that it really deserves.
Taking what Massive did and expanding on it, Massive X sports two wavetable oscillators, each with 10 different modes for reading the more than 170 wavetables. This allows for almost unlimited wavetable mangling and processing and goes a long way towards contributing to Massive X’s unique sound. It also features a comprehensive modulation routing system and all kinds of filter models.
Massive X is good for bass, sure, but it’s also amazing at more unusual timbres and even - shock! - melodic sounds. Give it a try. This $199 synth is hiding in plain sight.
Get it at Native Instruments.
Ableton WavetableOur last wavetable recommendation is one that you may already have. We’re speaking, of course, about Wavetable, Live’s, um, wavetable synth that joined at version 10. If you’re not using it, you really should be.
Simple to use yet deep and powerful, it’s often our go-to even when we have lots of other wavetable synths sitting idle in our plugin folder. Why? It’s got more than 100 wavetables, oscillator effects like FM and phase distortion, and solid filters. It’s also a snap to use, with a breakout view to prevent eye squint and an intuitive modulation routing system.
You’ll need to shell out $749 for Suite to access Wavetable, which is why it’s last on this list. It’s a great little synth though, and definitely one of the best wavetable soft synths you’re not using.
Find out more on Ableton's website.
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With a name as fierce as his sound, Part Time Killer (PTK) is hitting the road for a massive tour this year. Read on to find out where you can catch him live.
Part Time Killer (PTK) is an enigmatic techno artist pushing the boundaries of sound and emotion, combining cutting-edge sound design with emotive vocals and high-energy techno rhythms. His music oscillates between hauntingly dark soundscapes and moving compositions, mirroring the project's embodiment of a split artistic persona.
PTK has become an integral part of the renowned international techno party brand and record label Selected.
In 2024, after years of hard work, he collaborated with Mika Heggemann on the hit 'One Day You Will Be Fame,' released on Teletech Records.
This gave PTK a platform to become a household name in techno, leading to the launch of his imprint, Tuesday Records. While supporting emerging artists such as Layton and Cara Elizabeth, PTK collaborated with rising star Cara Elizabeth on 'Phonk Me.'
As PTK’s movement grows, it's no surprise he remains in high demand for live performances
Tour Dates 2025February
15 – Plaisir Noir, Luminaria, Seclin, France
21 – Austra Rocks, Grenoble, France
22 – Now&Now, Rotterdam, France
23 – Input High Fidelity Dance Club, Barcelona, Spain
28 – Selected Showcase, RSO, Berlin, Germany
March
01 – Heuzhaus, Gebesee, Germany
07 – Divine Frequencies Ravechurg, Ravensburg, Germany
14 – Blackworks Festival, Madrid, Spain
15 – Graf Karl, Kassel, Germany
22 – Nexus, Paris, France
28 – Elsewhere, New York City, USA
29 – SXTCY x Achlys, Warehouse, Los Angeles, USA
30 – Factory x Rebels, Miami, USA
April
05 – Panoramas #27 Festival, Morlaix, France
08 – XXL On Snow, Le Carré, Les Arcs, France
12 – Hive Showcase, Edelfettwerk, Hamburg, Germany
19 – Wigwam, Dublin, Ireland
20 – Modul’Air, Ghent, Belgium
26 – Club Ost, Berlin, Germany
May
10 – Isle of Summer (Festival), München, Germany
24 – XXL Malta, Malta
29 – Insane Festival, Apt, France
June
14 – Verknipt Germany, Augsburg, Germany
22 – Hive Festival, Berlin, Germany
Find PTK on Instagram, Soundcloud and Beatport.
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Audius and bitbird have teamed up once again to invite producers to collaborate and submit original music for a chance to be featured on the next official bitbird compilation.
Audius, the largest decentralized music community and discovery platform for artists and fans, has announced its partnership with bitbird, the independent label founded by San Holo. This marks the fifth collaboration between these two forward-thinking brands for their Create Together compilation.
Running from February 4 to March 3, 2025, the contest invites aspiring producers to collaborate and submit original music for a chance to be featured on the next official bitbird compilation.
“The ‘Create Together’ series has always been about fostering creativity and collaboration within our community,” said Thorwald van den Akker, co-founder & creative director of bitbird. “Working with Audius—a platform built with creativity and an artist-first approach in mind—allows us to push this initiative forward in a way that truly supports artists. We’re excited to hear what this year’s participants create.”
Rooted in the ethos of bitbird’s ‘create forever’ philosophy, ‘Create Together’ began in 2019 as a grassroots initiative within the label’s dedicated Discord community. What started as a month-long creative challenge quickly evolved into a defining series that has propelled rising producers into the spotlight.
The ultimate reward for winning submissions is an official release on San Holo’s bitbird, allowing artists to have their work distributed through one of the most forward-thinking labels in electronic music. In addition, winners will be eligible for various prizes, including industry-leading hardware and software tools.
Another edition to this yea'rs 'Create Together' is all submissions will be hosted exclusively on Audius.
The winning tracks will be revealed in a unique listening party stream on Discord following the contest’s conclusion.
Want to submit?Artists seeking involvement are encouraged to join the Audius and bitbird Discord communities to stay updated on submission details and find potential collaborators.
Submissions are now open and close on Monday, March 3, 2025.
For more information, please visit https://www.audius.events/e/createtogether.
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After our recent interview with the legendary Dave Clarke, we found ourselves asking, 'Why haven't we covered his style yet?' It's time to change that.
Dave Clarke is an English DJ, producer, radio presenter, and photographer based in Amsterdam. Originally from the UK, he has been at the forefront of techno since breaking through with Archive One in 1995. Over the past 30 years, many have come and gone, but his star has continued to shine due to his commitment to underground techno, the associated culture, and new music. If you're after an extended biography, this isn't the place. It’s a testament to his influence that you'll find plenty written about him, so let's move on to musically dissecting his magic instead.
In this edition of Beat Dissected, we’re looking at 'Way of Life' from his 2003 album Devil’s Advocate, featuring Chicago house legend DJ Rush. We won’t create a carbon copy of his track, but we will explore some techniques used to come close to his legendary sound.
Here's the original track:
And here's what we're making today:
[spec tempo="137 BPM" swing="52%" sounds="Ableton 12"]
Remember - click any image to enlarge!
Step 1: The kicksCreate a new MIDI track and load in Drum Rack. From the Core Library, find and load the samples onto the Drum Rack Pads, with “Kick 909 1.aif” onto D2# and “Kick 808 Thud.wav” onto D2. The instruments will default to C3 under Play, so let’s leave them unless otherwise specified.
On both kicks, adjust Decay to 60.0 s.
Now, let’s add some effects to the 909 kick’s sample group. Load Kick EQ 4 and adjust Freq settings to 2.72 kHz on band five and 15.6 kHz on band eight. Add a bell curve filter on band seven and set it to 8.80 kHz.
Add the Mildly Aggressive compressor as-is.
To give it that pushing sound, we’re creating a longer decay or tail, with the Drums Room reverb. Adjust the settings to Predelay 1.21 ms, Size 0.32, Decay 1.34s, Diffuse -9.3 dB and Dry/Wet 14%.
Lastly, for the 808 kick, load “Kick EQ 4” into the sample group.
Build a four-beat pattern for both kicks.
Step 2: Hi-hatsAdd the samples “Hihat Closed 808 2.wav” onto C2#, “Hihat Open 909.aif” B1 and “Hihat Open 707.aif” C2 in your Drum Rack.
First let’s give our track some movement with a rolling 16 beat hi-hat by placing an 808 closed hi-hat on every step. Pan Vol to 11R.
Starting with bar one, place the 909 open hi-hat on every other bar. Pan Vol to 17R.
Next, place the offbeat 707 open hi-hat as one step on every third of a 1/4 bar as shown in the pattern. Trim the sample to about 0:00:175. Transpose to +1 st. Pan Vol to 7R.
Top Tip: This track is heavily percussive. To focus on specific instruments, use a parametric EQ Eight audio effect and adjust the filters for greater control over frequency bands. You can also select the headphone icon and click on any of the eight filters to isolate a frequency range
Step 3: Shaker and clapAdd the “Shaker Short” sample into A1# of the Drum Rack. Turn up the volume to 2.0 dB and pan to 17L.
Load “Clap 909.aif” into A1 of the Drum Rack. Turn the decay up to 60.0 s to give a bigger Chicago warehouse vibe. Dial up the volume to 6.0 dB to balance it into the mix.
For the shaker, we’re going to copy the 909 open hi-hat pattern from the previous step so we can layer upon it.
Now, place a clap on every fifth and thirteenth beat of the bar.
Step 4: Conga and tomWho doesn’t love a good conga to remind us that drum machines existed before DAWs? Load the “Conga 808 Hi.aif” sample onto two Drum Rack Pads, G1# and G1.
Under Play, set the first conga to G2 and the second to C3. Pan both to 20R and set Vol to -3.0 dB.
Load “Tom 909 Mid 1.aif” onto the F1# Pad. Adjust the volume to 5.0 dB.For both congas, program in the MIDI pattern as shown.
Plug in the following steps to give it a galloping, driving feel.
Step 5: Organ stabNow, let’s build up our house melody with a classic organ stab by loading “Organ Bandstand.adg” into a new MIDI track. Open the Wavetable and set Transpose to 1 st.
Adjust the settings to Filter Reso 24%, Pulse Width 24%, Sync 32%, Attack 2.57 ms, Release 32 and Unison 10%. Transpose to 1 st to make the pitch higher.
Let’s load in “House for to go.adv” to the left to build our chords. Change knobs to Shift 1 +4 st, Shift 2 +7 st and Shift 3 +12 st.
Ok, let’s add the stock Delay, copy the settings and dial down Feedback to 15% and Dry/Wet to 19%.
Finally, add the Wide Ambience reverb and bring down the Dry/Wet to 21%.
Program in the following pattern.
Step 6: Master bus processingBefore we export our master track, set the tracks as House Stab track -7.0 dB, Drum Rack -10.0 dB and Main (Master in Ableton 11 and earlier) to -6.0dB. This will give us enough headroom to prevent distortion in our master.
In order to build up our mastering chain and preserve the raw, DAWless (hardware only) sound of the track, let’s add the vinyl distortion “Crack.adv” to our Main channel. Set Volume to 0.25 and Density to 23.0.
Next, add Master Wide & Warm, click Heavy Comp and copy the settings to Bass Gain (M) 1.00 dB, Mid Gain (D) 5.12 dB, Mid Freq (S) 1.50 kHz, High Gain (M) 1.00 dB, Comp Thresh -32.4 dB and Comp Gain 6.02 dB.
Let’s add the Glue Compressor to give the track more of a pumping sound and manage the levels. Add the Soft Clip and set the Attack to .3, Release .4, Ratio 4, Threshold -20 dB, Makeup 6.00 dB, Range 50.0 dB and Dry/Wet 80%.
To complete our mastering chain, we will add the Lookahead limiter to prevent volume peaking and change Mode to Soft Clip. Group the effects together to have more control over the chain.
Vamp Acid is a music producer, live techno artist, host and curator of Hrdwre.io based in Berlin. Find Vamp Acid on Instagram.
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Catch Franck on tour this year starting next month in Manchester.
Franck is a young DJ, producer, and label head, carrying forward the rich legacy of Scottish techno.
His journey began with a series of self-releases, including standout tracks like Dread, Get Down, and Magnolia Tool, each racking up hundreds of thousands of streams.
He followed up with the Helfy Rapid EP, a collaboration with fellow Scottish producer AISHA, earning widespread acclaim.
However, it was Franck’s Hear The Sound EP on Germany’s R-label group that truly catapulted him to stardom. With tracks supported by techno heavyweights Charlotte de Witte, Shlomo, VTSS, Somewhen, KI/KI, Kobosil, and Cera Khin, Franck’s title track, Hear The Sound, stormed to #1 on Beatport’s Hard Techno whilst also amassing over 250,000 streams in the first week, cementing Franck’s status as one of techno’s brightest stars.
2024 was a whirlwind year with Franck delivering two more stunning EPs, The Perpetual Journey of Self-Discovery and Kick It Hard, as well as a killer collaboration with t e s t p r e s s titled SHOOT TO KILL. Meanwhile, Franck’s label, Carouse, continues to make waves. Nominated for DJ Mag’s Breakthrough Label of the Year, Carouse has released an arsenal of standout tracks from WOLTERS, Fenrick, THELMA, SIKOTI, SWART, and more.
As Franck puts it, “Scotland’s finest purveyor of hard bounce is on a worldwide mission to bring a dunt to every dancefloor, and he won’t stop till everyone has had a healthy amount of fun.”
Catch Franck on tour 1st Feb – Manchester – Hidden – Teletech * 8th Feb – Granada – Industrial Copera * 14th Feb – Paris – Le Nexus * 15th Feb – Newcastle – NX – Boiler Room * 21st Feb – Montreal – Noreiner * 22nd Feb – New York – Elsewhere * 28th Feb – Las Vegas – Discopussy * 1st Mar* – San Diego – CRSSD Fest
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The massive, all-in-one hybrid instrument—an Attack favourite—is now on sale. And it’s the biggest discount ever on Falcon.
UVI has announced a huge offer the UVI Falcon Special. Featuring the award-winning UVI Falcon, 19 meticulously crafted expansions, and all factory content, this bundle should give you a enough to power ahead through 2025 and beyond.
Available for just €199/$199 – down from a total price of €1,040/$1,040 – the Falcon Special represents an exclusive opportunity to get UVI’s flagship instrument and premium expansions at an 80% discount.
Renowned for its adaptability, UVI Falcon empowers producers to explore precision sound design, from basic sampling and synth creation to advanced multitimbral hybrids, generative sequences, and immersive soundscapes. If you are a fan of PhasePlant, Serum, Zebra or Pigments you will find lots to love with Falcon.
Back in 2016, we published a few tutorials when Falcon was launched:
- Granular Synthesis with Falcon
- Pluck Organ with Falcon
- Wavetable Pads with Falcon
The breath of the instrument, even at the time, was impressive. But fast forward nine years, with Falcon in its third iteration, it's come a long way and remains very popular with producers and sound designers.
The bundle includes 19 carefully curated expansions that span genres and styles, offering endless inspiration for your next production:
- Modular Drums (Watch Video)
- Pulsación (Watch Video)
- Organic Pads
- Voklm
- LoFi Dreams
- Atmospherics
- Fluidity
- SubCulture Orchestral
- Inner Dimensions
- Organic Keys (Watch Video)
- Ether Fields
- Savage (Watch Video)
- Eternal Funk
- Hypnotic Dive
- Titanium
- Kinetics
- Pulsar
- Devinity
- Digital Motion
With UVI now part of the growing Image-Line Group (FL Studio), it's available to buy from Image-Line. Offer ends January 5.
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Want to fill your rekordbox? You could do worse than check out Don Woezik's Top Tracks. We pinned down the techno talent and found out more.
What's the first record you ever bought?"Human Reason" - Adam Beyer & Alan Fitzpatrick.
The first time you remember hearing electronic music?I think this was when I was three years old.
Your favourite ever record?"Strobe" - Deadmau5. Without a question.
The guaranteed floor-filler?"SPDY Hard Edit" - Outside World. It always does the trick.
The best tune from last year"Chicken Soup (Vortek's Remix)" - Skrillex & Habstrakt.
The guilty pleasure?"Stick Figure" - Edge of the Ocean.
The last track of the night?"Ikkhi" - One More Night.
The best chillout record?"Esperanza" - Hermanos Gutierrez. Love this chill vibe at times.
The record everyone loves but you hate"Losing it" - Fisher.
The best record for a family party?"Dopamine Rush" - Chlär.
The soundtrack to a lazy Sunday afternoon?"I wish it would never stop snowing" - Sleepy Fish.
The worst record you've ever heardI would not like to say!
The record you're proudest of?It would probably be my last vinyl EP on SNTS Records, Despair.
The future classic?"Rail Rage" - Don Woezik. My latest track...:)
Find Don Woezik on Instagram.
Don Woezik's "Rail Rage" is out now on Innergate Records.
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Manifest Audio, one of our Max for Live shop bestsellers, has released Trifecta—a new and exciting multitimbral polyrhythmic arpeggiator featuring auto-hocketting.
If you’re seeking an escape from the same old repetitive patterns and want to create a sense of dynamic intricacy in your work, Manifest Audio’s latest release, Trifecta, could be the spark you need. Better yet, their Cyber Sale sees everything on sale for 33% off until December 3.
Good things come in threes—and Trifecta truly lives up to its name. This innovative sequencer combines three-strand polyrhythmic, Euclidean, and auto-hocketting capabilities into a multitimbral powerhouse that redefines pattern generation. From expansive diatonic motifs to intricate interlocking drum patterns, Trifecta has the versatility to suit any creative need. Plus, with the included X-Relay utility, you can achieve seamless multi-instrument expression for even more dynamic performances
Trifecta by Manifest Audio[advert]
Parametric PlaygroundAt its core, Trifecta is designed to help producers effortlessly generate interwoven patterns and evolving musical ideas. Each of its three strands operates independently, featuring seven parameter lanes:
- Gate
- Choice of note pitch (two selectable pitches per lane)
- Velocity
- Chance of playback
- Note length
- Offset delay
- Control Change
With Euclidean logic for both gate and note choice patterns, you can quickly create complex, compelling rhythms. Randomization tools enable spontaneous pattern exploration, while real-time MIDI input allows precise customization. Each strand is fully modular, with outputs that can be sent directly to the current MIDI track or routed anywhere in your Ableton Live set via X-Relay.
Each parameter lane can span up to 64 steps distributed over 64 up to bars, easily adopting polyrhythmic odd-number divisions for endlessly evolving grooves. Global and per-strand reset options, polymetric per-parameter loop lengths, shuffle modes, and customizable play directions ensure you have total control over how patterns unfold.
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Dream WeaverTrifecta's unique weave modes offer fresh ways to blend, alternate, or hocket between the three strands:
- Combine: Merge all MIDI notes into a single output.
- Converse: A hierarchical structure where strands play only when others aren’t active.
- Count: Cycle through strands at set intervals with forward, backward, or elliptical motion.
- Chaos: Randomly trigger strands with or without silence for unpredictable results.
With scale quantization, theme adaptation, Push integration, and a visualizer to track output activity, Trifecta offers a user-friendly interface to manage its deep functionality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuwgHdgXVts&ab_channel=ManifestAudioMultitimbral ArpeggiationTrifecta doesn’t stop at rhythmic sequencing: its Arpeggiator mode lets you arpeggiate results across multiple instruments simultaneously while staying in sync. Combined with discrete transposition controls, this opens a world of melodic and harmonic possibilities, whether you’re working with synths or drum racks.
Trifecta and all Manifest Audio products, are 20% off during their Boxing Week Sale—on now through January 3, 2025.
It also pairs great with their new free percussion synth, Percotone.
Use code UNBOX24 at checkout. Find out more on the Manifest Audio website.
Requires Live 11.1 Suite or higher running Max 8.1 or above on Mac or PC.
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Here are our choices for the 10 best secret sauce plugins of 2024, amazing little apps that can turn a blah track into a banger - and four of them are free!
We all have secret sauce plugins. You know, those little secret weapons that we pop onto a track to give it some extra oomph. It could be an instrument or an effect, a sonic sweetener or a workflow enhancer. It could be anything really, the important part is that whenever you reach for it, it juices you out of the doldrums and back on track.
When we first tried putting this list together, we went for the best secret sauce plugins of all time. With all of the Attack staff contributing, it soon turned into a gargantuan list. So instead we’ve decided to limit the candidates to ones that dropped in 2024. Here is our final list, organized in order of ascending price. And four of them are even free. Free secret sauce. How about them apples?
What are your top secret sauce plugins of the year? Let us know in the comments.
Google MusicFX DJOK, so this first one isn’t technically a plugin, it’s a webpage. But it still deserves to be included. MusicFX DJ from Google is another one of those AI things, but before you hit that caps lock button and head to the comments section to let us know how horrible AI is, realize that this one is kind of different.
Maybe because Google partnered with internet music darling Jacob Collier on it, MusicFX DJ is actually useful. Forget trying to make full tracks though, use it instead to generate custom parts like percussion lines, weird vocals or anything else to sample and chop. Like any other AI tool, it will take some trial and error, but working with the slider - particularly Chaos - can generate some interesting results. And it’s free. Find out more on the Google Music FX DJ website.
Tracktion Dawesome ZyklopMyth by Tracktion Dawesome is one of the best soft synths to come out in recent years. With its resynthesis sound engine that can turn any user sample into a complex waveform, plus a semi-modular synthesis design, it’s capable of some pretty wild and unique sounds.
Zyklop is the free version, and although it is cut-down in some respects (only one oscillator, less modules and effects), it’s eight-voice polyphonic and it still has that Re-synthesis V2 engine at its core. Use it for pads, textures, or as a way to completely change up a sound.
It has to be heard to be believed. The fact that it’s free is pretty unbelievable. Find out more on Tracktion website.
U-he Zebralette 3Another instrument in the “wait, this is really free?!” category is Zebralette 3 from U-he. The latest version of the free Zebra, number three is still in beta but don’t let that put you off. It’s fully functional and fully badass.
Zebralette 3 has a single oscillator that can do additive or wavetable, and it’s the wavetable part that’s particularly exciting as it lets you create your own wavetables by drawing them into the spline-based editor. When factory wavetables aren’t cutting it, whip this out and roll your own. You can even export them out. Download it for free from u-he's website.
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Audiomodern SoundboxSometimes what your track needs is something cinematic, something epic and processed in a way that doesn’t sound like a typical synthesizer. If you’re rich with beaucoup bucks you’ve likely got Kontakt in your plugin folder and maybe some $500 instruments. But for the rest of us, there’s Soundbox by Audiomodern.
Although it’s free, it’s a fully featured virtual instrument platform, with sample import, filters, modulators and effects. The available sample packs are uniformly excellent and not expensive at all, putting trailer-grade sounds within reach. There’s even a free pack, Mechania, which means you don’t have to drop even a dime to add some sound design sauce to your tracks. Find out more on the Soundbox website.
Kilohearts Filter TableIt’s a wavetable filter from Kilohearts. That’s really all you need to know to make this an insta-buy. Still unsure? OK, this is a filter that gets its spectral peaks and troughs from the shape of a wavetable and then imprints it on incoming audio. Once you start modulating, it basically turns any signal into a scanning wavetable. It works best on bass, as you might imagine, but can liven up any sound that needs a little movement.
Truly a vibe machine and it’s only $39. Works on its own as well as part of Phase Plant, Multi Pass and Snap Heap. Find out more on the Kilohearts website.
Cableguys SnapbackCableguys Snapback is a clever little drum detection plugin that can layer transients and tails on top of your audio or MIDI drums. The detection algorithm is excellent, and it has all sorts of parameters to help align the samples, including filter, envelope, and pitch, plus a handy zoom feature to help you stay in phase.
Silly me, I haven’t mentioned the snapback part yet. The real trick of Snapback is that it can layer samples before the transient, giving your beats a quick thwack that leads into the main hit. It’s a common sound design trick for adding punch but with Snapback the plugin, it’s dead easy to do. Great-sounding samples from BT, Goldbaby, and others too. At only $49, it’s a no brainer. Find out more on Cableguys website.
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Excite Audio Bloom Drum BreaksThere’s just something special about breaks. Whether it’s the primary force for the whole song or just a topper adding groove, breaks can offer something special that’s hard to achieve with programmed drum machines. They can also be a PIA to work with. Enter Excite Audio Bloom Drum Breaks, a breaks-focused plugin that makes it super easy to whip up dynamic drum lines. Trigger breaks from MIDI keys, chop them up, jump around between different lines, add effects and modulation, and get granular with sample editing.
Even if you just slap it on and work with a preset as-is, Bloom Drum Breaks can almost instantly transform any track. It’s super cheap too, only $64.90. Find out more on Excite Audio website.
Waves IDX Intelligent DynamicsSometimes you need a secret sauce plugin that just makes everything sound better. It could be a saturator, exciter, or a compressor, like IDX Intelligent Dynamics from Waves. But as the name suggests, this is more than just a regular compressor.
IDX is a frequency-dependent dynamics plugin that listens to your audio and decides what frequencies to suppress in order to add energy to the overall signal. You have some basic controls like speed, amount and EQ curve tilt, but really, it’s a pretty smart thing and you won’t have to do very much. Which is pretty much the textbook definition of a secret sauce plugin. It lists for $79 but you know Waves; it’s probably on sale for a lot less right now. Find out more on Waves' website.
Newfangled Audio RecirculateDelays are a dime a dozen but what most don’t give you is precise control. Recirculate from the genius minds at Newfangled Audio puts that control in your hands, allowing you to set where the first echo occurs on the timeline, thus setting the rhythm in motion. You can also adjust the volume of each delay tap independently. The potential for rhythmic echoes is off the charts. You also get control over delay transients, dynamics, and other effects like reverb and chorus.
At $99 it’s not the cheapest delay on the block, but it lets you do so much that it’s worth it. Find out more on Newfangled Audio website.
Roland Cloud RE-201 Space EchoOur last entry of the 10 best secret sauce plugins of 2024 is another delay, the Roland Cloud RE-201 Space Echo. Yes, this is yet another emulation of the famous RE-201 tape echo and chances are you already have a couple space echo plugins in your folder. So why this one? Because it absolutely nails the preamp.
One of the reasons the RE-201 sounds so good is because of the preamp stage. Actually, a lot of producers and engineers will run vocals and instruments through the hardware for the preamp saturation alone. And that’s why we’re recommending it as a secret sauce plugin. Yes, it’s a great tape-style delay and it offers some pretty unique additional effects as well but it’s all about the preamp color with this version.
This is part of the Roland Cloud so you can either get it with an Ultimate subscription ($19.99 month/$199 year) or buy it outright for $199. Find out more on Roland Cloud's website.
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On the back of a new EP, Drink the Juice, Juicy Romance has joined Boiler Room's Hard Dance Tour.
Australia-born, London-based DJ and producer Juicy Romance continues her rise in the dance music world, cementing her reputation for raunchy, infectious club bangers. With her latest EP, Drink The Juice, Juicy delivers three hard-hitting tracks packed with throbbing basslines and tongue-in-cheek vocals, described as “the antidote to the ordinary”.
The EP marks her first body of work since last year’s Scandalizer EP and showcases Juicy’s developed style. Highlights include Drink The Juice itself, a self-proclaimed “lyrical freak fest” that promises to leave listeners tingling, and Rapapum, featuring her signature audacious vocals. The EP concludes with Hit List, a filthy, chugging track Juicy calls her “very, very, very, very, very, very, very naughty” tribute to 2010s EDM.
Already backed by BBC Introducing London’s Jess Iszatt and BBC R1 Introducing Dance’s Jaguar, Drink The Juice is building on Juicy’s collaborations with Mainline Magic Orchestra and Narciss, as well as her Boiler Room debut at AVA Festival, which garnered over 100,000 views in its first week.
Drink the Juice EP artworkJuicy’s already graced various well known stages, from Karrusel in Copenhagen to Aquasella in Spain, plus club hotspots like Rex Club, Mondo Disko, and Nitsa. Wrapping up 2024 with a homecoming tour across Australia and her New Zealand debut at Rhythm & Alps, she has proven herself as both a prolific studio artist and an electrifying performer.
Looking ahead to 2025, Juicy is poised for her biggest milestone yet: joining Boiler Room’s Hard Dance Tour. Kicking off January 17th, the tour will take her across Europe and the UK, including stops in Munich, Dublin, Zurich, Oslo, and Rome. This follows an incredible year of career-defining moments, including her b2b with ALCATRAZ for Live From Earth’s ADE LoFi takeover and a sold-out Brisbane Boiler Room debut.
Find Juicy Romance on Instagram.
Catch Juicy Romance on 30th December at Rhythm & Alps Festival - Wānaka, New Zealand
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Up next on the test bench is the latest addition to Novation's acclaimed Launchkey range – the Launchkey 49 MK4.
Novation’s Launchkey range really needs no introduction… but since that’s kind of how reviews work, here’s one anyway.
We’re evaluating the latest evolution of Novation’s renowned Swiss Army Controller ™, offering USB-powered piano keys, drum pads, knobs, sliders, musical performance modes, DAW support for transport and mixing, plus every marketer’s favourite feature… ‘and more’.
All pretty standard fare these days, though, so Novation have enhanced this with serious hardware upgrades, new functions, wider DAW support, and more bundled software than ever before.
WARNING: The next two paragraphs involve historical context and self-indulgent ‘I’ve been in this business for decades’ stuff. If that’s not your idea of a good time, skip the next section.
The Launchkey 49 MK4The controller OGStill here? Cool. As we enter 2025, Novation is as established as brands get. They first made waves 30 years ago with their legendary BassStation, supplying a 303-fuelled demand for cheap acid. The DrumStation quickly followed, a my-first-909 for a fraction of the cost of a real Roland. But it’s easily forgotten that their first product was actually a controller keyboard for Yamaha’s QY10 sequencer.
Yep, right from the start Novation specialised in controlling other company’s kit.
Decades followed, and following 2004’s acquisition by Focusrite, Novation rewrote the industry rulebook again a few times, notably with Launchpad and Launchkey.
Launchpad was inspired by the the Akai-produced APC40 controller for Ableton Live and, while it lacked hyper-specific controls and knobs, it added MPC-style drum pad functionality, user-customizable operation modes and configurations and, critically, it was not inherently Live-specific.
Likewise Launchkey, combined piano keys, pads, sliders, and knobs, with generic, multi-DAW options.
They did it their wayIf this feels like excessive history and context, it’s worth it, because while Novation’s USP was always offering features nobody else did, or in more universally compatible ways, that ship’s sailed, and Novation needs to do more to compete.
How to do that? Price is an obvious factor. Build quality another. And features – which means at least doing what everybody else does, hopefully in cool new ways.
Cash rules everything around meFirst up, price. This 49-key model is $249.99 (+ tax) / £229.99 (inc. VAT) / €226.88 (+ tax). That’s not exactly cheap, but it’s not expensive for what you get. And, unlike some competitors, Launchkey doesn’t bully you into an additional software / plugin ecosystem.
Price? Tick one.
Round two…
Next, build quality. And this MK4… it feels nice. I’m not that unboxing video guy, but as I ran my fingers over a silky finish, pressed semi-weighted keys, and tapped out a rusty reggae one drop riddim on rubber pads that felt like they might not liquify after one humid summer in Ibiza, I did wish I’d done it all on camera.
It feels solid too, with sturdy knobs and smooth sliders. It’s on my desk next to the very first Analog Factory controller (manufactured for Arturia by CME), which has survived 30+ live gigs, four studio moves and, for three mysterious years of its 16-year life, the carefree attentions of the dealer who supplied clients at our old London studios and spirited it away to his home. Well never know how Launchkey would handle all that, but I’d bet on at least a decade of trouble-free studio service.
Digging deeper, we experience super-responsive polyphonic aftertouch from those 16 drum pads, and enjoy reassuringly engineered rubber input / selection buttons, and firm pitch-bend and mod-wheels.
Another nice touch is the OLED screen. Some complain about the small size but it’s no use having a big screen if you can’t see it, and OLED screens offer a much wider viewing angle, for a price. And at this price, I’d choose a smaller screen I can see from my seat.
There’s even a 5-pin MIDI input / output, making it ideal for hardware instrument and Eurorack control.
When it comes to hardware design and build, then, that’s tick two.
No holds barredNow the big one – features. And in a competition-rich market, the MK4 pulls out all the stops.
The piano keys can be split into zones for controlling different instruments, virtual or hardware. Live users can even use them for things like selecting drum samples. Plus you can lock them to a specific key, preventing wrong notes.
And those aren’t just drum pads – they can be used to perform chord progressions, control steps in Ableton Live’s sequencer, select different functions like Mixer and Plugin modes, control the onboard arpeggiator, and more. And these are all constantly updated, with the most recent firmware introducing things like accents and ties to the arpeggios. Non-classically-trained producers will benefit most from all of this, but it promises effortless creative fun for any musician too.
Moving on, the sliders and knobs control the kinds of things you’d expect by default – mixer levels, sends, plugin parameters etc. – and can also be mapped to whatever you like.
But enough of that crap… reviews should share the experience of using something, not list features you can get from the manufacturer’s website. And my experience is frictionless, intuitive, and enjoyable.
One thing it doesn’t have, though, which I think would be a game changer, is an MPC-style Note Repeat function. If Novation could add that to a firmware update, then I wouldn’t need my Push on the desk at all times!
Play nicely with othersIn terms of configuration and setup, if you’re an Ableton Live user on a Mac, game on. Windows users need to download and install a setup .exe. Reason, Logic, and Cubase users can grab a simple set-up file online. And other DAW users might need to tinker with some HUI protocol settings to make the most of DAW-control functions.
If I’m completely honest, despite having begun my studio career before the rise of DAWs, I’m more of a mouse and keyboard producer in 2024, at least for controlling DAWs, but I found it really straightforward to get Launchkey controlling everything in Live, and even controlling Pro-Tools using HUI.
That’s three ticks out of three, then. But Launchkey doesn’t stop there.
Making it personalAs well as working right out of the box, the Launchkey allows a load of customisation, not just the aforementioned DAW-specific profiles. You can swap and reassign control mappings via a graphical interface using the Components app or even a MIDI-enabled web browser like Chrome.
Now, I’m not a natural tinkerer myself (my gamer tag is my actual name, and if it wasn't, it would be ‘Factory_Default’), but even I sometimes like to switch the occasional control to match my most-used actions.
Bonus tick.
Finally, there’s the bundled software. If you’re reading Attack reviews, you probably already have your DAW sorted, but it’s still a healthy haul with Ableton Live 12 Lite, instruments and effects from GForce, Klevgrand, and Orchestral Tools, and a bespoke tuition program from Melodics.
Making it personalWith over 30 years in the game, we’d expect a big player like Novation to bring the goods… and they have. Launchkey MK4 offers a really compelling price-to-features balance and punches well above its weight for build quality.
And while there’s no denying that Ableton Live users will enjoy the widest set of deeper features, I don’t see anybody being disappointed with the functionality, no matter their DAW.
Now to the judges’ scorecards…Some people aren’t fans of these all-in-one solutions and, truthfully, I never really felt the draw before.
But – and this is speaking as somebody with an 88-key weighted keyboard, a V-drum kit, Push, APC40, and MPC in my studio – I’ve really enjoyed this easy-setup, hassle-free, customisable functionality sitting directly in the place I spend most of my time… in front of my computer screen.
And, as can be crucial in a long-term, intimate relationship, Launchkey’s something I’d enjoy touching every day.
So, whether you’re starting out, upgrading an ageing controller, or just tempted by the previous paragraph… you’d be crazy not to put this very high on your shortlist.
[rating buy="Novation Launchkey 49 MK4" price="£229" link="https://novationmusic.com/launchkey" build="5" value="5" versatility="5" features="5" ease_of_use="4.5" overall="5" text="Ultra-high quality sound sculpting in a convenient package that integrates neatly with your DAW."][social-links heading="Follow Attack Magazine" facebook="https://www.facebook.com/attackmag" twitter="https://twitter.com/attackmag1" instagram="https://www.instagram.com/attackmag/" youtube="https://www.youtube.com/user/attackmag" soundcloud="https://soundcloud.com/attackmag" tiktok="https://www.tiktok.com/@attackmagazine"][product-collection]
Three years have passed since we last invited Regal to break down his record, Track by Track. During this time, the Spanish producer has faced significant personal challenges, including struggles with mental health and alcohol dependency. Despite these hurdles, he has continued to evolve and refine his sound. His latest release, The Final Chapter, marks a triumphant return, showcasing an artist at the peak of his craft under his alias ACIDBOY. It’s a powerful reminder that success often comes with unseen struggles. Once again, we asked him to take us through the journey of creating this record, Track by Track.
Renowned for his influential role in shaping the acid techno scene through his label, Involve Records, Regal’s latest work dives deep into the genre’s roots. The Final Chapter is an 11-track masterpiece that fuses the high-octane energy that defined his early career with the refined touch of hard-earned experience.
Experience often comes with its own set of scars. Regal, both producer and DJ, has openly reflected on his struggles with mental health—challenges shaped by being an introverted, reserved individual in a scene that thrives on the spotlight and the energy of the dancefloor. To cope, he turned to alcohol, a reliance that eventually grew into dependency. This difficult chapter in his life led him to seek help through therapy and Alcoholics Anonymous, marking a turning point in both his personal and professional journey.
After nearly stepping away from music following the pandemic, The Final Chapter marks a triumphant return at the culmination of a long and often arduous journey. Both introspective and innovative, the project reaffirms Regal’s artistry. We were thrilled to catch up with him to learn more about his process and the story behind the album.
- AUTOMATIC CONTROLThis track centres around a bassline that had been on my computer for over a year.
Previous attempts to arrange it ended up not really working the way I wanted to. When I started working on the album, I finally had an idea listening to an old Paul Kalkbrenner track and chose a minimalist approach, stripping percussion to the essentials and focusing on subtle tweaks to the bassline’s cutoff.
This simplicity gave the track its hypnotic, clean feel.
- THE FINAL CHAPTERInspired by my track “Still Raving”, the title track starts with a vocal intro carrying a strong message that features an eerie jazzy sample.
It transitions into an extended groovy percussive section, creating anticipation, and finally introduces a 303 sequence as a surprise element, getting a peak time set twist. The progression was meant to balance tension and energy to keep the listeners engaged.
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HEAD MOVEMENTDriven by a consistent bassline, this track layers a 909 hi-hat sequence and rides for rhythm. Vocal chops and synths weave in and out, creating subtle variations. The result is a groovy, powerful piece that feels both repetitive and dynamic, perfect for building energy on the dancefloor. Actually, this is the track that most of my fellow DJ friends favourited, and, I guess, the one being played the most in techno sets.
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HARD TIMES (SKIT)This skit features a friend's voice note saying “Real fans stay forever, even during tough times”. It is a personal, reflective moment that connects with the album’s deeper themes.
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TOO MANY OPINIONSThe most house-influenced track on the album uses the 303 more as a bassline than as a synth. Vocal chops take centre stage, giving the track a fresh, rhythmic energy while maintaining a warm, danceable vibe. It's a happy and uplifting track before the mood changes with the next one.
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RUIDO (FT. AEREA)This collaboration began when I found AEREA's music on Spotify and wanted to have Carlota's vocals on a track. Despite living in the same city, we worked remotely on this one, exchanging ideas for almost a year. The track merges my bass-heavy grooves with AEREA's textures and unique voice, creating a blend that reflects our styles.
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MAKE REGAL GREAT AGAINThis track is an unapologetic anthem of intensity and energy. With a driving 303 bassline at its core, it exudes raw power and grit. Layered percussion and dynamic synth elements keep the track moving, creating a relentless rhythm designed for peak-time moments. The transitions are bold, with tension-building sections that explode into high-energy climaxes.
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DECADANCEJust like “Head Movement”, this track focuses on a 303 sequence but is more aggressive and less loopy.
Its sharper transitions and energetic feel stand out for high-energy moments while still maintaining groove and depth. The track is an evolution of the 303 sound, getting increasingly aggressive throughout the track.
- ENERGY CIRCUITThe initial idea for this track came about four years ago in Barcelona. I recently updated it by reworking the percussion and the arrangement and adding a 303 bassline.
It’s a mix of techno and trance, of past and present ideas, giving the track a fresh, cohesive feel.
- MAYBE NEVERInspired by an old trance track, this piece came together after a show in NYC. The trippy closing atmosphere influenced its dreamy, driving vibe.
It blends nostalgic melodies with modern production, creating a unique emotional energy. It's quite redundant, but in a trippy way, with the melody repeated so often, that it gets stuck in your head.
- BROKEN DREAMS CLUBCreated over a year ago, this track initially felt too trance-like for my current style. Over time, I realized its emotional flow added variety to the album, bridging past influences with my evolving sound. So, I added a few techno-ish and made it more compatible with the other tracks of the album, and now I think it rounds off the whole project pretty well.
Regal 'The Final Chapter' is out now on Involve. Listen on Spotify.
Follow Regal on Instagram.
If you or someone you know needs support with mental health, visit the NHS Mental Health page. For more information about Alcoholics Anonymous and how it can help, visit their website.
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In our new book on techno production, we break down iconic techno arrangements to uncover what makes them timeless. Juan Atkins’ No UFO’s is often hailed as a blueprint for techno. But does its influence extend to the arrangement itself? Absolutely.
Everything has a beginning. For techno, that beginning is often attributed to ‘No UFO’s’. Recorded by Juan Akins under the name Model 500 and released on his own Metroplex label in 1985, it helped usher electronic dance music on from electro and European Italo disco into something starkly new.
Combining elements of Kraftwerk and electronic funk with the kind of sci-fi musings Atkins had been exploring in his previous group, Cybotron, ‘No UFO’s’ was an instant underground hit. Although it got airplay in Detroit - notably on a young Jeff Mills’ radio show - it was Chicago where it really took off and where it attracted the attention of UK record labels looking for material to license.
Although the song is not a perfect representation of where techno was heading - it’s much more song-focussed than that, with a clear verse/chorus structure - many of the classic elements are already set, from the use of drum machines like the TR-808 and TR-909 to the eerie vibe.
Let’s grab some binoculars and observe this UFO in full flight.
The ArrangementWhat’s Happening1The 125 bpm song starts with a full complement of drum sounds. This is the Vocal version of the song and as such is only four minutes long. It’s not an extended dance floor track; it’s meant for radio play. The arrangement reflects this, never taking very long to change from one section to another.
When we start, we get the basic percussion sounds of TR-909 kick playing a standard 4/4 pattern, a TR-808 cowbell, 808 closed and open hats, and a snare/clap combo that’s a staple of this era of Atkins’ songs. You can also hear it on ‘Future’, the flip side of ‘No UFO’s’, and on ‘Techno City’, a 1984 single from Cybotron. Along with these, there’s a second kick, likely from the 808, playing a 16th note-pattern. This doesn’t return, at least not in the vocal version, and serves as a kind of intro to the song.
Atkins also gives us two transition sounds: a white noise-like synth crash, which will repeat throughout the song and help identify changes and keep momentum up, as well as a single bass note with a falling pitch, sliding us into the song.
2After the eight-bar intro, the song starts properly, with a run-through of the eight-bar instrumental section that will reoccur after each chorus. Here, the 909 kick continues, as do the snare, cowbell, and 808 hats. The 808 kicks have stopped, as previously mentioned. Replacing them are a new 909 sound, a clap pattern panned to the left. Many of the 909 sounds are panned to the left in ‘No UFO’s’, suggesting they were sub-mixed to a single channel on Atkins’ eight-track recorder.
Here he introduces arguably the song’s main element, the bassline. Funky and insistent, the analogue synth bassline forms the backbone of much of the song. These kinds of basslines are common on many of Atkins’ songs from this time, like ‘Night Drive (Time, Space, Transmat)’ and ‘Electric Entourage’, and had a huge influence on Detroit techno as well as electro groups like Aux 88. Supporting the bassline is a single-note synthesizer sequence playing a short, high-register sound. It was likely triggered by one of his drum machines. This adds to both the music and the rhythm. As for the synths he’s using, he’s gone on record as having a Korg MS-10, Sequential Circuits Pro-One, and ARP Odyssey and Axxe at the time. Any of these could fit the bill.
Finally, Atkins uses the synth crash to punctuate the beginning of the eight-bar section, dropping it in again after four bars to add energy.
3At bar position 17, Atkins gives us the first verse of the A-minor song. He’s doubled the lyrics himself and panned each to either side of the stereo spectrum. By leaving the centre channel open, it allows the ear to focus on the bassline, placed front and centre, further cementing it as the heart of the song.
Musically, there’s a new synth playing a melody, appearing at the end and in-between verse lines. It’s minimal but effective, adding a dash of musicality without overwhelming the rhythm.
Speaking of rhythm, the song now has another set of hi-hats, this time a pattern of closed hats from the 909 (panned to the left as expected). Where most songs from this era would use just one drum machine at a time, ‘No UFO’s’ doubles up the hats, creating a dense feeling of rhythm. This would, of course, become a popular technique in techno later on. Also note how Atkins changes the 909 clap pattern half-way through the verse’s 16-bar section to add energy. The closed hat pattern changes at the halfway point as well, adding to the energy.
4Next, the eight-bar chorus. Here is the famous line, “They say there is no hope, they say no UFO’s’, with Atkins criticizing the government for destroying people’s dreams and keeping them under heel. The vocal is here centre-panned, emphasizing the point he’s making. This is bolstered by a new synth playing a minimal yet funky progression.
Where most pop songs will build to the chorus, ‘No UFO’s’ instead eases off on the energy. We’ve lost the 909 hats and gone to a new 909 clap pattern for variety. While the kick pattern is straight-ahead like modern techno, the variations in claps reflects the music of the time, with both electro and hi-RNG employing this technique.
5Midway through the chorus, Atkins hits us with the synth crash and unmutes the bassline, returning us to the power of the song as the chorus vocals continue.
6Another instrumental break before the verse. This is a duplicate of the section in 2 (above) although with a few minor changes. Rather than the 909 clap pattern of before, he allows the pattern from the chorus to continue. This keeps up the energy. He also uses the synth crash once, at the beginning of the eight-bar section.
7Another verse. This sixteen-bar section reprises the musical elements of part 3. However, he’s now added a pattern of 909 open hats. Oddly, he stops these after the first two bars. Rather than adding tension, he’s using variation to maintain listener interest. He also does this by using a more active clap pattern and dropping the 909 hats altogether in the final two bars of the verse.
To punctuate the beginning of each eight-bar section he again employs the synth crash.
8The second chorus. It’s largely a repeat of the first but rather than drop out the bassline he lets it roll through the entire eight bars. Our old friend the synth crash gets to do its thing twice, once every four bars.
9Another post-chorus break. The big difference between this one and 6 (above) is the looped vocal, which continues from the chorus. While this could be a sample, it’s more likely a digital delay or even a tape loop. Some of the transitions between sections, particularly towards the end, sound more like tape splices than hardware sequencer changes. Whoever did the edit (either Atkins or someone else) may have contributed this vocal loop as well. However it was done, it serves the purpose of carrying the energy (as do the two synth crashes) from the chorus through into the breakdown, which is next.
10The first half of the 16-bar breakdown for ‘No UFO’s’ is simple, with just the kick, snare and bassline playing their normal sequences. If you listen carefully, you can hear the other percussion channels muted on the mixer.
11The breakdown continues, with the 808 cowbell and hats now unmuted. Notice there are no fills in ‘No UFO’s’ nor dropouts. The energy is carried by the periodic changeovers from verse to chorus plus the density of the percussion.
12Is it still the breakdown, or is it now a pre-chorus section? Atkins stops the bassline and replaces it with the percussive synth. If the kicks were broken rather than playing a basic disco pattern, this could be from an early ‘80s electro track.
13Instead of bringing back the chorus and repeating to the fade out, like a pop song, Atkins instead opts to get weird. While he scats through a delay, he introduces a 909 tom pattern, a prominent feature of the back half of the song. If you were having trouble hearing the techno influences in ‘No UFO’s’, you should definitely recognize them now. On top of the toms Atkins brings back the 909 claps and closed and open hats.
Listen closely to the snare. Atkins is doubling it with the percussive synth, giving it a sharp and metallic edge. This will continue through this section.
14After just two bars, he changes it up, announcing the change with the synth crash. We lose the 909 claps and open hats, and the tom pattern transforms into something a little more groovy.
15Now at position 113, he stops scatting (which isn’t very techno, anyway), changes up the tom pattern, and brings back the claps and 909 open hats. The synth crash keeps the energy high.
16A short, four-bar section with kick, snare (still doubled with the synth), 909 toms, 909 closed hats, and 909 claps.
17Another four-bar section but this time it feels like we’re moving back to the main feel of the song, thanks in large part to the return of the bassline. Atkins has killed the percussive synth snare and gone back to just the regular one. The kick, as ever, keeps time.
18The song is now fully back. The kick and snare are joined by the 808 cowbell, closed and open hats, and the 909 claps and toms playing busy patterns. Atkins also gives us a “Hey!” for good measure.
19After eight bars it begins to fade out. Rather than let things repeat through the fade though, Atkins suddenly introduces a 909 crash. A final synth crash reinforces the change. We can hear Atkins saying “Hey” again just before things fade to silence.
Follow Juan Atkins on Instagram.
If you like this article, you may enjoy:
- An interview with Juan Atkins: "It's All Connected". Read here.
- How To Make Beats Like Cybotron. Read here.
- Our new book 'The Secrets of Techno Production'. Find out more.
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Get 16 premium instruments and effects for only $149 (regularly $1,974) – that’s the price of Synth Anthology alone!
At first glance, this offer may seem like it's just for FL Studio users. But take a closer look, and you'll see that when you purchase the Power Bundles, you'll receive licenses for UVI products, which can easily be installed in your DAW of choice.
Some of the Attack favourites are Synth Anthology, Emulation II+, and Drum Designer (not to be confused with Drum Machine Designer in Logic).
Synth Anthology is over 200 vintage and modern hardware synths across 4,000+ patches, and all sound as close to hardware as you could imagine.
Emulation II+ is not one but three iconic sampler-synths, Emulation I, II, and III and a selection of sounds created with an original SP-12 - great for techno.
Drum Designer is simple to use and good for electronic music. Powerful sequencing and easy GUI.
Get the UVI Power Bundle here on the FL Studio website. Offer ends Dec 17th.
Synth Anthology 4What else is included in the Power Bundle?In total, it's 16 instruments and effects.
Creative Effects
Tools like Shade, Sparkverb, and Dual Delay X allow producers to shape their sound with precision, adding rich textures and unique spatial effects.
Iconic Synths
The bundle features iconic sounds from Emulation II+, Synth Anthology 4, FM Suite, and PX Memories, offering a mix of analogue warmth and digital versatility.
Dynamic DrumsInstruments like Drum Designer and BeatBox Anthology 2 provide studio-ready beats, while Scratch Machine delivers expressive scratching and sound manipulation.
Cinematic Excellence
For those in film scoring, gaming, or trailer production, Meteor, Quadra - Muted and Harmonics, and Augmented Orchestra provide a wide range of cinematic sounds.
For FL Studio users, it comes on the back on FL Studio 2024.2 released last month which added a slew of new features, but a fan favourite being enhanced Ghost Notes features in the Piano roll.
Get the UVI Power Bundle here on the FL Studio website. Offer ends Dec 17th.
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Genre-focused insights for global airplay trends mark a change in traditional Top 40 charts.
WARM (World Airplay Radio Monitor), a leading radio airplay monitoring service, has launched a weekly global radio chart series focusing on specific music genres. The initiative marks a departure from traditional Top 40 charts, aiming to provide detailed insights into genre-specific airplay trends. The first chart in the series, the Global Dance Radio Chart, is now live and is based on airplay data from 100 influential dance music radio stations across 30 countries.
The charts, updated every Friday, are calculated using weekly airplay data collected from Friday to Thursday. Subscribers can receive the charts via email at no cost. WARM uses proprietary audio fingerprinting and music recognition technology to monitor over 25,000 radio stations worldwide, including public broadcasting, internet, community, cultural, and local stations.
Jesper Skibsby, Founder and CEO of WARM, highlighted the limitations of conventional radio charts. “Traditional Top 40 charts don’t tell the full story, especially for genre-specific music,” he said. “Our genre-based approach provides clear, actionable insights into specific musical spaces, helping industry professionals identify emerging hits and trends before they reach the mainstream.”
The Global Dance Radio Chart is the first in a planned series of genre-specific charts, with additional genres to be introduced in the coming months. Subscribers are encouraged to provide feedback and suggest new or local radio stations for inclusion in the chart pool.
WARM’s new charts aim to serve the music industry by delivering targeted, transparent, and accessible data. This information is designed to help artists, labels, publishers, and distributors optimise radio promotion, manage campaigns, and secure royalties for airplay.
To sign up for the Global Dance Radio Chart and receive weekly updates, visit: www.warmmusic.net/charts/dance-chart-signup.
The chart can also be viewed online every Friday at:
www.warmmusic.net/charts/dance.
This initiative represents a significant evolution in airplay monitoring, offering a focused perspective on genre-specific radio performance globally. WARM’s tools also allow users to monitor airplay data in real time through a mobile-ready dashboard, providing detailed insights to support music promotion efforts effectively.
By shifting attention from generalised charts to specialised data, WARM’s genre-based charts aim to enhance understanding and accessibility within the music industry.
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In a new documentary produced by Expressive E, the company behind the Osmose, renowned German composer Hans Zimmer reveals how he utilized the cutting-edge instrument to craft the soundtrack for Dune: Part Two.
Hans Zimmer has made a new documentary showing his innovative approach to crafting the soundtrack for Dune: Part Two. Collaborating with Expressive E, the makers of the excellent Osmose, Zimmer has centered his work around their flagship instrument to redefine the possibilities of film scoring.
A New Chapter in Sci-Fi Film Scoring?Released in March 2024, Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two expanded on its predecessor's success. Central to this cinematic experience is Zimmer’s score, which blends futuristic sounds with a deeply human emotional core. Zimmer turned to the Osmose, a keyboard that leverages MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) technology. We had the good fortune to try it ourselves this time last year. Its innovative key design allows players to shape sound dynamically through subtle gestures, such as pressing, sliding, or tilting the keys. These capabilities enable performers to control pitch, volume, intensity, and other nuances, making the instrument versatile and intuitive.
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Zimmer x Expressive E
To maximize the Osmose’s potential, Zimmer worked closely with two musicians from Expressive E, integrating the instrument into his creative process. The team used the Osmose to design new sounds, interpret melodies, and manipulate the voices of actors and singers in the soundtrack.
The film’s score is a unique blend of acoustic and electronic elements, brought to life by the Osmose’s capabilities. Zimmer described the collaboration as a return to the essence of music, where experimentation and improvisation take center stage.
MPE Technology: The Foundation of the Osmose
The Osmose’s impact stems from its use of MPE technology providing musicians with unprecedented control over the articulation and nuance of each note, making the instrument particularly suited to film scoring.
Zimmer views the Osmose as a significant innovation in modern music, stating, “This is an important instrument. It’s a big step forward, and what might become the story of 21st-century music.”
The mini-documentary is available to watch on YouTube.
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The Secrets of Techno Production, a comprehensive 218-page paperback, is now available! Covering techno from its roots to the present day, this highly anticipated follow-up to The Secrets of Dance Music Production offers in-depth insights into the evolution of one of the most influential genres in electronic music
We are excited to announce that The Secrets of Techno Production is officially available. After its successful pre-order launch at ADE 2024, the title is now in stock at Attack Magazine's US and UK warehouses, with global shipping available.
The long-awaited follow-up to Attack’s renowned The Secrets Of Dance Music Production, The Secrets of Techno Production, is the ultimate guide for creating top-quality techno music. This comprehensive 218-page book offers exclusive content from Attack's award-winning team, covering everything you need to produce all forms of techno. Plus, it includes over 1GB of audio samples and additional project files, making it an essential resource for both beginners and experienced producers.
Buy The Secrets of Techno Production >Featuring artist insights from:
- 93 Sovage
- 999999999
- Alan Fitzpatrick
- Cressida
- Dave Clarke
- Deepak Sharma
- Denise Rabe
- DVS1
- Florian Meindl
- Francois X
- Helena Hauff
- Hemka
- Indira Paganotto
- Jamaica Suk
- Ken Ishii
- Len Faki
- Lucinee
- Manni Dee
- Metapattern
- Minuit Machine
- Nina Kraviz
- Noemi Black
- Par Grindvik
- Perc
- Pfriter
- Raven
- Regal
- Risa Taniguchi
- Rudosa
- Samantha Togni
- Sara Landry
- Selective Response
- Shinedoe
- Simina Grigoriu
- Strinner
- Vlaysin
- Wehbba
All styles covered, from techno’s Detroit roots to its many variations, including ambient, dub, acid, warehouse, melodic, modular and bang-up-to-date commercial mainstage.
Deep-dive walkthroughs for 40+ iconic beats, basslines and synth sounds from scratch. Next-level tips and techniques on programming, sound manipulation, effects and mixing.
Content OverviewChapter 1: Starter for Ten - The Techno ToolkitDRUM PROCESSING 1: TONE
The frequencies that make up a sound and how filters, EQ, and distortion can shape them.
DRUM PROCESSING 2: SHAPE
How a sound’s frequencies change over time, and how envelope settings and compression can be used to shape transients.
DRUM PROCESSING 3: SPACE
Reverb, delay, chorus – and how ambience impacts individual sounds and full mixes.
SAME DRUMS, DIFFERENT BEAT
Three simple beats crafted from the same vanilla sounds.
LAYERING DRUMS
When to layer and when not to layer, using EQ and time-based processing. But beware of that phase!
PROGRAMMING A BEAT
The first steps in beat creation are choosing sounds, velocity programming, quantisation, groove and swing.
REFINING THE BEAT
Taking our beat to the next level by adding detail, tidying frequencies and processing the bus.
PARALLEL PROCESSING
Three approaches to this powerful technique: signal duplication, bus compression and parallel saturation.
MULTI-BAND PROCESSING
When to split a single sound or full mix, and three approaches to using this next-level tool.
FM SYNTHESIS
Dozens of sounds in this book use FM synthesis. Here’s our beginners’ crash-course on carriers and modulators.
Chapter 2: Beats* Minimal techno * Detroit techno * Processed techno * Deep techno * Hard techno * Mainroom techno * Dub techno * Warehouse techno * Schranz * Birmingham techno * Melodic techno * Psychedelic techno * Broken beat techno * Electro-infused techno * Modular techno * Experimental techno * Bleep techno * Acid techno * Deep minimal techno * Ethereal dub techno * Industrial techno * Motor city techno
Chapter 3: SoundsBASSLINES
- Programmed riff
- Sampled bassline
- Resampled noise bass
- Stab bass
- Step-sequenced bass
- Reese bass
- Sub bassline
- Wavetable mod bass
MUSIC & SYNTHS
- Dub techno chords
- Rave chords & stabs
- Techno leads
- Step-sequences
- Atmospheric FX
- FM atmosphere
- Textural drone
- Arpeggios
- Techno pads
- Techno vocals
- Movement & change
Chapter 4: DeconstructedJOEY BELTRAM - 'ENERGY FLASH'
Beltram’s breakthrough classic – dark, tough and moody – is a track of three parts with solid production, simple but hypnotic programming and a ‘jam’-style arrangement.
UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE - 'THE FINAL FRONTIER'
Ploughing its own furrow, ‘The Final Frontier’ is at the same time energetic, relentless, idiosyncratic and melancholy. It may be dance music, but not as you know it...
OC & VERDE - 'MAGICIANS OF THE GODS'
Techno-style drum programming and composition with peak-time builds and drops – an arrangement perfectly crafted for the big-room.
PAULA TEMPLE - 'RAGING EARTH'
Part dancefloor-accessible techno and part soundtrack, ‘Raging Earth’ is massive in every way and a serial breaker of arrangement rules.
Paperback, 218 pages. The Secrets of Techno Production Book comes with over 1GB of audio samples and project files.
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The San Diego dance music institution, CRSSD Festival, has announced its 10th Anniversary Lineup for the Spring 2025 Edition. Find out who's playing. The presale starts Nov 19th.
CRSSD Festival takes place twice a year—a March Spring edition and a September Fall edition—meaning you never have to wait too long for your fix of some of the best dance music available. Held at the notorious San Diego Waterfront, fans are treated equally to good music and good views. And for British fans, good weather...
With the curtains only closing on this year's Fall edition, the Spring Lineup for March 1-2, 2025, has been announced quickly. In celebration of its tenth year, the festival has announced another forward-looking lineup that embodies its commitment to championing established and fast-rising names in live electronic, house, and techno. Headline sets come from the evergreen Justice, coming off of their widely renowned Hyperdrama LP and tour, JUNGLE (DJ Set), Best International DJ 2024 at the DJ Awards, FISHER, Sasha & John Digweed (recently back in full health), innovative German trio Klangphonics, Parisian trailblazers Busy P B2B Braxe + Falcon, and techno phenoms Nicole Moudaber B2B Anfisa Letyago.
Fans looking for more can enjoy crossover acts including the synth drenched sounds of Kavinsky, "super producer" SG Lewis, FHUO label head Folamour, German multi-instrumentalist Monolink, multi-genre producer and piano house favorite LP Giobbi, and French nu-disco trio Bon Entendeur. Billing continues with nu-disco meets indie-dance duo Poolside, Aussie exports Flight Facilities and Hayden James, and the euphoria of London duo JOY (Anonymous).
Readers of Attack may possibly lean more towards the underground acts and CRSSD’s 10th anniversary celebration wouldn’t be complete without an impressive roster of underground champions. Berlin minimalists Rene Wise B2B Rødhåd, UK hero Special Request, French DJ and producer LB aka LABAT, 803 Crystal Grooves label head Cinthie, and Hessle Audio founder Ben UFO all find the way to San Diego in March.
📸 Felicia Garcia — @fixationphotography
CRRSD LabCRSSD is more than the music. The festival experience extends to offering curated food vendors, immersive decor, and interactive programming at CRSSD Lab, where music and technology converge. Fans and artists alike can also browse through the expansive vinyl market at CRSSD Lab, uncovering hidden gems and their next favorite record to take home among the selections.
After DarkWhen the show stops, it doesn't really stop. CRSSD’s After Dark afterparty series gives fans more in San Diego’s vibrant nightlife across a variety of clubs, venues, and converted spaces throughout the city. Featuring artists from the festival lineup and beyond, CRSSD After Dark presents an extended musical journey into the night. CRSSD After Dark programming will be announced closer to the show.
Buy CRSSD TicketsCRSSD’s alumni on sale begins November 19th at 12 p.m. PST and will be available to Weekend Pass purchases of the inaugural CRSSD Spring ’15, CRSSD Spring '24, CRSSD Fall '24, Proper NYE/NYD 23/24, and Proper NYE/NYD 24/25.
SMS presale begins November 20th at 12pm PST and fans can opt in by joining the CRSSD SMS community at this link or by texting keyword “CRSSD10” to +1 (855) 912-1457.
The general on sale begins November 20th at 12pm at 2PM PT via CRSSD Festival’s official website.
Find CRSSD Festival on Instagram.
CRSSD Spring 2025 Lineup (A-Z)* &friends * 1tbsp * 49th & Main * ARTBAT * Ben UFO * Bon Entendeur * Busy P B2B Braxe + Falcon * Cassius * Chris Lorenzo * Cinthie * Claptone * DJ EZ * EMBRZ * FISHER * Fleur Shore * Flight Facilities * Folamour * Franck * Hannah Laing * Hayden James * Innellea * Jasper Tygner * JOY (Anonymous) * JUNGLE (DJ Set) * Justice * Kavinsky * Kita Alexander * Klangphonics * LB aka LABAT * LP Giobbi * Maceo Plex * Marsh * Monolink * Nicole Moudaber B2B Anfisa Letyago * Notre Dame * Poolside * Rene Wise B2B Rødhåd * Riordan * Sam Divine * Sasha & John Digweed * Schak * SG Lewis * Slenderbodies * SOSA * Special Request * Tommy Holohan
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A follow-up to the OP-Z in a smart-looking black monochrome finish has been unveiled, and it comes with an extremely hefty price tag of £1899. And the website is in German. Are you not entertained?
If you haven't clicked away from the page yet, shocked by the RRP, hang around. Besides the pocket-drenching price, there's plenty to love here. It's just a bit out of reach for most.
Let's start with the obvious visual upgrade in that the OP-XY has a display. The most common moans about the OP-Z were that it was displayless, and many found it hard to work with. It depends on your point of view, as DJ Pangburn, in a 2019 review, waxed lyrical about it and 'why' it worked. But it didn't work for everyone, and evidently, that's resonated with the clever minds at Teenage Engineering. This feature alone might split opinion, but we'll wager that it's a welcome move for the majority.
The other significant additions are:
- Built-in CV
- Two send effects slots
- A “Best-in-class” DAC
So, on a cursory glance in terms of studio compatibility, the OP-XY has taken a major step forward. Just take a look at the full listed specs for the OP-XY to see a whole different level of detail:
- 8 unique synth engines
- new drum sampler
- multisampler
- synth sampler
- 4 filter types
- 24-voice multitimbral synthesis
- players per track
- instant sampling
- 6 built-in FX
- master eq
- master saturator
- master compressor and limiter
- stereo signal path
- brain™ – intelligent transposer
- 24 punch-in FX™ for performance
- creative tape looper
- 2 sequenceable built-in FX slots
- midi channels selectable per track
- 10 000+ project files with version history
- 16-track, 64-step step sequencer with 4 pages
- powerful step components
- 9 patterns per track, 99 scenes
- song mode with 9 songs per project
- presets per pattern
- 10 grooves for creative swing
- usb-c audio/midi host and device
- audio-out
- a multi-out jack, for cv, midi, audio and sync out
- midi-in
- audio-in
- built-in speaker
- built-in mic
- smooth parameter locks
- 1920 PPQN
- pressure sensitive pitchbend
- bluetooth le midi
- microtonal tuning
- performance gyroscope
And digging further, the sequencer has been reviewed and refined creatively too. It now features:
- pulse - repeats a step a defined number of times without progressing the sequence.
- Hold - hold will hold a step a defined number of steps without progressing the sequence.
- multiply - will multiply the number of triggers in a step, creating a ratchet effect, perfect for hi-hats.
- velocity
- ramp up and ramp down
- random
- portamento
- bend
- tonality - you can set this by interval. Nice.
- jump
- skip parameter, step component, trigger
In short, if you found the OP-Z frustrating with a hard-to-grasp workflow, the XY might be perfect for you, other than the price point. And don't expect any "up to 86% off" Black Friday deals.
The OP-XY is out now and available on the Teenage Engineering website.
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Has it really been a year? No, it hasn't! Everyone's bringing their deals earlier into the calendar to try to cut through. Bookmark this page as we will update it as deals arrive.
Pulsar AudioThe French firm is offering up to 70% off all plugins for Black Friday, and customers who place orders over €100 will receive a free plugin. Pulsar are great for incredible hardware EQ emulations, compressors and creative effects. Get the deals here.
FL StudioThe biggest deal ever on FL Studio Editions for new customers is up to 30% off. And existing FL Studio owners also can get up to 30% off upgrades. Plus any new purchase of FL Studio comes with a free one-month trial of FL Cloud. Get the deals here.
OutputWhen Output first came to be, they were excellent. Their products caught fire quickly. But then it seemed to stop or slow. But still there's lots to love about Output - more so that they are 50% off. Arcade remains great but their instruments really did set a new mark on their release. Never a better time to test that yourself. Get the deals here.
Osmose by Expressive EA genuine game changer keyboard. Don't believe us? Check it out here. And if you dig it its 30% off refurbished Osmose and up to 50% off MPE pluings Noisy 2, Hive 2 Expressive Suite, Phaseplant Expressive Suite, Imagine and more. If you get Hive 2, you also get 300 free Osmose plugins. Lots to love. Get the deals here.
ArturiaAnother top firm offering 50% off their flagship software including V Collection X and FX Collection 5. Perhaps the biggest steal is Pigments is at €99. Thats a rabbit hole to get into without breaking the bank. Get the deals here.
Baby AudioAnother favorite around Attack, the secret gem here is all 12 Baby Audio plugins are $279 - that's 76% off the price for them purchased individually. But if you're looking for one offs, Super VHS is $9.99, Transit 2 is $79 and Humanoid is also $79. Baby Audio always matches quality with fun. A rare feat. Get the deals here.
Check back daily for more Black Friday deals to come.
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In an excerpt from our new book, The Secrets of Techno Production, we dive into the theory of techno pads.
Throughout the book so far, we’ve focused on emulating the sound of different types of chords including rave chords, dub chords, sampled chords and various stabs, but what about the music theory behind it all? Don’t get us wrong - many techno masterpieces were (and still continue to be) composed by producers who didn’t study theory. Can the Circle of Fifths and other theory knowledge power you to techno glory? Well, no, but it can't hurt either.
A combination of creative sampling, quality sound design, and a good ear for putting sounds together is more than enough to craft a banger. That said, even a very minimal knowledge of chord theory will bolster your production process. This is because it will allow you to craft your own chord progressions with notes you’ve chosen, as opposed to being completely stuck with the notes in a sampled chord.
The key advantage of knowing the notes in your chords is copying and pasting them to other MIDI instruments. This will allow you to produce new parts using some or all of the notes from the chords. The simplest example of this is basslines, which will almost always come from the root notes of your chords. Another example is melodies. Many melodies (especially in melodic techno) are directly formed of arpeggiated notes of a chord progression. You can’t arpeggiate an audio sample!
There is a very simple process that will allow you to write your own chord progressions without hours of studying theory and we’re going to break it down in the below tutorials. Starting with triads, which are the simplest forms of chords, we’ll then move on to 7th and 9th chords. These can add much more feeling.
Techno Pad Chords With Triads, 7ths, and 9thsStep 1Write out the seven notes of the scale you’re working on. 99.9% of techno is minor, so we’ll use a minor scale as an example. E minor has only one sharp note, so it’s a good one to start with! You can easily find any minor scale online.
E, F#, G, A, B, C, D
Step 2Triad chords are formed with a root note along with the notes two steps ahead and four steps in the order of the scale. For example, in our scale of E Minor, the E chord becomes E-G-B and B would be B-D-F#, etc. Create a two-bar MIDI file with each chord, with all notes sustained.
Step 3It is essential to determine which of these chords are minor chords and which are major chords. Major triads are a bit too happy for techno, so you’ll mainly want to use the minor ones. Fortunately, all minor scales have the same formula:
Minor - Diminished - Major - Minor - Minor - Major - Major
Label your MIDI files accordingly!
Step 4Load up Ableton’s Chord Pacific Pad and select the ‘No Chord’ preset. Choose two of the minor chords, drag them into the arrangement view and have them play four bars each - B minor and E minor for example.
Step 5Triad chords can sound thin and predictable and one way to spice them up is by adding different octaves of the notes they already contain. Add a low B to the B minor chords and a low to the E minor chords. Also add a higher G to the fourth bar of the E minor chord. (This will also create melodic movement!)
Step 6 Even though we’re starting to get somewhere, the progression is still missing something. This is where automation comes in! Right click the Filter Cutoff and select Show Automation to draw in an envelope for the cutoff. Have it start from 50 Hz and increase slowly to reach a high value at the end of every four bars.
Step 7You didn’t think we were done with the other five chords did you? Choose one of them and sneak it into the 3rd and 7th bars of the 8-bar progression. The G Major chord fits nicely. Using the trick from Step 5, add a lower G and high B note to make the chord larger.
Step 87th chords are formed when you add the note to the left of the chord’s root note in the scale. Our first chord is currently B Minor. As we’re working in E Minor the note to the left of B is A. For G it is F# and for E it is D. Add all of these notes to the chords to turn them into 7th chords!
Step 99th chords are formed when you add the note to the right of the chords’ root notes. Keep your first chord the same and add the 9th notes to the G major and E minor chords. Looking at the E Minor scale again, the 9th for G is A. For E, it is F#.
If you like this article you may enjoy our Deconstructed of Jeff Mills - 'The Bell's'.
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The French firm is offering up to 70% off all plugins for Black Friday, and customers who place orders over €100 will receive a free plugin.
Black Friday is here—early, but here. And Pulsar Audio has entered the discount ring. The company has made a name for itself with excellent emulations of legendary hardware EQs, including the Manley Massive and Neumann w495. These are truly some of the most accurate and detailed emulations available. But it's not just EQs, they have also emulated revered compressors and effect units such as the Echorec.
The Pulsar Audio Black Friday promotion includes the following products:
Individual Plugin Offers* Mu: $49 (Reg. $149) * Massive: $89 (Reg. $149) * 8200: $89 (Reg. $149) * W495: $29 (Reg. $99) * 1178: $49 (Reg. $149) * Poseidon: $59 (Reg. $99) * Primavera: $39 (Reg. $99) * Echorec: $29 (Reg. $99) + FREE Safari Pedals Fox Echo Chorus * Smasher: $19 (Reg. $49)
But for those looking for a bundle offer, further discounts are available.
Bundle Offers Massive & Mu Bundle: $129 (Reg. $249)
+ FREE Relab QuantX Essential Reverb + FREE 2 months Puremix membership
* NEW! Vintage Compressors Bundle: $99 (Reg. $299)
+ FREE Relab QuantX Essential Reverb + FREE 2 months Puremix membership
* Primavera & Echorec Bundle: $69 (Reg. $149)
+ FREE Safari Pedals Fox Echo Chorus + FREE Relab QuantX Essential Reverb + FREE 2 months Puremix membership
* NEW! Mastering Bundle: $199 (Reg. $449)
+ FREE Relab QuantX Essential Reverb + FREE 2 months Puremix membership
* NEW! Analog EQs Bundle Bundle:* $199 (Reg. $399)
+ FREE Relab QuantX Essential Reverb + FREE 2 months Puremix membership
Offer ends Dec 5th, 2024.
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AIR Music Tech is launching a brand-new mystery plugin—available in limited numbers! Sign up now to secure your spot and be among the first to experience it.
We featured AIR Music Tech in September when Lisa Bella Donna showed us how she became fascinated by the legendary ARP 2600 and, more recently, the AIR TimewARP 2600, a highly accurate software recreation. AIR plugins are not new, but in recent months, there appears to be a whole new energy coming from the firm.
That energy is now being redirected to Black Friday where they are giving away a free mystery plugin. There's very little to go by (that's the point), but the landing page tells you:
"We are bringing you a new creative approach to a classic effect processor. Inspired by our favorite features and character of legendary hardware from the last three decades, this brand-new plugin works on your desktop DAW and standalone MPC."
To get this free plugin, you just need to sign up on the site. To sign up, use the button below.
GET A FREE MYSTERY AIR PLUGIN[social-links heading="Follow Attack Magazine" facebook="https://www.facebook.com/attackmag" twitter="https://twitter.com/attackmag1" instagram="https://www.instagram.com/attackmag/" youtube="https://www.youtube.com/user/attackmag" soundcloud="https://soundcloud.com/attackmag" tiktok="https://www.tiktok.com/@attackmagazine"][product-collection]
The sound of the summer. We retrospectively look at the Baddadan horn synth bass that continues to rumble dance floors.
"Baddadan" by Chase & Status is an explosive blend of UK bass and grime, featuring Flowdan, Bou, and IRAH. The track combines intense, gritty beats with hard-hitting lyrics, embodying the raw energy of London’s underground scene. It’s a high-octane anthem that showcases the duo's signature heavy sound - one that catapulted them to Brit Awards and chart success some 15 years since forming. No mean feat.
Of course, despite enjoying the track as a whole, the synth bass line captures our attention. That fog horn jump-off bass, probably more famous from TikTok these days than anything else, was worth an attempt at replication.
So here we are. We're using an in house favorite, Zebra 2. You can grab it and follow along for free. Butif you're a Vital or Serum user, you can replicate the process and achievesimilar results.
If you like these Synth Secrets, you may enjoy our books The Secrets of Techno Production, The Secrets of Dance Music Production, and The Producer's Manual.
So set your DAW to 174, draw in this MIDI pattern and Bassline drop, ah tear the whole place down.
https://open.spotify.com/track/2ZWmmrWUgDBcPSLihBMvhg?si=4206a3d062d24b9aStep 1: The jump-off Select Init from the very bottom of the preset list to initialize the patch. Then click on the GLOBAL tab and change the MODE setting from poly to retrigger. This is a bass, polyphony has no place here. Now let’s get a simple oscillator stack going.
Leave OSC 1 largely untouched - a simple saw is what we need. The only change to make is to open the MIXER tab on OSC 1 and reduce the volume to 32.
In the main grid, click on an empty cell below OSC1 and add another oscillator - OSC2. Change this oscillator’s Tune value to 7 semitones to pitch it up a perfect fifth. Then, just like we did with the first oscillator, we’ll pull the second oscillator’s volume down to 32.
Our progress so far:
Step 2: Stack the layersNow let’s add a third oscillator and tune that one up 19 semitones. That’s an octave and a perfect fifth up. This oscillator we’ll crank all the way up – in the MIXER tab turn the volume to max.
And if we’re going to add a third oscillator, it only makes sense to add a fourth oscillator. This one we’ll actually put in the second lane of the main grid, because we want it to remain untouched by the tone shaping and saturation we’ll ultimately put on the first lane. We want a nice, tight fundamental from this one, so add FMO1 to the top cell of lane 2.
Set that oscillator’s volume to 0 – we’ll modulate it with an envelope later to bring it up. And turn the FM knob up to 10 for a subtle edge.
Step 3: MusicalityNow it’s time to change the volume contour and make things just a touch more musical. Head over to the ENV 1 module which is hard wired to control the volume of all the oscillators and turn the Release knob to about 40, and you’ll have something like this:
Obviously we have more highs than we would want in a bass. But all those high frequencies give us some rich spectrum to work with. Now we’ll whittle it down and get the thick and tasty bass we want. Add VCF1 to a cell underneath oscillators one through three. Change the mode from LP Xcite to LP Vintage. Then drop the Cutoff down to about 10. Almost close the filter entirely. We’ll open it back up with an envelope generator in a little bit. Turn the Drive knob to about 15. This is what you should hear
Step 4: Getting somewhere with filtersLet’s go ahead and add that envelope generator that will control our filter’s cutoff. Add ENV2 to the mix by clicking on the MATRIX tab on the bottom right to access the modulation matrix, and then selecting Env2 from the list of available modulation sources. Like magic, Zebra2 adds another envelope module to the display.
Then click and drag from the Target field to the Cutoff knob on VCF 1 to route the envelope to the filter cutoff.
Then grab the SRC knob in the mod matrix and turn it up to about 70. Then turn ENV 2’s Attack up to about 9 o’clock, a value of around 20. Turn the Sustain knob on envelope 2 down to zero, and pull the Release knob to 12 oclock. Now we’re getting somewhere.
Step 5: Distortion, of courseTime to add the dirt. In the main grid, add Shape1 to an empty cell in lane 1. This module is a distortion unit. Change its Type to Wedge, turn the Depth value almost all the way up, and give the Edge knob a value of about 30. Ah, now the bass we’re looking for begins to reveal itself.
Time to do some fine tuning and land this plane. Let’s head back to the mod matrix and use slot 2. We’ll add Env3 as the modulation source, and then we’ll drag the crosshairs to the Volume knob on FMO1, and turn the Src knob to maximum, giving envelope 3 total control over that oscillator’s volume. We want to give that tight FM bass oscillator a bit of a different contour than the rest of the patch – give it a bit of a swell and then a quick dropoff.
Change ENV 3’s Attack value to about 30. Then make sure to turn the Volume knob on FMO 1 down to zero. Otherwise envelope 1 is still in full control of that oscillator’s volume.
For a little more fine tuning, you can use the third slot in the mod matrix. Use KeyFol as the modulation source and have it modulate VCF1’s Cutoff knob. Turn the strength up (using the src knob) to about 35. Now, when you play lower notes, the filter will remain tightly closed, but it will open up as you move to higher notes. Where we stand at this point:
Step 6: The final thingNow let’s hit the GLOBAL tab to make the FX grid visible. By default there’s a ModFX1 in slot 1. Right click on it and remove it. Replace it with EQ1 and give it a slight cut at about 225 Hz and a slight boost at about 3k. That removes some flub and adds some cut.
A little extra from Ableton Drum Bus, saturator, and limiter – and we’re ready for prime time (not the drink).
We’ve got a greasy, mid-rangey Reese bass that coexists nicely with a punchy kick and a constant sub bass element:
If you like this article you may enjoy the whole Synth Secrets series.
You may also enjoy reading our interview with Flowdan from 2023, in which we speak to him about his Rumble success and 'overnight success' despite being a mainstay for many years.
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KRL MX has been released on Kobosil's R-Label and Amelie Lens' Exhale. These accomplishments have put him firmly on the radar, particularly those for a faster, harder style of techno. We put him through our Q&A.
Why music?It’s a universal language that connects people across cultures and emotions.
If you weren't making music, what would you be doing?Probably something creative like a designer or in the visual arts.
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?Be consistent and try to improve your workflow.
KRL MXWhat inspires you?I find much inspiration in museums, nature, other artists, and everyday experiences.
What's the next big thing?Personalized music consumption and creation are the next big thing, and the fusion of AI and music production marks this. People will be able to listen to music that feels tailor-made for their tastes and moods, essentially hearing what they would dream.
Best club experience?Playing at RSO on Robus Stage on Sunday evening.
What's the worst job you’ve ever had?Working for a bank was monotonous and uninspiring.
How do you know when a track's finished?It’s a never-ending process. So for me, the track is done when it evokes the intended emotion and nothing feels out of place.
What was your last day job and when did you realise you could give it up?I was a business consultant, and I knew I could give it up after my first international tour.
Which song do you wish you wrote?Frank Ocean - Pyramids.
What's the easiest way to make it in the music industry?There is no easy way, but consistency is key. For me, the most important thing is to try to do things in a smart way. Knowing how to question oneself and revisit one’s plan of action. Having a vision.
What's the worst track you've ever released?AlI the tracks I put out early in my career.
Recommend us a film.Good Morning England by Richard Curtis.
Recommend us a book.Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike.
What or who is underrated?All the talented artists are stuck in their rooms.
What or who is overrated?Chocolate.
What are you addicted to?Instagram Reels.
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What do you lust over?Vintage 70s furniture.
What is your greatest regret?Sometimes I regret not having dared to quit my job earlier. But then I tell myself that things would have been different. So, I take things as they are. I have no regrets.
What one thing would most improve your life?I have found a very good life balance. However, I would like to have time to visit my family in the east of France.
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever played?I can’t give you names, but there are common issues like poor organization, inadequate sound systems, no speakers in the booth, and incorrect running order.
Collaboration: rich creative experience or pain in the ass?Pain in the ass.
What’s the secret to a great mix?Being able to read the crowd, play with their frustration, and adapt your track selection to the environment and the running order. Don’t take it too seriously; it’s not only about art but also about having fun.
If you could only listen to one more track, what would it be?Henri Salvador - Jardin d'Hiver.
How do you relax?Sport, spending time outdoors or with friends.
What one piece of software/kit could you not do without? Why?A secret Ableton rack I made for synths that adds an extra touch.
Art or money?Both. It depends on why you create art and how you use your money.
Ronaldo or Messi?Messi.
Strangest place you ever wrote a track?In the Berghain restroom, I recorded a voice note of a melody that came to mind.
Must-visit record store?Hard Wax Berlin and Techno Import Paris.
What's your single biggest frustration in the music industry?The music industry can be highly political. Key industry players often have significant control over who gets promoted and who doesn’t.
What’s your favourite label? Why?Ninja Tune, for their diverse and innovative roster.
What's the worst thing about making music?The constant pressure to release new material.
What’s your motto?Stay inspired and keep pushing boundaries.
Name something timelessA great melody.
Tweet us a tip. What’s the best production advice you can give in 140 characters or less?Always trust your ears over your eyes; if it sounds good, it is good.
Complete this sentence: At heart I'm just a frustrated ......perfectionist.
If someone saw a performance of yours in 1000years, what do you think they would they say?The representation of different cultures, genders, and identities within the performance could show the efforts toward diversity and inclusion in the arts during this period.
Can music change the world?Directly not. But music can change people individually. So…
What are you listening to right now?Pachyman - Sunset Sound.
What should you do before you die? Travel more and more and moreSay goodbye to the one I love.
Follow KRL MX on Instagram. Listen on Spotify.
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Jumping early into the sales season, FL Studio has announced a flurry of Black Friday deals.
Has it been a year since the last sales season? Well, not quite, as companies are announcing their offers earlier than ever in an attempt to cut through and get ahead. And with our inboxes bombarded by announcements, we'll keep it perfunctory and get down to business instead.
Today, FL Studio has revealed various deals for first-time buyers.
Producer Edition🇺🇸 ~~$179~~ > $139
🇬🇧 ~~£199~~ > £149
By their admission, the most popular Edition. It gives you 94 instruments and effects, audio tracks and the recently added Stem separator. Remember, the Edition below Producer Edition (Fruity Edition) is not on sale and you can't record audio.
Signature Edition🇺🇸 ~~$269~~ > $199
🇬🇧 ~~£199~~ > £279
The next Edition includes 103 instruments and effects, but crucially, it includes the legendary Gross Beat, Harmless, and Vintage Chorus, some of the standout devices within Fl Studio. Plus, you get Newtone pitch correction.
All Plugins Edition🇺🇸 ~~$449~~ > $314
🇬🇧 ~~£469~~ > £315
It does what it says on the tin: It gives you everything ever made. It's a serious option for serious producers looking for a serious option—plus, with Lifetime Free Updates, it's great value down the line.
Any other deals?Any new purchase of FL Studio comes with a free one-month trial of FL Cloud. This is like Splice but built into FL Studio, so if you're looking for an all-in-one music production software package, buy an FL Studio Edition and try FL Cloud. Right now, it has over a million sounds, over 70 plugins, and online marketing and distribution for your music via DistroKid.
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Until November 15th, Soundtoys PhaseMistress is free.
Soundtoys PhaseMistress, is a versatile and powerful phaser that puts complete control in your hands. With adjustable settings for stages ranging from a subtle 2 to an intense 24, PhaseMistress allows users to sculpt phase-shifting effects that push the boundaries of sound design.
PhaseMistress offers an extensive suite of customization options, letting users fine-tune parameters like resonance, color, and intensity. It also boasts a customizable LFO that offers preset shapes as well as a draw-your-own function, allowing users to create, save, and deploy unique modulation curves. The Tweak panel provides another layer of flexibility, enabling the creation of custom LFO curves and patterns. And with its Rhythm mode, users can program and store complex, tempo-synced phase patterns, while the Envelope mode adds dynamic, triggered phasing based on the incoming audio, ideal for adding funky, responsive effects to any mix.
One of PhaseMistress’s standout features is its Style menu, which hosts an array of retro-inspired presets that emulate the character of legendary hardware units, including the Bi-Phase, Super Phaser, Phase 90, Instant Phaser, and Small Stone. These presets offer analog warmth while allowing digital precision through Soundtoys’ modern controls.
It's currently available for FREE*. Plus, get 60% OFF upgrades through December 5.
*Ends November 15, 2024. One free PhaseMistress plug-in per customer. Your activation code will be delivered via email.
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In our new book on techno production, we asked producers, "Who is your favorite producer of all time"? Nearly 70% said Jeff Mills. That tells you everything you need to know. So it's about time we finally Deconstructed one of The Wizard's most popular tunes to learn more about what makes him so unique.
You’d be hard-pressed to name a techno track more lauded than ‘The Bells’ by Jeff Mills. Released on his own Purpose Maker label in 1997, it’s been part of his DJ sets ever since and never fails to whip a crowd into a frenzy. He’s even recorded a version with a full classical orchestra, and despite the lofty setting, it still slaps just as hard with strings and brass as synthesizers.
‘The Bells’ is one of the most iconic techno tracks ever recorded yet it has an unusual, two-part arrangement. It's also something of a contradiction. It’s minimal in arrangement, with never more than a few musical elements happening at a time, yet also maximalist in energy. It also has a rather unique structure, with the first half dominated by a musical motif and the second by the bassline. It’s a real puzzle box.
How did Mills do it? Let’s see if we can solve this puzzle.
The ArrangementWhat’s Happening?1It starts, as so many other techno tracks do, with a kick drum. And what a kick it is. Firing out a straight four to the floor beat, it’s overdriven to all hell. This automatically injects a blast of energy into the track. The high tempo - 137.52 bpm to be exact - helps but really it’s the kick drum production that does all the heavy lifting. The TR-909 kick is distorted by cranking the mixing desk into the red. It’s also pushing air behind it, acting like a kind of reverb gate but here it’s likely a compressor exaggerating the noise floor of the mixer. What a sound.
The kick is paired with the song’s main musical element, a simple back and forth of notes that skips along incessantly in A minor throughout most of the song’s relatively brief run time.
2After eight bars, Mills drops in a 909 open hat pattern slicing through on the offbeat. The decay on the hat envelope is full and open, allowing the hat sound to spill all over the beat. It’s also dirty and raw, a theme of the song. You can practically see the overload lights on the mixer pulsating red.
3Just a hair after the introduction of the hats, Mills fades in the next percussive element, 909 rides slashing in an 1/8-note pattern. By fading them in rather than changing patterns on the drum machine or even unmuting the mixer channel, Mills allows us to to hear him performing the song in real time. This gives it a live feel and contributes to the track’s powerful surge of energy. The rides are open and ringing, splashing across the sound field like a swollen waterfall.
4The next element to arrive, 909 claps, skip in at bar 17. These are run through a delay for added rhythmic power and yet also pushed back in the mix. As more elements are introduced later, they’ll become difficult to hear but will be contributing to the energy nonetheless. Not everything in a song needs to be clear and loud. Subtle sounds have their place too.
5At the end of the eight-bar section between positions 17 and 25, Mills drops out all of the elements except the notes, letting us hear them well for the first time. Mills is a big fan of dissonance and you can hear it at play here. Though a simple back and forth, it nonetheless creates a sense of tension, stretched even tighter by the coming melody.
6 After eight bars of letting the song’s elements - kick, hats, ride, claps and notes - ride along unchanged, Mills drops the melody, the bells of the title. There are two layers, a lower synth sound with a slightly longer decay, and a shorter, higher one. The high sound plays consistently while Mills brings the lower one in and out almost at random. Sometimes it’s for two bars, sometimes for four. He’s working the mixer, performing it like an instrument and riding the energy.
7Now at position 41, Mills drops the lower bell and lets the higher register roll for eight bars. For the final two bar section, he drops out the kick and claps. With the massive kick briefly silenced, the remaining sounds jump out of the speakers like light in the dark escaping from an opened box. Notice how there are no programmed drum fills or sequence changes in ‘The Bells’. All energy is directed by muting and unmuting looping patterns.
8Mills is staying with the melodic bell section, again alternating between the low and high. This back and forth, and the insistent, repetitive nature of the melodic line, creates a real sense of urgency. Hearing it performed live with a classical orchestra places it in a different context. Although there’s a beat, it’s mixed lower than in the studio version, highlighting the classical instruments. Heard in this context, the parallel between techno and modern classical like 20th century minimal becomes strikingly clear. There’s very little difference between artists like Jeff Mills and composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass, save the building where their songs are played.
Back to the track, he’s now muted the chaotic rides to bring the energy down a touch. The claps are back as well, contributing to the percussive groove.
9The rides don’t stay away for long. At bar 57 they smash back in, now pitched lower than before. Mills quickly corrects this, the unnaturalness of the pitch change contributing to the almost punk-like energy of the track. The lower bell is now running free as well. After seven bars, Mills gives the hats, rides and claps a one-bar break.
10Here at bar 65, almost a full two minutes into the 4:40 run time, Mills introduces the bassline. He drops out the lower bell pattern and fades in the bassline, a 16th-note affair with a chuffy attack portion that pulls double duty as a high-hat line.
11After a a brief, two-bar exposure of the lower bell line and four bars of the high bell, Mills gives the bassline the spotlight for eight bars. All of the percussive elements and chords are along for the ride as well.
12From positions 81 to 89, we get a final eight bars of the main bell motif, alternated in the style that we’ve become comfortable with. And then, surprisingly, we never get to hear it again. The bassline and all the elements save the bells continue for four more bars.
13‘The Bells’ is too linear, too jacked up to bother with long breakdowns and build ups but it does give us a quick middle section to catch our breath. At position 93, we get four short bars of just kick and notes. Then it all slams back in save the claps, which come through the door four bars later at position 101.
14We’re now in the back half of the song, which is devoted to the bassline. This is an odd structure for a dance song. Most tracks have a single theme and they ride it hard throughout, varying it in some degree but rarely straying from it. ‘The Bells’, however, has two movements, with the first part highlighting the melody and the second part hammering the bass. This kind of arrangement makes more sense when you consider how techno was DJed in the 90s. If you’re playing one song at a time, singular motifs work fine. But if you’re layering songs with three or more decks, you’re going to want tracks that are constantly changing and sound good when overlapping. Mills played ‘The Bells’ out live for two full years before releasing it. It’s not a stretch to imagine him composing it this way for his sets. He is The Wizard, after all, and has long been famous for DJing with three turntables.
15At position 121, Mills kills the notes, one of the few places in the song where he does. This is to let the bassline, which he slowly modulates, run free. The bassline recalls Giorgio Moroder’s famous one from Donna Summer’s ‘I Feel Love’, minus the progression. Mills lets his run on its own for 16 bars, killing the rides for two bars at 129 and then bringing them back.
16We can hear the bassline in all its power for four bars from position 137, when he cuts everything except the rides.
17Now the chords come back, returning us to the main theme of the track. The kick also slams back in.
18 For the remainder of the song, Mills brings in and then out the main percussive elements of rides, open hats and claps, letting the kick and chords stay strong until fading the whole thing out.
If you like this article, you may enjoy reading:
- Jeff Mills: Questioning The Norm
- Atsushi Hoshiai: The Man Behind The TR-909
This article is an excerpt from our new book, The Secrets of Techno Production, which is out now on the Attack Store.
This comprehensive 218-page book offers exclusive content from Attack's award-winning team, covering everything you need to produce all forms of techno. Plus, it includes over 1GB of audio samples and additional project files, making it an essential resource for both beginners and experienced producers.
Featuring artist insights from 99999999, Alan Fitzpatrick, Cressida, Dave Clarke, Deepak Sharma, DVS1, Florian Meindl, Francois X, Helena Hauff, Hemka, Indira Paganotto, Jamaica Suk, Ken Ishii, Len Faki, Lucinee, Manni Dee, Metapattern, Minuit Machine, Nina Kraviz, Noemi Black, Par Grindvik, Perc, Pfriter, Raven, Regal, Risa Taniguchi, Rudosa and more!
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The Resident Advisor jobs site has been overhauled, with a fresh rebrand plus a transition to a not-for-profit electronic music jobs and opportunities platform.
Doors Open has announced its rebrand and transition to a not-for-profit electronic music jobs and opportunities platform. The website has added increased functionality, added a new resource hub, and furthered activity around its existing initiatives—UNLOCKED and FORWARD IN SOUND.
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The company has also registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC), which paves the way for 100% of Doors Open’s profits to be reinvested into creating opportunities and resources to help music industry job seekers. With a mantra of enabling equitable access, profits are also invested into resources, programs, and initiatives designed to support a more diverse and inclusive music industry workforce.
The rebrand includes a relaunched YouTube channel, starting with a mini-series published in collaboration with Mutual Friends. The masterclass series is geared towards improving employability as a content creator, with sessions focused on “Getting Started,” “Landing the job,” “Connections and clients,” and “Delivery.”
The new Doors Open is now live. Find out more on the website or follow on Instagram.
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“When The Music Ends” is based on real-life accounts from anonymous contributors and follows the individual stories of three people from the most at-risk groups identified in a study carried out by the Electronic Music Inclusion Initiative.
MeToo Music, a dedicated music industry activism group, has unveiled a new film production investigating instances of sexual abuse in clubland culture and its consequences.
The five-minute short film premiered in Berlin last week and is sponsored by Beatport, Pioneer, Safer Dance, Ravemore, and Reprise Talent Agency. It follows the stories of three individual characters detailing painfully honest everyday situations that clubbers and those employed in the night time sector experience.
The film is part of MeToo Music's #ForTheMusic campaign and produced by Berlin-based production company Spilled Milk. Written and directed by Mo Kanaan it stars Luna Baptiste, Frederic Balonier, Justus Riesner, Vincent Ercolani and Lujain Mustafa, among others.
The film follows a study carried out by the Electronic Music Inclusion Initiative (EMII). The global study found reports from 28 countries highlighting 615 separate incidents.
Reports predominantly come from the UK, Germany, and the US, with females aged 26- 35 most likely to come forward.
Despite this, many still hesitate to report due to fears of inaction, disbelief, or retaliation. Notably, incidents primarily revolved around gender or sexual orientation, with a significant intersectional impact observed, particularly among women of color.
Find MeToo Music online.
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The legendary stars' home will soon be available for rent on Airbnb.
In what might be considered a slight surprise for fans of Prince, his legendary iconic home in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will soon be available for rent on Airbnb. The late artist, who passed away at 57 in 2016 from an accidental fentanyl overdose, had purchased the property a year before his death.
Next month it will open its doors to a few lucky fans, courtesy of Prince's former bandmates from The Revolution - Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman.
In a statement to Airbnb, the duo expressed their excitement: "We were fortunate to be part of the Minneapolis music scene during such a pivotal time for rock, playing alongside Prince in one of the most iconic bands of our generation and starring with him in Purple Rain."
Fans staying at the home will gain exclusive access to Purple Rain-themed art and music, as well as the property's distinctive features. The residence, recently restored, includes purple velvet wallpaper, a retro 1980s stereo system, a clawfoot tub, drums, and stained-glass windows. Guests will even get a glimpse inside Prince’s wardrobe, filled with his legendary outfits.
There’s also a hidden treasure room accessible through a secret door, which guests can discover during their stay. The rental opportunity is limited to 25 one-night stays, with booking requests opening from October 2 at 6:00 AM PT until October 6 at 11:59 PM PT on Airbnb’s website. Stays will take place between October 26 and December 14, allowing up to four guests per booking.
Find out more on Airbnb.
Photos courtesy of Airbnb / Eric Ogden.
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Ahead of his US tour, you can catch Lacchesi at Boiler Room Barcelona in October or at RSO, Berlin, next weekend.
Why music?Because it’s something we all share.
If you weren't making music, what would you be doing?I guess I like cooking, not because I’m particularly skilled, but because I believe there are similarities in the creation process. Rush hours in restaurants feel like the good pressure you feel while performing.
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?You can be great but don’t forget to be good.
What inspires you?People.
LacchesiWhat's the next big thing?I am excited about my Boiler Room debut in Barcelona in October.
Best club experience?My first solo all-nighter.
What's the worst job you’ve ever had?I was working as a barman during Covid. A seven hour shift with a mask on sucked.
How do you know when a track's finished?You never really do. You gotta let it go at some point.
What was your last day job, and when did you realize you could give it up?I worked at a radio station as a sound engineer when I started having more gigs during the big warehouse era before COVID-19. It felt incredible to have this much fun for a living but I loved my job at the time too.
Which song do you wish you wrote?Veridis Quo by Daft Punk.
What's the easiest way to make it in the music industry?There is no easy way. Work hard, keep your head down, don’t copy others, and make sure you’re working with the right people.
What's the worst track you've ever released?You decide.
Recommend us a film.Persona by Ingmar Bergman.
Recommend us a book.Seta by Alessandro Baricco.
What or who is underrated?The next generation of artists.
What or who is overrated?Social media popularity.
What are you addicted to?Cigarettes, sadly.
What do you lust over?The next city I’m going to discover.
What is your greatest regret?That I never had the opportunity to play in venues that shut down, such as De School Amsterdam, Printworks London, or Concrete Paris Main Room.
What one thing would most improve your life?A little less jeopardy.
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever played?I can’t remember, but I guess some of the gigs at the beginning of my career. They wouldn't be as fun to me now...
Collaboration: rich creative experience or pain in the ass?It's been a very rich creative experience. I love seeing how others get their ideas and apply them. It's crazy how much you can learn from other artists' workflows.
What’s the secret to a great mix?Good selection and reading the crowd correctly.
If you could only listen to one more track, what would it be?Piano Concerto N°2 by Dmitri Shostakovich.
How do you relax?Classical music.
What one piece of software/kit could you not do without? Why?The Soundtoys plug-ins suite. Some of those plug-ins are mandatory for me for mixing and sound design.
Art or money?Art, I guess.
Ronaldo or Messi?I could not care less, honestly.
Strangest place you ever wrote a track?In an airport toilet because it was the only place with an outlet, and an old computer needed one at all times. I thought I was onto something.
Must-visit record store?Disk Union Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.
What's your single biggest frustration in the music industry?Everything you miss out on, but patience is key.
What’s your favorite label? Why?I guess I will be forever tied to Purpose Maker because it’s one of the labels that made me fall in love with techno music when I went to the record shop growing up. However, I don’t play those vinyls so much nowadays.
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What's the worst thing about making music?Frustration!
What’s your motto?Know your strengths and work on your weaknesses. You can’t go anywhere if you’re not aware of both.
Name something timelessPink Floyd.
Tweet us a tip. What’s the best production advice you can give in 140 characters or less?Start with a solid drum pattern. If your track does not groove by itself without any synth, you’ll eventually go back to it and change everything.
You also need to acquire basic musical knowledge. Out-of-tune keys, even drums, can really mess up your track.
Complete this sentence: At heart I'm just a frustrated ......aspiring producer
If someone saw a performance of yours in 1000 years, what do you think they would they say?People were partying and talking about how it used to be better, but only because we were too afraid of our future.
Can music change the world?I wish it could, but too many people don't listen.
What are you listening to right now?Waiting in Arisaig by Lord Of The Isles.
What should you do before you die? Travel more and more and moreProduce a score for a film.
Find Lacchesi on Instagram.
Catch Lacchesi at Boiler Room in Barcelona.
Lacchesi's latest release,'Babcock Faceplant', is out now.
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In this Synth Secrets, we’ll recreate some of the jungle’s most iconic and oft-used samples from scratch using Zebra2.
Sure, you can use a sample. There are so many sample companies now you're spoilt for choice. But if everyone else is, why not learn to do it from scratch? Then you can genuinely tweak it and make it your own. We’re going to get as close as possible to the exact sound of some classic dub sirens deployed across countless jungle, drum and bass, and garage tracks.
It’s a useful exercise in getting loads of vibe and color out of digital, virtual synthesizers. Ultimately, building the sample in a synth can open the sound up in huge ways.
Let’s start with one of our favorites, a sound popularized by DJ Gunshot’s 1996 track “Wheel Up.” Listen for its first appearance at the six-second mark and then again at nine seconds.
WhoSampled tells us that the sound has been sampled in 44 songs, but we all know that’s a massive underestimate! That sample has been featured in jungle, drum and bass, and garage tracks closer to 4,400 times over the years!
Here's what we're building:
And this is how it sounds in the context of a full composition:
We will use u-he’s powerful Zebra2 for all of our synthesis and effects. If you haven’t yet tried the Zebra family of synthesizers, download a demo here and thank us later. We’ll be using Ableton Live as our DAW but of course these concepts translate to your DAW of choice.
Set your DAW’s BPM to 174, punch this MIDI sequence in (yes… it’s just one note, and that’s C4 - yes it's explosive), and let’s get going.
Step 1: Setting the FoundationStart by initializing the patch. Now move to the bottom of the interface where the GLOBAL tab is highlighted and select the OSC1 tab. In the waveform selector which starts off with none selected, switch to the Tri-Saw-Pulse setting.
Then set Tune to 15.5 so when we hit middle C we get the pitch we want.
Progress so far = next to nil, but just wait…
Step 2: Sirens OnNow let’s get some rapid gratification. On the right side, head over to the LFO1 module and start by changing the waveform to sqr lo-hi. Then change Sync to 0.1s, set Restart to gate, Rate down to 88, and Phase to 25.
Then click on the Matrix tab to call up the mod matrix and route Lfo1 to osc1:tune Then turn the amount knob up to 8.
Now we can start to hear where we’re going.
Step 3: A Touch of DirtIn the main grid we’re going to click on an empty cell beneath OSC1 and select Noise1 from the menu. Repeat once more to create another noise generator. The first one will give us some gritty tape hiss and the second a subtle crackle to make the sound feel like it was lifted from vinyl.
On the Noise 1 module’s controls, turn LP cutoff down to about 3 o’clock and turn HP cutoff to about 12 o’clock, shaving off the highs and lows to get a vintage midrange vibe. Turn the volume down to about 9 o’clock.
On Noise 2, change the mode from white to crackles. Turn HP cutoff up to 3 o’clock. This is one subtle change that will add up in the end.
Step 4: More Tone ShapingBack on the main grid, add VCF 1 to a cell beneath the noise generators. Change the filter type from LP Excite to LP Vintage, turn the cutoff down to 3 o’clock, and resonance up to 9 o’clock to remove some of the remaining high frequencies.
Step 5: True GritWe can’t make this sample sound dusty enough. Layer after layer of saturation get us where we need to be. In the main grid, add Dist1 to a cell beneath the rest. Change the mode to Tube 2 Stages, then boost the input to about 9 o’clock, and adjust the Pre Tilt and Post Tilt as pictured.
Step 6: Aftereffects (not Adobe)Now we click the GLOBAL tab on the bottom pane so we can see the FX grid. We’ll remove the existing mod FX module and replace it with Delay1, Dist3, and Comp1. A wide, dubby delay, some additional grit and a tilt EQ to reintroduce some grainy high frequencies, and a compressor at the end to give everything a nice tight hug give us what we’re after.
Adjust the parameters to match what’s pictured beneath.
Final ThoughtsOver the years, this sound has been pitched up, pitched down, filtered, and affected in every way conceivable—have some fun with it. Resample it, mangle it, and make it your own, and it will certainly add some authentic-sounding jungle flavor to your composition.
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Ruiner follows closely on the heels of OSS, Song Athletics' debut plugin, which was released earlier this year.
Ruiner offers a versatile toolkit for signal destruction, allowing for creative sound manipulation through eight distinct effects:
- Stutter: A beat repeater with a dial that adjusts both the probability and rate of the repeat.
- Granular: Custom grain manipulation, with increasing complexity controlled via the dial.
- Compress: A punchy compressor where the dial sets the threshold.
- Bit Crush: Stepped bit depth control, moving from 16 bits down to 8 bits.
- Harmonic Distortion: Combines dry/wet mix and drive, adjustable through the dial.
- Overdrive: Adjusts the amount of modeled diode clipping via the dial.
- Tape: Blends dry/wet with options for tape degradation, all controlled by the dial.
- Static: Introduces a combination of static noises, including analog circuit noise and vinyl surface noise.
The Mix Control allows precise blending of the original and processed signals, making RUINER a powerful tool for creative sound destruction.
Ruiner is available as a VST3/AU and runs on Windows 10/11 and MacOS 10.11 (or later). It also supports Intel Macs. The full download size is 194 MB uncompressed and was engineered by John Howes, aka Cong Burn.
Ruiner is out now priced at £20. Find out more on Song Athletics website.
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In this Beat Dissected, we're making a hypnotic percussive heavy techno beat inspired by Berghain resident and BITE label owner, Phase Fatale.
New York native Hayden Payne, known professionally as Phase Fatale, relocated to Berlin in 2014. He quickly established himself as a Berghain resident, captivating audiences with his intense live sets characterized by driving, tense rhythms. His distinctive sound has earned him acclaim, leading to releases on prominent labels including Berghain’s own Ostgut Ton, Aufnahme + Wiedergabe, and Jealous God, the latter founded in part by the late Silent Servant..
In today's Beat Dissected, we highlight the incredible beat from Phase Fatale's latest EP, "Love Is Destructive." We won't promise to make a direct replica, but instead, we will look at a few of the techniques deployed to create his signature sound.
Here’s what we’re making today:
And here’s how the beat sounds with melody for context:
Remember, click any image to enlarge!
[spec tempo="138 BPM" swing="50%" sounds="Ableton Live 11 Suite"]
Step 1: Layering the kickPhase Fatale performs with the Roland TR-8 drum machine, a highly engaging tool for live shows. It employs analog circuitry to emulate classic Roland groove boxes like the 606, 707, 727, 808, and 909. His club tracks are known for their deep, rumbling bass, and by layering our kick, we can get close.
Add an empty Drum Rack to your channel and drop Kick-909.adg onto F1 and Kick C2-709.aif onto F0. Now program a four-to-the-floor pattern.
Next, we're going to add an effects processing chain. Search for the EQ Eight, find the preset Kick EQ 4 and drop it after your Drum Rack. That way, it affects all sounds in your Drum Rack.
Starting with EQ Eight, change band 1’s frequency to 11.1 Hz and have the tail have a soft cut to maintain the rumbling low end. Add Drum Buss and apply the settings in the image below.
Lastly, add a Limiter after Drum Bus. Reduce the ceiling to -12 dB and increase Lookahead to 6ms to reduce distortion while preserving the transient. Set Release to 0.82 ms. You can also compensate for the Limiter’s reduction by adding Utility with 12 dB gain and selecting Mono.
💡Top Tip: Use a frequency spectrum analyzer, like Spectrum in Live, to visualize non-audible frequencies. This is especially useful if you are mixing at low levels.
Step 2: Hi-hatsThis 90s throwback energy hits hard with its dynamic percussion. Next, we’ll focus on layering the three hi-hats driving this track.
First, load a 709 Kit into a new MIDI track. Replace Snare A4-709 with Hihat-707-Open.adg. We're
Now, recreate our two-bar pattern in the image below. Notice we're laying a closed hi-hat and an open hat as a layered 16th rhythm with another open hi-hat programmed on every offbeat.
Expand the 709 Kit in Session View to refine the pattern and remove the choke on each instrument. By removing choke, we ensure we can hear the percussive elements.
Let's refine it further. Tighten the Hihat-707-Open by trimming it to around the 0:00:250 mark. Now, add the Noise Drums audio effect vocoder. Set dry/wet to 37%. Bring in a utility and set the balance to 7R.
For Open-Hat-709 and Closed Hat 709 load up Utility and pan the balance to 34L.
💡Top Tip: Utility modules are versatile tools for your mix. Use them to control volume, widen stereo, or convert the low end to mono. This improves clarity, balance, and overall mix quality.
Step 3: ClapWith Clap 709, program a 4-beat clap pattern to hit on each beat of the bar. This will add texture and complement the kick. Additionally, apply the Redux effect with generous settings to give the clap an extra layer of noise.
Step 4: SnareIt's common for snares to be on beat 2 and 4 of a bar. But Phase Fatale's track uses a breakbeat pattern which is also popular and something we've covered previously. You can use a drum break, like the well oiled Amen Break, or you can program something to replicate its swing and energy - which is what we're doing.
In our 709 Kit, swap out Snare A3-709 for Snare Damp and program the pattern below. It's the same for both bars. The hits fall on each bar's Steps 5, 8, 10, 13, and 16.
Now add a utility and set the balance to 16R. Simple right?
Step 5: Hi-hat & congaLets introduce a call-and-response using the hi-hat as the call and the conga as the response. The interplay helps add depth, tension, and release—elements commonly found in techno.
Create a new MIDI track and add the Shaker-DMX Drum Rack. Load the HiHat Closed Noise Soft sample onto D3. Pan the track to 7L.
Let’s automate the call’s tail-end noise envelope! Switch to Arrangement View and select View, then Automation mode. On the same track, select Drum Noise Glitcher, and we'll automate Distort. Draw something that works; we're using the automation below.
For our conga responce, create another MIDI track and add Conga Hi Muted. Pan the track to 10R.
Add the ABLCR Muffled Metal reverb and set it to 85% dry/wet, followed by a Drum Noise Glitcher.
For automation, we're automating two parameters: Drum Noise Glitcher—Distort and Dry/Rack. Follow our settings below for similar results.
Now let’s group the tracks together and label it CallResponse to stay organized.
💡Top Tip: Group the conga and the hi-hat in Step 5 to keep your session organized.
Step 6: MasteringAdd the Master Wide & Warm compressor and set the comp (compression) dry/wet to 50%. This will level out our track but not smash the dynamic range too much, allowing the cycling elements to breathe.
Lastly, add a limiter. Adjust the lookahead to 6 ms to monitor for any peaks from the heavy kick we’ve built.
Vamp Acid is a music producer, live techno artist, host and curator of Hrdwre.io based in Berlin. Find Vamp Acid on Instagram.
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With limited tickets available, celebrate the future of techno with an epic daytime event during ADE 2024 on October 19th from midday to 11 pm.
That rare ADE jewel, a full-length, multi-stage, daytime festival, Dockyard Warehouse Festival, is already placed high on the list of must-have tickets for this year’s annual dance music conference.
But the anticipation has been heightened since the confirmation of Artcore Records boss Indira Paganotto, whose name has now added to the HE.SHE.THEY. stage.
Indira Paganotto’s has featured regularly in Attack over the previous few years. Her reputation for delivering eclectic sets that run from 90’s disco through to the latest underground techno and psy-trance IDs has made her one of the planet’s most in-demand artists. She will take the stage alongside Cera Khin, Chippy Nonstop, Dax J b2b SPFDJ, SNTS and Wax Wings, a forward-thinking line-up that is proving the hallmark of Dockyard’s Hembrugterrein-based Warehouse edition.
The full lineup for the HE.SHE.THEY. stage:
A/DRFT (LIVE) • ADIEL B2B GRACE DAHL • ARTBAT • CERA KHIN • CHIPPY NONSTOP • COLIN BENDERS • DAX J B2B SPFDJ • DJ GIGOLA • EFFY • EMILY NASH • FADI MOHEM B2B THE LADY MACHINE • FRED LENIX • KAS:ST • KÖLSCH • LB AKA LABAT • LOBSTER • LOSLESS • MOODY MEHRAN • NOAH LEVEYE • OLYMPE • PARTIBOI69 • PHARA B2B STRANGER • SNTS • WAX WINGS
Speaking about the announcement Indira Paganotto explains: "I'm so happy to be on the Dockyard Warehouse Festival line-up during ADE this year. It's something new and very exciting since I've never played at Dockyard before and this iconic location. So I have a very special set in mind, it will be massive. I will see you there, let's go my warriors!"
In addition to the announcement of Indira Paganotto, Dockyard today also announced a new media partnership with legendary dance music radio station Ibiza Sonica, who will be bringing their radio studio on-site for the very first time. For the on-site studio, sets will be streamed to a global audience, so if you’re not in Amsterdam, you can still dial in.
“This is the first time Ibiza Sonica has joined forces with Dockyard Warehouse Festival,” said Patricia Nespereira, Ibiza Sonica’s Head of Marketing. “We will have our own open space within the festival where we’ll broadcast live for three hours, inviting artists from the line-up to show their music and chat. We’ll bring the essence of the festival and techno culture to fans all around the world who can’t experience it in person, with our presenters giving listeners highlights of this very special 10th anniversary celebration of Dockyard at ADE.”
Further highlights across the four stages of Dockyard Warehouse Festival include a head-to-head between DANZA TRIBALE boss ADIEL and Vault Sessions resident Grace Dahl, and Britain’s Dax J against underground queen SPFDJ. Ukrainian superstars ARTBAT bring the uncompromising visuals of their ARTBAT pres. UPPERGROUND show, as well as Danish house legend Kölsch. On the Warehouse and Laboratory stages some of the most exciting new talent from across the techno sphere lines up to show ADE what the future of the genre holds: Effy, DJ Gigola, Partyboi69, Moody Mehran, Emily Nash, LB aka LABAT, Colin Benders, Noah Leveye, A/DRFT, Fadi Mohem, The Lady Machine, Phara, and Stranger.
It's hard to stand out at ADE, with the majority of the world’s biggest artists landing en masse, but by giving the immense space of Hembrugterrein over to the next generation of techno stars Dockyard Warehouse Festival has carved itself out a completely unique niche that no other event is offering.
Find Indira Paganotto on Instagram.
Buy tickets for Dockyard Festival.
Find Ibiza Sonica on Instagram. Find Dockyard on Instagram.
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Think of Poseidon, and you might think of the 1972 film, but think again. Pulsar Audio is turning everything upside down with its new EQ, inspired by the Trident A-Range Console.
Pulsar Audio, has released a new plug-in, Poseidon, which aims to faithfully emulate the legendary EQ section of the Trident A-Range console.
EQ, like the Trident, holds a special reverence as it's rare and iconic in equal measure. Integral to the sound of artists such as David Bowie, Queen, and Elton John, it is now available to be integral to your own sound.
In recent trials of Pulsar Audio, we've found their emulations to be as faithful as possible. Two years ago, they released the Massive plugin, which is an emulation of the renowned Manley Massive Passive EQ, which we found to be good value and accurate. The company is making a name for itself with faithful EQ emulations.
The A-Range console's four-band EQ is celebrated for its musical qualities, utilizing a pair of inductor-based mid-band peak filters in combination with high- and low-shelf filters. One of its most striking visual elements is the use of faders for adjusting each band’s level, rather than traditional knobs.
The biggest challenge was the unusual filter curves and band interactions. To make this possible, Poseidon addresses this by offering a modern interactive and detailed visual display of the EQ curve for real-time feedback.
Further enhancements to the original include frequency controls that are continuously variable rather than limited to fixed points and an expanded frequency range beyond what was originally. The joys of digital emulations, hey?
Plus, you have Mid-Side processing, a Gain Scale control, and an Auto-Gain function for maintaining consistent output levels. A neat flexibility feature is that Poseidon incorporates emulations of the A-Range preamp and two output transformer options that enhance low-end harmonics. Coupled with built-in saturation effects, there's scope for significantly more tonal shaping than originally possible.
Poseidon is compatible with Windows 7 and above or macOS 10.8 or higher. It is available in VST, VST3, AU, and AAX formats, with iLok authorization required.
Poseidon is available now at an introductory price of £51 (regular price £85) until October 8th.
For more information visit Pulsar Audio.
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We spoke with DVS1 at IMS in 2022 about his new company Aslice. Two years later, it announced it's closing.
RIP then, Aslice, the brainchild of legendary DJ DVS1. In case you missed it, Aslice encouraged DJs to give up a slice of their fee which was then dished out to the producers of the actual tracks the DJs had played in their sets.
Some readers were irate about DJs being expected to give away some of their income, having already bought a track, but this idea came from a good place. A highly-respected DJ didn’t like that so many of the talented people who produce the raw musical building blocks of our scene couldn’t make a living in a world of music streaming and performance royalty organisations that only focused on Top 40 hits. DVS1 put his heart and soul into this and it’s sad to see it fail.
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Whatever you think about Aslice, though, it was symptomatic of an industry with unresolved issues. It’s no secret that the streaming model only really functions for major labels, currently, while music downloads are largely reserved for a handful of DJs, and they're soon to be replaced by on-demand streaming for DJ sets. And even if vinyl does theoretically offer a way to actually earn money from releases, the major labels seem determined to guzzle up 90% of pressing plant capacity to rush out vast ‘limited edition’ runs of Oasis’ second album in time for next year’s MMA (Mixed Marshall Amp) stadium fight tour.
Naturally, people are looking for solutions, so it’s no surprise that in the same month Aslice closed its doors we got wind of a new start-up seeking to boost sales for independent artists. Meet Equa.ls.
The idea is that music fans download the Equa.ls app, browse music, share tracks they like with other listeners, then get 5% commission on any sales their recommendation generates. Why not streaming revenue? Well, at 5% of $0.003 per Spotify stream, a fan would need to generate 666,667 streams to earn $1.
On paper, there’s a nice logic to Equa.ls: motivate engaged fans to share music; encourage a streaming-centric market to actually buy stuff; create a purchase-inclined marketplace for labels and producers to promote their music to (which is, we suspect, where Equa.ls hopes to generate revenue).
So will it work? Let’s look at why Aslice was probably doomed to fail and see what lessons this offers up for Equa.ls. A quick warning, though, this next bit contains a bunch of numbers. If you find they don’t stack up, don't panic… that’s because you’re reading them right.
To see why Aslice wasn’t a viable solution for an industry where about 100,000 new tracksper day are uploaded to streaming and download sites, and producers can’t make a living, let’s see what would need to happen for a producer to earn $500 per week from Aslice.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Aslice (@asliceofficial)
For simplicity’s sake, let’s focus on the US and UK alone, and take the generally bandied figure of 11,000 and 5,000 pro DJs, respectively. Let’s also pretend that each of our DJs is playing one hour per week, and earning $500 per week in fees from it. And let’s guesstimate that each DJ plays 15 tracks per one hour set. Oh, and let’s base this on every DJ giving away 10% of their fee for every set.
That’s all pretty optimistic, but let’s see if we can make it work on these generous numbers.
Okay, given all of this, how many club spins would you need to make $500 per week? About 150.
Sounds doable, right? Well, let’s try saying that a few different ways…
– One in every 106 DJs – across all genres – playing one of your tracks every weekend. That’s about 1%.
– Your track played once for every 1,600 songs played in every club, every week. With 700,000 new songs uploaded every week, and hundreds of millions already out there.
Viewed like that, the chances of any individual producer making meaningful revenue appear lottery-like. Unless they’re one of the top-selling producers in the world. Surely Aslice’s best hope was to make upper-tier producers some more cash? And even then, only if our highly optimistic assumptions were true. Was it ever going to work?
So what are the lessons for Equa.ls? Equa.ls takes a different approach, but still relies on a pool of sales which we’re entitled to doubt exists. How excited will music fans be about their 5% when they see what that means in an industry where you can reach top spot on some genre Beatport Release charts with just 50 sales? That would net a music fan a penny or less (which is a penny more than the artist would get as most labels don’t actually pay out for invoices that are less than £100).
We have to ask: Is there really a plausible way for 99.9999% of producers to make a living out of today’s model? And if not, should we stop pretending there could be? Otherwise there’s no impetus to actually change things. It feels a bit like somebody accepting that global warming is happening but kidding themselves that there’s a way to stop it that doesn’t involve giving up cheap flights and five-minute drives to the shops.
If all of this seems overly negative about the industry, it shouldn’t. Most of us started making music for pleasure, with no dreams to make it our living. Being a pro producer was always a lucky privilege, and still is. The only thing that’s changed is the nature of the obstacles and the barriers.
Besides, there are plenty of benefits. In the past you needed a studio and a record deal to share your music. This was a huge barrier to millions, whether it was women who didn’t want to run the gauntlet of a patronising and predatory studio / label system, or people in parts of the world where there was no access to studios or globally-reaching distribution. Today there are countless amazing artists, both at home and abroad, who simply would not have been on our radar in years gone by.
But all that said, if we accept that there are some serious inequalities of revenue distribution in the industry, perhaps it’s time we started being a bit more honest about our own contribution to that. Sure, the industry was always a bit of a closed shop that favoured the major labels, but now we actually have the technology to challenge that. The question we need to ask is, can that really be done without us sacrificing something we’ve become accustomed to, namely universal catalogues on demand while spending next to – if not actually – nothing?
For more information, read the full report 'A Slice of Fairness' on the closure of Aslice.
Follow DVS1 on Instagram.
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In this short documentary, Lisa Bella Donna explores her passion for modular synthesis, the history of the ARP 2600 synthesizer, and how she uses the only recreation originally endorsed by Alan R. Pearlman, the AIR TimewARP 2600. If you like what you hear, we're giving away ten free presets to try.
“The best ARP 2600 song ever recorded is Black Sabbath…who are you?” is as strong an opening line for any interview we’ve published. But, Lisa Bella Donna is no ordinary interviewee.
The internationally acclaimed recording artist, composer, modular synthesist, sound designer, educator, and clinician has a vast discography while also developing extensive techniques with musique concreté, modular synthesis, analog recording and mixing techniques, microtonal music, orchestration, and film composition. Few have her track record, and few are as eligible to dive into the history of the ARP 2600.
In this new documentary, produced by AIR Music Tech, she explains how she became fascinated by the legendary ARP 2600 and, more recently, AIR TimewARP 2600, a highly accurate software recreation.
Although the TimewARP 2600 is a faithful software replica of the original ARP 2600, it introduces several exciting enhancements. One notable upgrade is the addition of eight-voice polyphony, a significant departure from the original's monophonic design. While the classic ARP 2600 could produce multiple notes by tuning its three oscillators to different pitches, the TimewARP 2600 expands on this capability, allowing for a richer, more complex sound palette.
Another valuable feature is the inclusion of patch memory. Say goodbye to the days of painstakingly creating a patch book or relying on memory alone. With patch memory, recalling and managing your sounds becomes effortless, saving you both time and frustration.
To celebrate these upgrades, we're thrilled to partner with Air Music Tech to offer Attack readers an exclusive 50% discount on the TimewARP 2600, affectionately known as the TW2600. Simply use the discount code "ATTACK2600" at checkout. Plus, enjoy ten free presets (below) to get you started.
Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, The Who, and Black Sabbath - to name just a few - have all given us countless audio joy with the ARP 2600. They can’t all be wrong! Let’s find out why.
JUMP TO THE FREE PRESETS!
Watch Sonic Explorations With Lisa Bella DonnaAbout the ARP 2600The ARP 2600 is an iconic synth, and with some luck, you might still track one down on the market today.
Originally released in 1971 and in production for a decade, the ARP 2600 was the first semi-modular synthesizer, setting a standard for all future designs in this category. Its three highly stable VCOs (Voltage Controlled Oscillators), capable of generating simultaneous sawtooth, square, triangle, sine, and pulse waves, allow for the creation of dense, harmonically rich tones.
An original ARP 2600The company’s name, ARP, is an acronym for its founder’s initials - Alan R. Pearlman, a former NASA engineer. His vision was to create user-friendly, reliable, and musically expressive synthesizers. They succeeded early on with models like the ARP 2500 and ARP Odyssey. However, the ARP 2600, became their most famous product due to its innovative design, offering musicians flexibility and portability.
📸: The sound of R2-D2 was created with the ARP 2600While ARP dominated the synthesizer market during the early '70s, financial difficulties and increased competition eventually led to the company’s closure in 1981. However, their legacy lives on, particularly with the AIR TimewARP 2600. For an intro price of $49, you can get all the features at your fingertips for a fraction of the price; plus, you won’t break your back carrying it around in your backline!
Get Ten Free Presets For TimewARP 2600 To celebrate its launch, we’ve teamed up with AIR to give you ten free presets from the Sonic Explorations preset expansion pack, all individually designed by Lisa Bella Donna herself. These include:
- Bass - Cybord Sequencers
- Generative - Early 1974 Sequence
- Generative - Electronic Forest
- Generative - Glasswork Organ & Celeste
- Lead - Mountain Flute
- Keys - Fascination
- Pad - In Transit of Dream
- Pad - Invisible Sun
- Pad - Pyramid
- Pattern/Sequence - Future Game
📸: Sonic Explorations preset pack
If you like what you hear, you can check out the entirety of the Sonic Explorations preset expansion pack on SoundCloud. The pack beckons you to explore 65 galactic, aquatic, and undiscovered worlds alike. Embark on a hunt for treasure in worlds evocative of Asimov, Herbert, and Dick. The full pack includes 4 basses, 5 brass, 5 keys, 10 leads, 3 plucks, 12 pad/strings, 22 generative presets, 4 rhythm presets.
This comprehensive library of unexpected yet comforting soundscapes built the foundation of Lisa’s latest album, Hysteresis. Listen to it for some inspiration, then strap in and begin your own expedition.
Hysteresis by Lisa Bella DonnaDownload ten free presetsDiscover the TimewARP 2600, the only ARP 2600 emulator orginally endorsed by the late inventor Alan R. Pearlman. It's not just another synthesizer; it's a bridge to a storied past.
TimewARP 2600: A Gateway to Modular SynthesisThe TimewARP 2600 opens the doors of modular synthesis to all. With its in-depth guides, it’s a perfect starting point for newcomers, yet its advanced features are robust enough to engage even the most seasoned synth heads.
What sets this unit apart is its versatility with external sound sources. Plug in a guitar, microphone, or other audio gear to bring an additional signal into the mix. The TimewARP 2600 allows you to turn that input into an oscillator, LFO modulator, control voltage, and beyond, processing and transforming audio into new textures. For instance, Pete Townshend famously used this feature to shape his iconic guitar tone on The Who's "Who Are You."
Endorsed by Alan R. Pearlman himself before his passing in 2019, the TimewARP 2600 stands as the most faithful and accurate emulation of the legendary ARP 2600. Its authenticity is unmatched, offering a true-to-life modular experience. You can try it for free—and while you're at it, download Lisa Bella Donna’s free presets to jumpstart your creativity and discover the full potential of this iconic synthesizer.
*Find out more about* TimewARP 2600, and remember to use the discount code for a 50% discount.****
USE DISCOUNT CODE: ATTACK2600 Check out the full preset pack Sonic Explorations here.
Find Lisa Bella Donna on Instagram.
Follow AIR Music Tech on Instagram.
Find out more about AIR TimewARP 2600.
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Catch rising star Anxhela on tour in the US in 2025.
Anxhela Daci, professionally known as Anxhela, is an Italian-Albanian DJ currently based in Barcelona. She's about to embark on her first U.S. tour, marking a significant milestone in her career.
Anxhela’s passion for electronic music developed during her teenage years, particularly in the techno genre. By 17, she was already creating her own mixes, setting the stage for her future career. Her music is characterized by hard techno beats with a distinctive fusion of trance and acid elements, which she also incorporates into her productions.
Her debut release, “3nter 0n the 3ternal Acid Rave,” under MRC Records, was an intense, driving piece of acid techno. This track helped her gain recognition within the underground techno scene. Soon after, her collaboration with Alignment on "Straight Into Your Face" for Voxnox Records became the standout track from the VA Acceleration Series Vol. II, solidifying her growing reputation.
Despite having only played her first gig in 2020, Anxhela quickly ascended to the top of the techno scene. She has performed at major venues like Thuishaven, Taets Art & Event Park, and Club Basis, with one of her most notable performances being at Verknipt Festival 2023 in Belgium.
For more updates on her work, you can follow Anxhela on Instagram, and tune into her latest Euphoria Podcast 043.
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LabelRadar's new Artist Network, as part of The Beatport Group, enables musicians to connect and collaborate based on genre, tools, location, and project availability.
The Beatport Group and LabelRadar have introduced the Artist Network, a feature aimed at helping musicians connect and collaborate with fellow creators. This new tool is designed to streamline finding potential collaborators, allowing artists to discover peers with similar interests more easily. LabelRadar, part of Beatport's Music Services division, is being overseen by Alex Branson.
Data shows that 68% of artists face difficulties in finding collaborators, often due to challenges in locating others with compatible musical styles or tools. The Artist Network is intended to address these issues by offering a structured way for users to find and connect with others based on specific criteria such as genre, country, and preferred digital audio workstation (DAW). Additionally, users can specify their availability for remote, in-person, or hybrid projects.
The platform is intended to provide a space where artists can expand their creative opportunities, enhance their promotional reach, and connect with new fanbases. It also allows for professional networking and skill development across genres.
Derek Clark, Director of Product Management (Music Services) at Beatport and Co-Founder of LabelRadar, noted that the new feature aligns with LabelRadar’s broader mission to support the artist community. "The Artist Network is designed to make collaboration more accessible for artists, giving them tools to connect and grow," Clark said.
The closure of Aslice, announced on Monday, dealt a significant blow to musician collaboration. Aslice, an altruistic platform where DJs shared their earnings, cited the lack of collaboration between musicians as a key factor in its closure. While the newly launched Artist Network isn't positioned to solve this issue directly, it aims to create a space where collaboration, trust, and relationships can thrive. This platform may, in time, lay the groundwork for something akin to Aslice, fostering a more connected and cooperative artist community.
Find out more about Artist Network.
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CRSSD Festival returns to the San Diego waterfront next month. We caught up with Rex The Dog, Azzecca, Narciss, Mathame and Skream for some gear guidance.
CRSSD Festival in San Diego is the premier festival destination for house and techno fans on the West Coast. For British visitors, it's the perfect chance to swap the muddy fields for palm trees without compromising on a blistering lineup. It's good vibes, craft beers, and epic sunsets—with a background of electronic music.
Based at the Waterfront Park in San Diego CRSSD Festival runs over two days: Sat, 28 Sept 2024 – Sun, 29 Sept 2024. Buy tickets from the CRSSD Festival website.
Rex The Dog What is your all-time favorite bit of kit, and why?
I’ve been using a Eurorack format Modular Synth for a few years, and it’s become my main instrument. It’s a wooden box with a whole bunch of different modules; for instance, a filter from Intellijel, another filter from Serge Modular, oscillators from Make Noise, and even some modules I’ve built myself. It’s like a musical hot rod that you reconfigure using cables.
The sequencer lines on my recent tune 'Change This Pain For Ecstasy’ are all made using the Modular Synth. I love the flexibility and rawness of the sound. I even take a stripped-back version of it with me on the road for live shows.
What can we expect from your set at CRSSD Festival this year?
Lots of electronic raw synth sounds and some party chaos!
📸: Rex The Dog by Me Me Mehttps://open.spotify.com/track/2o9XDwndOF3b3uQqoI6N53?si=9affa9f0f34e43f4[advert]
AzzeccaWhat is your all-time favorite bit of kit, and why?
Anyone who listens to my music should be able to tell that I love acid and any type of resonant synth. Using an original 303 is just too time-consuming because I like the flexibility of MIDI. My favorite 303 emulator is Arturia Acid V because it has the most intuitive interface, especially the sequencer, for quickly dialing in acid patterns that I’m happy with. The onboard effects are sick, too, so the sounds are pretty much ready to go out of the box (especially all of the distortion modes).
What can we expect from your set at CRSSD Festival this year?
My sound has slightly evolved since the last time I played in San Diego, and I’ve definitely gone down a deeper more psychedelic, cosmic route. Attendees can expect a dynamic set with moments ranging from energetic and euphoric to dark and psychedelic. Of course, I’ll be showcasing quite a few of my own originals and unreleased bits.
📸: Azzecca[advert]
NarcissWhat is your all-time favorite bit of kit, and why?
I could give a cheeky answer like "My HeAdPhOnEs," but to be honest, it’s hard to argue for anything but my Roland TR-909 here.
From the first moment of plugging it in and hearing that iconic hi-hat and mid-tom cut through my speakers until now, no other piece of equipment has shaped my sound as much and stood the test of time as much. It grows with me, and every time I use it, it puts a smile on my face.
What can we expect from your set at CRSSD Festival this year?
The return of Balearic house.
📸: Narciss by Angelika Pientka MathameWhat is your all-time favorite bit of kit, and why?
In the realm of music production, we are surrounded by an array of tools and technologies, each offering its own unique capabilities. Synthesizers, drum machines, controllers, and even AI lately —while each is powerful, they are ultimately replaceable and interchangeable. What we consider indispensable today may be easily supplanted by tomorrow's innovations.
Yet, one element remains strictly needed: our opposable thumbs. This seemingly simple feature is what allows us to engage with all this technological equipment. It enables us to turn a knob with precision, press a pad with the exact force required, or manipulate a fader to shape sound in real-time.
In a world where nearly everything can be replicated or substituted, the opposable thumb is the one constant. It is the very foundation of our ability to create, the origin of every gesture that brings music to life.
What can we expect from your set at CRSSD Festival this year?
At CRSSD Festival, this reflection will manifest in a set that seamlessly merges the most authentic human capabilities with the latest technology, emotion, and violence with the opposable thumb as the silent yet essential protagonist..!
📸: Mathame by Giovanni a MochettiSkreamWhat is your all-time favorite bit of kit, and why?
One piece of production gear that I can't live without is XFER's Cthulhu. It's not just a powerful chord and arpeggio tool; it's a creative powerhouse that opens up a world of harmonic possibilities.
While working on Chester’s groove, particularly on the stabs, I used Cthulhu to generate some really intricate chord progressions. I first programmed a set of custom chords, then played with the arpeggiator to create a syncopated rhythm that added a lot of depth to the track.
I even layered two instances of Cthulhu: one providing a rich, jazzy chord structure and the other delivering a more minimal, percussive stab.
Cthulhu is indispensable for my production process because it allows me to quickly experiment with different chord voicings and rhythms without getting bogged down in the technicalities.
What can we expect from your set at CRSSD Festival this year?
You can expect a proper vibe! I’m bringing a bunch of fresh tunes that’ll keep everyone moving. It’s all about keeping the energy high and the dance floor bouncing. Gonna be a wicked time—can’t wait to bring it to CRSSD!"
📸: Skream by Jimmy Mould Follow CRSSD Festival on Instagram.
Based at the Waterfront Park in San Diego CRSSD Festival runs over two days: Sat, 28 Sept 2024 – Sun, 29 Sept 2024.
Buy tickets from the CRSSD Festival website.
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German duo and Innvervisions co-founders, Âme, have just released their remix of Mind Against 'Love Seeking'. Combining techno, breakbeat, and pop elements with a euphoric underbelly, you can hear the various influences creeping in. But what are those? We find out.
It's nearly 20 years since “Rej,” from Âme a genre-defining composition. The 2005 record became one of techno's most popular and enduring pieces of music and impossible to avoid on a night out. But it would be wrong to pigeonhole the group just on one song. There's more strings to their bow.
Âme has evolved continuously since, challenging club-goers’ expectations with their conceptually driven and thoroughly visceral music. The members of Âme often perform separately, with Beyer on DJ duties and Wiedemann playing live sets.
Furthermore, Âme are also partners at Innervisions label/collective with Dixon, fostering the future of house and techno with carefully selected releases, all-encompassing live events, and their boutique shop. Âme remains at the forefront of electronic music, but what tracks power them?
What's the first record you ever bought?Erasure - Wonderland.
The first time you remember hearing electronic music?The first time hearing electronic music was probably listening to Kraftwerk in my parents house.
Your favourite ever record?Brian Eno - Another Green World.
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The guaranteed floor-filler?The newest Trikk demo.
The best tune from last year?Depends on the circumstances, but according to my Aslice, one of my most played songs is Trikk’s Rigor.
The guilty pleasure?Ambient music.
The last track of the night?Always depends!
The best chillout record?Can’t be the same one, it needs alternation.
The best record for a family party?Well, it's my daughter’s choice...
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The soundtrack to a lazy Sunday afternoon?The last non-dance records I bought...
The worst record you've ever heardI’ve managed to forget.
The record you're proudest of?Our next album, 'ASA,' didn’t come out as a single album, but it may well be part of it.
Âme's remix of Mind Against 'Love Seeking' is out now via DJ Tennis’s Life and Death label.
Find Âme on Instagram.
Photo: Katja Ruge
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Attack Editor Eric Brünjes recently sat down with Kakul Srivastava, the CEO of Splice, to discuss the company's evolution, her leadership journey, and the challenges posed by emerging technologies like AI.
Attack first spoke with Splice in 2014 when the then-startup introduced its collaborative tool, which eventually became known as Splice Studio. Since those early days, the company has undergone rapid transformation. Within just a year of launching Splice Studio, Splice Sounds debuted, quickly growing into the largest royalty-free sound library available today. However, with growth comes the need for tough decisions—one of which was the closure of Splice Studio in 2023 as the company embarked on a new strategic direction.
At the helm of these critical decisions is Kakul Srivastava, an award-winning entrepreneur with an impressive track record. Before joining Splice, Srivastava held pivotal roles such as Vice President of Creative Cloud Experience and Engagement at Adobe, Vice President of Product & Marketing at GitHub, and played a key role in the development of iconic tech products like Adobe Photoshop, Flickr, Yahoo! Mail, and WeWork Commons.
But how does someone with a deep background in tech transition into the unique world of music production and DJing? What hurdles has she faced, and how has her tech-centric perspective shaped her approach to leading Splice? Most importantly, as the industry grapples with the rise of AI, how does she plan to steer Splice into this new era, especially after the successful launch of Splice Create? Spend just five minutes on Meta's Threads, and you'll quickly see how lively and chaotic producer and DJ discussions can get. Srivastava definitely has her work cut out for her.
Find Splice on Instagram.
While here, you may enjoy our recent feature: The Best Music Production Subscriptions For Producers.
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As a rare new signing to Marcel Fengler's IMF label, our ears were perked. It's time to find out who is rising techno star STEYA.
Since breaking through in 2022 as a regular at RSO Berlin and Grelle Forelle in Vienna, STEYA has also played Tomorrowland, Exhale, Rex Club, and Basement in NYC.
Her first forays into production were ‘Neon Reecho’ on RAW's Third Eye compilation in 2021, followed by the release of 'Elysian' on BCCO's second V/A. This soon led to ’Prototype X’ on the ‘10 Years of IMF’ that dropped in 2022, followed by a standout contribution to the label’s new HARDPROOF V/A series in 2023 with ‘Trigger Me.’
It wasn't long before her productions caught the attention of Marcel Fengler and his revered label IMF. "After experiencing many of her stunning DJ sets, it's wonderful to see her thriving also as a producer. What really excites me is witnessing her continuous growth, always fuelled by her deep passion for music. So, I’m thrilled to release STEYA's debut EP on IMF, featuring three original dancefloor anthems and two stellar remixes by Rolando and Hertz" said Fengler.
High praise and so early on in her career would always get our attention. We, therefore, decided to ask STEYA to introduce herself.
Who are you?Hey, I’m STEYA, a DJ and producer.
Where are you from?I was raised in Belgium, and now I’m based in Berlin.
What do you sound like?Groovy, sexy & with the right amount of punchiness.
"One of my biggest influences is Jeff Mills, for his pioneering role in techno music, especially his productions as “The Purpose Maker.” They still sound so fresh to me"Why should we follow what you're doing?Follow for relentless techno rollers that mesmerize and energize instantly.
Which of your tracks sums you up? Why?For now, I would say, ‘Dopamine’. It best represents my style, with its dynamic energy.
What have you got coming out in the near future?Look out for a new collab track with OGUZ on the upcoming HARDPROOF VA06 on IMF, out at the end of August.
Also, I did a remix collab with Marcel Fengler, on DLV’s new imprint
What or who is your biggest influence and why?One of my biggest influences is Jeff Mills, for his pioneering role in techno music, especially his productions as “The Purpose Maker.” They still sound so fresh to me.
What have you released so far?After contributing tracks to several VAs, I’m more than happy to finally release my debut EP, ‘Dopamine,’ on IMF, which includes very meaningful remixes by Hertz and DJ Rolando. Collaborating with these influential figures, who have profoundly shaped my musical journey, is a dream come true.
How did you get into DJing/producing to begin with?My first club experiences in Antwerp as a teenager in the 2000s inspired me. Listening there to the likes of Luke Slater or Sven Väth, and watching their mixing skills, motivated me to start DJing and producing.
What are three things on your studio shopping list?I'm looking to add an Elektron Octatrack, a high-end analogue synthesizer like the Moog Sub 37, and the AKAI Force to my studio setup.
Who or what have you sacrificed for your artI've sacrificed a lot of personal time. Friends and family have often taken a backseat as I've dedicated myself entirely to honing my skills and pursuing my passion.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by STEYA (@steya\_music)
What’s been your favourite place to play so far?Definitely, Basement in New York! It's such a great venue and a lovely crew behind it!
What one song would feature on the soundtrack to your life?It would be 'Knights of the Jaguar' by DJ Rolando. The track’s timeless quality perfectly captures the essence of my journey.
What motivates you?I’m motivated by the thrill of learning new things and the joy of overcoming challenges. The chance to innovate, grow, and make a difference in both small and big ways keeps me inspired and focused.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.I have a brown belt in Karate. However, I stopped being active ages ago. 🥋
Complete this sentence: At heart I'm just a…...raver.
What’s the best bit of advice you’ve received?Chase passion, not perfection, and never compromise on the quality of my music.
Find STEYA on Instagram. Listen to STEYA on Spotify.
'Dopamine' by STEYA is out now.
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Meet Atsushi Hoshiai aka Mr 909, the person responsible for the 909’s iconic hi-hat and cymbal samples. This is the story of the creation of one of the most famous drum machines of all time, the Roland TR-909.
It’s hard to understate the impact of the Roland TR-909. Released in 1983, the hybrid analog and digital drum machine has become a techno and dance music staple, with its sounds gracing countless numbers of tracks. From its earth-quaking thud of a kick to the knife-like slash of its sampled hi-hats, it’s hard to imagine dance music without it.
Atsushi Hoshiai and the TR-909 he helped develop. (Image courtesy of Roland.)Development of the 909 began in 1982. Intended to be the follow-up to the TR-808, it went through a number of names (TR-880, TR-880D, TR-909D) before settling on the now-familiar TR-909. Unlike its predecessor, which was all analog, the 909 featured sampled hi-hats, ride, and crash sounds, captured at a very crisp six bits, to complement the analog kick, snare, toms, and other sounds.
The digital work on the drum machine was done by Atsushi Hoshiai. The development team was headed by Tadao Kikumoto https://articles.roland.com/tadao-kikumoto-exclusive-conversation/, central to the creation of the TR-808, TB-303, TR-606, and MC-202. Having only been in the company for a total of three months, Hoshiai-san was almost immediately thrown into the deep end. “When I joined the company in April 1982,” he said, “there was already a plan to launch a successor to the TR-808.” It was time to sync or swim.
Hoshiai-san is still a Roland employee. He’s known affectionately around the office as Mr 909. This is the story of the making of the 909.
This interview was translated from Japanese and edited for clarity.
Attack: What are you most proud of about the 909?
Atsushi Hoshiai: It was not my intention, but I’m proud that the TR-909 is recognized as an instrument that created a new musical form.
Tough one – but can you name a song that raised a smile as you particularly liked the sound of the 909 in it? How did you feel hearing it?
This is a difficult question for me because I don't listen to the kind of music that the TR-909 is used for on a daily basis. (Hoshiai is a jazz enthusiast.) Around 1990, when I heard music with the 909 kick going untz untz, I thought someone discovered a new way to use it.
Looking back, did you anticipate the long-lasting influence that the TR-909 would have on music production and culture? What aspects of its legacy surprise you the most?
I never expected it. I was surprised that people move the tone knobs while playing the rhythm patterns or songs.
The TR-909 combined analog and digital components in a unique way for its time. Can you elaborate on the decision-making process behind this hybrid approach and its impact on the sound of the TR-909?
Originally, we developed the sound engine so that everything would be done in analog. We achieved better sounds with the drum instruments (kick, snare, and toms) than on previous drum machines. However, the cymbals (hi-hat, ride, and crash) did not produce a sound that could satisfy our demands.
The hi-hats and cymbal that Atsushi Hoshiai sampled for the 909. (Image courtesy of Roland.)With the development deadline looming, we decided that it would be impossible to continue using analog any further and so we changed our policy to use digital technology only for the cymbals.
Why didn’t Roland go with 100% samples like the later TR-707?
The reason why we stuck to analog sound sources was because we were aiming for a drum synthesizer. Today, it is easy to change sounds in real-time while playing digital (samples), but this was impossible with the digital technology of the time. The only way to change tones in real-time by moving knobs was to use analog sound sources.
However, the needs of the times demanded realistic acoustic sounds rather than synthesizer-like tone changes, and this led to sampling methods such as those used in the TR-707.
You have said that you had a specific sound in mind for the samples. How did you arrive at this sound in your head?
I have been playing music as an amateur drummer since my school days. I brought in my personal, most favorite cymbals and sampled them.
Hoshiai-san still uses the original 909 samples in his jazz band. (Image courtesy of Roland.)The top hi-hat was a 14” Paiste Sound Edge Top and the bottom was a 14” A. Zildjian New Beat Bottom. For the crash and ride, I used a Paiste 18" Thin Crash. The crash and ride were the same cymbal. For the crash I struck it on the edge and for the ride I struck it on the bow.
Incidentally, I still use the same hi-hat cymbal combination when performing in my acoustic jazz band.
When you sampled the microphone signal, was there any EQ or compression? Do you remember the mic? Was there a microphone preamp?
The microphone was the best one available in the company at that time, a Sony C-38. The tape recorder, a Pioneer reel-to-reel unit, was also in the company. I don't remember the preamplifier. I think it was possible to connect the microphone to the tape recorder directly. No EQ or compression was applied but the amplitude was processed on a computer after digitization.
The recording was not done in the Roland in-house studio but on an office floor after the other employees had left. This was the result of searching for a place with moderate ambience/reverb.
At that time, we had an A/D converter that we built in-house and connected it to the computer to analyze the sound of the instruments. Incidentally, the sound of the TR-909's toms was based on the results of the analysis of the sound of acoustic toms with that tool, and we configured the analog circuit based on the results of that analysis.
How many people needed to agree the instrument ‘is complete and ready for release’? Was there ever a case where a colleague was not fully content?
There were only three of us. Mr. Kikumoto was the actual product planning leader and the designer of the kick sound. Mr. Oe was the analog sound source designer. And there was me. I was in charge of the microcomputer program.
Although we did not think we had reached a satisfactory point, we could not extend the development period and decided to launch the product anyway.
Given its enormous success, this may seem strange – but looking back, is there anything you wish you had done differently?
No, nothing. The success of this instrument has been made by all the artists who have played it. This has all been beyond our intention - and also the result of both the strengths and weaknesses of the instrument - so we just have to accept it and celebrate.
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Following his 'Mentalidad Tour', Manybeat is gearing up to tour the US.
Manybeat's "Mentalidad Tour" took the versatile producer and DJ as far as Dubai, Barcelona, Madrid, Tenerife, Cartagena, Bogotá, Dominican Republic, and Panama.
Known globally as "The King of AfroLatin," Manybeat's music seamlessly blends African and Latin elements with house, earning him a revered status in his home country of Venezuela.
Manybeat
Having collaborated with stars like Farruko, Zion & Lennox, Danny Ocean, and Pitbull, Manybeat's recent tracks feature rhythmic fusions of salsa, merengue, soca, calypso, joropo, cumbia, Arabic music, and Spanish music, all anchored in his distinctive afro house compositions. His tour has thrilled audiences with hits like "El Tiempo," "Mamasota," and "Caracas Way," among over 200 globally renowned tracks.
Manybeat's brand transcends as he shares stages with celebrated DJs such as Black Coffee, David Tort, Roger Sánchez, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike. In a recent interview, he emphasized his mission to spread messages of peace, love, joy, culture, and musical enrichment through his performances.
Continuing to produce tirelessly on tour, Manybeat tailors each show to the local culture, demonstrating his musical versatility and keen ear for diverse tastes. Collaborating with major production companies like Event Master, Miami 305 Records, and Castle Events, Manybeat remains open to new artistic partnerships.
This year’s tour includes four phases: Europe and Dubai in July, South America in August, and the United States in September.
Manybeat's music has seen millions of streams on platforms like Spotify and YouTube, with tracks featured on prominent playlists and released under major labels like Xumba Recording, UniónRecording, Nervous Recordings, and Sony Music. His label, Powerbeat, continues to showcase his groundbreaking work.
Find Manybeat on Instagram and Soundcloud.
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From classical piano to techno, Suplergloss is one to watch.
Supergloss was destined for a life in music, sitting down to play classical piano from five years of age. But her musical journey was only beginning as she soon embraced hyperpop and hip-hop before the allure and pull of techno became too much. Eventually, moving to Berlin, she's never looked back.
During her time in the German capital, she has expanded her music tastes further, producing techno, trance, and acid, often in a unique fusion of all three dance music genres.
This was perfectly demonstrated by her collaborative self-released debut EP earlier this year with Omon Breaker titled ‘Visual Freak’. The five-track debut even featured a remix by Schacke, of Kisloty People fame.
Combining this with Supergloss's ability to deliver consistently enthralling DJ sets, she is injecting a fresh energy into the techno scene that has seen her cultivate a loyal fanbase. Supergloss has risen fast to become 'one to watch' since her first show just three years ago.
Visual Freaks EP cover
Catch Supergloss on Wednesday at Glitch Festival, Gianpula Village, Malta.
Find Supergloss on Instagram.
Buy Visual Freak on Bandcamp.
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Of all the powerful features of modern DAWs, modulation has recently emerged as an increasingly critical tool for producers, performers, and sound designers. For those no longer satisfied with static automation alone, digital modulators enable creators to craft intricately dynamic sounds with a mind of their own.
So what is modulation, exactly? In synthesis lingo, modulation can simply be translated as change over time. Modern modulation emerged with analog synthesis, where LFOs and envelope generators were first used to control — or modulate — parameters such as pitch, filter cutoff, or amplitude. As technology advanced, virtual synthesizers, effects, and plug-ins incorporated more complex modulation options — but they remained mostly confined to individual devices.
Recent innovations with Max for Live and Bitwig have marked a significant shift in the modulation landscape. Merging the freedom of modular synthesis with the endless possibilities of a digital environment, this emerging class of plug-ins allows you to dynamically control nearly any parameter in a project.
Live 12 offers an abundance of flexible modulation systems that can be mapped to virtually any parameter within your host software environment, allowing you to dynamically bring your sounds to life with a range of methods from meticulous control, to the wild, unruly and wonderfully chaotic. Used judiciously, the resulting movement can add compelling depth and dimensionality to a production, engaging listeners in ways that would be difficult to achieve through other means.
AUTOMATION vs. MODULATIONAutomation is designed to be fully controlled and utterly reliable, and change specified parameters the same way every time. In most cases, it must be recorded or programmed manually. Automation is what you should use when you want the contours of a parameter (say, volume or filter cutoff) to adhere to a specific slope at a particular section of your arrangement, and do so the same way every time.
Modulation can be similarly reliable — but to use it in such a way neglects its true power. In contrast, modulation is perhaps best applied to relinquish at least some control and allow the modulator to animate your sounds of its own accord, ideally in less predictable ways — especially when you utilize some of the random functions offered by many modulation devices.
Automation and modulation can be combined in powerful ways. For example, you could automate the intensity or rate of a modulator, so that the modulation itself remains less predictable, but its general character appropriately follows your arrangement.
On the other hand, if you really want to get experimental with your tweaking, you can take it to the next level by modulating your modulators. For example, try controlling the rate of an LFO with the slope of an envelope, or controlling the rate of a randomizer with the curve of an LFO. Now we’re cooking.
THE MAX FOR LIVE MODULATION BOOMWhile Bitwig’s innovative modulators can be combined in myriad ways, Max for Live extends these possibilities by allowing independent developers to craft highly customized modulation devices inspired by a variety sources, opening new possibilities for inspiration and movement.
Novel Music’s Ian Dicke draws a parallel between modulation in electronic music and the palpable vibrance of instrumental performance. "Modulation is what transforms electronic music into a living and breathing organism," he states. This concept guided his development of Staircase, a multi-lane step sequencer originally designed to animate Ableton’s Drift synthesizer. Staircase enables users to create non-cyclical yet musical patterns by combining modulation sequencing with various types of MIDI note input.
“Early computer music, such as the innovative work of Max Mathews, had very primitive forms of modulation available, thus the sound itself was rather lifeless. In this modern era, we have unprecedented control over every parameter, which can lead to decision-fatigue. While modulation has always been important in electronic music, it is now essential for us to embrace it, so we may break the shackles of constant knob tweaking. Modulation leads us to such inspiring sounds that we may not have arrived at alone. With the growing prevalence of sophisticated modulation tools on the market, I expect we'll be hearing even more lively sounds in the future.” — Ian Dicke, Staircase
Alessandro Miracapillo, better known to the Max for Live community as aylesim, views modulation as a tool for both control — and discovery. His approach involves using algorithms to introduce controlled randomness into his music, allowing for unexpected outcomes. His impressively full-featured Knob Studio offers dynamic waveform manipulation and parameter mapping capabilities with moving functions that blend together, enabling a unique and elegantly-designed combination of precise control and exploratory sound design that encourages experimentation.
“I take a serendipitous approach to music production. My process mainly involves playing with Max/MSP patches, where I like to turn sets of rules into algorithms. These algorithms organize parameters using controlled randomness — they follow specific rules, but still let me discover new things. In this process, modulations are key. They become an extension of my intentions, which I've already translated into algorithms. At the same time, they allow me to make choices I might not have made on my own. For me, modulations are both a tool for control and a means of discovery. They help me bridge the gap between my initial ideas and unexpected outcomes. This lets me push boundaries and explore new sonic territories as a kind of creative partner.” — Aylesim, Knob Studio
Speaking of experimentation, Steffan Ianigro’s Plecto LFO stands out for its use of Continuous Time Recurrent Neural Networks to produce organic, lifelike modulations. Inspired by the concept of Artificial Life, but without training on any data sets, Plecto LFO enables fluid manipulation of compositional layers. Even though the resulting modulation is incredibly dynamic and seemingly unpredictable, Ianigro is quick to clarify: "The algorithm itself is deterministic, meaning it will produce the same behaviors each time — unlike modulation based on randomness.” This deterministic component allows for consistent yet lifelike modulation in both live performances and, notably, studio work — without worrying one export will vary from the next, as is the case with most noise-based random modulation.
“One of the challenges of creating electronic music is manipulating different compositional layers while maintaining granular and expressive control, especially during improvised performances… I like to solve this problem by offloading control of different instruments and effects to modulators that can manipulate parameters for me, so that I can focus on higher-level elements of the work or improvise in collaboration with these modulators.” — Steffan Ianigro, Plecto LFO
Manifest Audio’s Noah Pred, creator of Mod Squad emphasizes the importance of asynchronous, interconnected modulation. "Automation is great for fixed dynamics, but with the asynchronous, inter-relational possibilities opened up by modulation, you can really bring a production to life," he states. Mod Squad Pro was designed as a dynamic ecosystem, capable of interlinking various parameters and controlling devices in innovative ways. His Sonification Tools are a finalist for this year’s MIDI Innovation Awards, and include Data Mod, a modulator that uses raw data from any source to generate freely assignable modulation, but you can grab the free version of Mod Squad here. The Pro version features a highly-customizable LFO with freehand waveform drawing and intricate modulation sequencing, among other features; it also comes with a gestural modulation looper that can loop and remix any knob tweak.
One tip from Pred is to forego the temptation to pile on additional audio effects in favor of modulation. "Before resorting to the familiar instinct of adding effects when your sound isn’t quite cutting it, instead, try adding different modulators until at least half, if not more, of your synth or instrument parameters are being modulated — more often than not, you’ll be blown away by the results. Like awakening a beast." Pred also urges producers to take full advantage of Max for Live modulators’ multi-mapping feature, which is accessible by clicking most modulators’ extra menu icon.
“I'm interested in the inter-relational possibilities opened up by multi-mapping: when one device parameter changes, another parameter on an otherwise unrelated instrument changes too. By default these changes move in the same direction, but pulling a bipolar mapping in the opposite direction, they can also diverge. Either way, the sort of implied interlinking offered by multi-mapping can generate captivating sonic interactions - a living, breathing sum greater than any individual sound.” — Noah Pred, Mod Squad Pro
These are just a few examples of creative Max for Live modulators that recently arrived; another classic example would be Hypnus’ Spellbook modulator, which harnesses sacred geometry and occult symbols to make modulation magic.
Looking ahead, Aylesim envisions a future where modulators inspire creativity and discovery: ”I like the idea of seeing more and more producers experimenting with an approach tied to discovery and randomness."
Mindful of emergent AI tools, Ianigro shares, “The various tools for modulation that are available show the potential of accepting a machine as a collaborator in the compositional process, and I feel this will continue to be prevalent in the future as musicians seek to explore new sounds and interactions.”
Whether through controlled randomness, lifelike neural networks, dynamic ecosystems, or purposeful combinations, modulation is redefining the boundaries of what’s possible in the modern studio, how producers think through their arrangements, and how sound designers bring their work to life. In many ways, it seems the future of production will be shaped at least in part by the innovative possibilities of modulation.
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An artist-owned cooperative music distribution platform sounds too good to be true — but maybe that’s just what they want us to think. Is Subvert the future of music distribution, or just another equitably-sliced pie in the sky?
In a bold move to reclaim the independent music landscape from corporate clutches, a new worker-owned music distribution cooperative, Subvert, has emerged, positioning itself as the next evolution in artist-centric platforms. Born out of disillusionment with Bandcamp's recent corporate entanglements, Subvert is poised to offer a truly artist-owned alternative that could redefine the future of digital music distribution.
The idea of a collectively owned platform isn't just a lofty ideal for Subvert's founders—it's a concrete response to the unsettling trajectory of platforms like Bandcamp. Once hailed as the "Anti-Spotify," Bandcamp’s reputation took a hit after its 2022 sale to Epic Games, and subsequent acquisition by Songtradr, which led to widespread layoffs and growing concerns about its future. The platform, once seen as a safe haven for independent artists, has become another casualty of corporate maneuvering, leaving its community of musicians in a state of anxiety and uncertainty.
Subvert aims to upend this narrative by hardwiring collective ownership and democratic governance into its DNA. Unlike Bandcamp, which, despite its artist-friendly facade, ultimately answered to investors, Subvert's ownership is reserved entirely for its artists, community, and workers. This structure is designed to prevent the "enshittification"—a term coined by Cory Doctorow to describe the degradation of user-oriented services into profit-driven platforms—that has plagued so many digital spaces.
The timing of Subvert's launch couldn't be more critical. Streaming services offer diminishing returns for artists, who often receive a pittance in royalties (so long as they exceed streaming thresholds) — while tech giants rake in billions, to be reinvested as they see fit. Bandcamp’s recent acquisitions have only underscored the precariousness of relying on platforms beholden to corporate interests. Subvert, by contrast, promises a marketplace where artists not only sell their work but have a say in the platform's direction, ensuring their interests remain front and center.
However, the road ahead for Subvert is not without challenges. Building a successful cooperative platform in a market dominated by corporate giants requires more than just good intentions. It demands rigorous planning, community engagement, and a viable economic model that can sustain itself without compromising its values. The founders of Subvert, who include veterans from the cooperative platform Ampled, believe they have the blueprint to make this work.
Subvert isn't just about creating a Bandcamp alternative; it's about setting a precedent for a new kind of internet—one where artists and communities have real ownership and control. As the platform takes shape, it will be crucial to watch how it navigates the complexities of cooperative governance while delivering a service that meets the needs of its users.
While Subvert is centered around collective ownership and democratic governance, it distinguishes itself from web3 platforms like Nina, which leverage blockchain technology under the hood to empower artists. Subvert, on the other hand, is rooted in more traditional cooperative principles, with a strong emphasis on community ownership. This approach makes Subvert more accessible to a broader range of artists and communities who may be wary of or unfamiliar with the rapidly changing landscape of web3.
In an era where corporate interests have increasingly overshadowed artistic expression, Subvert offers a glimmer of hope. Whether it will succeed in building a sustainable, artist-owned alternative remains to be seen, but its mission is clear: to create a future where the music community owns the platforms it relies on, rather than being at the mercy of them.
As Subvert moves from concept to reality, it could very well become the blueprint for a new wave of artist-owned platforms. For now, the independent music world is watching closely—and many are ready to join the revolution.
To learn more about Subvert and apply to become a founding member (for free), visit their website.
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Resonance Studios has opened in Stockport, UK. It offers a stunning collection of vintage and rare gear and complimentary sessions for local institutions.
Resonance Studio is a new state-of-the-art facility less than 500m from Strawberry Studios (10cc, Joy Division). It is dedicated to preserving musical heritage and ensuring future generations can experience and use a world-renowned collection of exceptional instruments.
The studio homes over 250 pieces of new and vintage music equipment, including legendary items such as:
- Roland Jupiter 8
- Synclavier II
- Linn LM1
- 2 Arp 2600s
- Yamaha CS50
- Yamaha CS60
- Voyetra 8
Plus, incredibly rare gear, with fewer than 150 of each still in existence:
- The Waldorf Wave
- Baloran The River and The Pool
- Knas The Ekdahl Polygamist
- Yamaha DX1
As the third largest studio of its kind globally, Resonance Studios is on a mission to provide musicians with access to these extraordinary instruments and additionally offers comprehensive recording, MIDI sync, and tracking capabilities.
The "sampling station" is equipped with twin Technics 1210 turntables, Emu SP12 (Public Enemy, Beastie Boys), Akai MPC60 (DJ Premier, DJ Shadow), and a library of over 3,000 LPs and singles, provides an authentic and diverse sampling experience.
The studio's mixing and mastering setup features elite-level equipment such as Neve 1073DPX Preamps and 8816 Summing Mixer, Shadow Hills Master Compressor, 2 Distressors, and iconic effects, including the Publison Infernal Machine 90, Lexicon 224, and Eventide H3000 with monitoring by a partnership with Focal.
Charity begins at home or the studioResonance Studios has also launched with a commitment to donate 3% of all profits to Shelter, a UK charity that supports efforts to combat homelessness. The remaining profits are reinvested into maintaining and expanding the studio's collection and ensuring its longevity.
Further community efforts include a collaboration with local institutions to offer free studio sessions, making this incredible facility accessible to musicians who might otherwise never have the opportunity.
For more information and bookings visit www.resonancestudios.co.uk or email.
Find Resonance Studios on Instagram.
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Along with a fresh new website, Manifest Audio have updated their free Mod Squad pack to include 17 Max for Live modulation devices in total.
Manifest Audio have unveiled a brand-new website — along with an upgraded version of their popular Mod Squad Free. Available for free download today, Mod Squad Free now includes two all-new devices for a total of 17 Max for Live modulators, along with enhancements, bug fixes, and fun new features.
The new devices? Two all-new stepwise count-based modulators: Audio Cycler and MIDI Cycler. Both are designed to provide users with creative parameter manipulation by counting through new modulation values based on flexible audio or MIDI note triggers, respectively. In addition to the new modulators, the latest version of Mod Squad Free is designed to ensure a smoother all-around user experience.
Along with these, Manifest Audio have also launched their all-new Mod Squad Pro, with advanced devices featuring powerful new custom LFOs, modulation loopers, and more — available as individual devices, or as a bundle. This enhanced suite of modulators offers a comprehensive range of tools for producers looking to add intricate dynamics to their projects.
Making it easier for visitors to navigate and access their latest resources, the new website emphasizes their commitment to providing creative tools for the music production community — and with the latest version of Mod Squad Free, it's clear they intend to open new doors to users for free.
Download the latest Mod Squad Free today and explore the new possibilities these potent modulators have to offer. For more information, visit Manifest Audio's new website.
7 x MIDI Effects MIDI ADSRx – probabilistically trigger optionally BPM-synchronized ADSR envelopes with numerous advanced modes * MIDI Autodubber – probabilistically generate maximum value spikes with note triggers at specified intervals within specified ranges for designated periods while otherwise residing at a minimum value * MIDI Cycler – step through incremental values with MIDI note triggers with customizable step count, slope mode, direction, and more * MIDI Key Tracker – probabilistically generate modulation values from incoming MIDI note pitch, velocity, velocity with gate returning to minimum, or gate only, with optional intervals and delay * MIDI LFOx – probabilistically generate advanced, flexibly synchronized LFO curves with optional cycle reset triggered via incoming MIDI or specified in bars, along with audio-rate MIDI pitch-controlled LFO rate option constrainable to Global Hub key and scale, with depth optionally controlled by pitch or velocity * MIDI S&H – probabilistically generate random values with note on or off triggers at optionally specified intervals * MIDI X-Control* – a macro knob optionally quantized to incoming MIDI note on or note off messages within constrainable ranges
[advert]
10 x Audio Effects Audio Cycler – step through incremental values with audio triggers with customizable step count, slope mode, direction, and more * Audio S&H – probabilistically generate random values when incoming signal exceeds a specified threshold at optionally specified intervals * Audiodubber – probabilistically generate maximum value spikes when incoming signal exceeds a specified threshold at optionally specified intervals for designated periods while otherwise residing at a minimum value * Autodubber – probabilistically generate maximum value spikes at optionally specified intervals for designated periods while otherwise residing at a minimum value * Follower – envelope follower with BPM-synchronized base rate and multiplier delay time * Gain Tracker – amplitude-based audio-rate modulation * LFOx – probabilistically generate advanced, flexible base rate multiplied, BPM-synchronized LFO curves with optional cycle reset in bars, and audio-rate pitch-based rate controlled via dial constrainable to Global Hub key and scale * Manual S&H – probabilistically generate random values when a MIDI-mappable, automation-eligible button is clicked * Pitch Tracker – generate modulation values from the detected frequency of incoming signal, with optional delay * X-Control* – a macro knob optionally quantized to a variety of synchronized rates for ladder-style parameter changes
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2 x Audio Effect Racks X-Control 8 – control up to 64 parameters anywhere in your set, including on the Master track, via eight rack macros, each mapped to eight corresponding unmapped X-Control instances. * X-Control 4* – control up to 32 parameters anywhere in your set, including on the Master track, via four rack macros, each mapped to four corresponding unmapped X-Control instances, with the other four rack macros assigned to Rate, Multiplier, Jitter, and Smoothing for all four X-Controls contained within.
All devices optimized for Push with full Info View annotations.
Requires Live 10.1 Suite or higher running Max 8.1 or above on Mac or PC.
For more information and free download visit the Manifest Audio website.
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Sara de Araújo's debut on Adam Beyer’s Truesoul, 'Who Is?', was released in July. We decided to put her to task in our longstanding Q&A.
Sara de Araújo, a Portuguese native based in Ibiza, is emerging as one of the most exciting talents in electronic music today. She has graced the decks at prestigious clubs such as Hï, Pacha, Amnesia, Club Chinois, Eden, and Cova Santa. Her influence extends beyond the White Island, having toured extensively across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa, and performing at major festivals like Tomorrowland and Brunch Electronik Festival.
Her new track, and debut on Adam Beyer's Truesoul, "Who Is?" showcases her diverse musical influences. It opens with a full mix, then transitions after just eight bars to a simple, catchy, and repetitive lead synth. As the buildup progresses, the lead synth doubles in intensity, driving the energy forward as the full mix returns. Clocking in at 128 BPM, "Who Is?" blends classic house and tech house elements, making it a quintessential summer hit. The track features bongos, snappy drums, infectious lead synths, and mysterious vocals, ensuring it will be a staple at various parties this summer. Expect to hear it often...
Who Is? by Sara de Araújo is out now included in a double release with 'Ruta' by Anna Tur and Pablo Say.
Why music?Because every time I do something related to music, I certainly know I'm “in my place”.
If you weren't making music, what would you be doing?Probably I’d be an airplane pilot.
What's the best advice you’ve ever received?To be patient (something essential in music).
What inspires you?Good people.
Sara de Araújo: "A good mix is one that the dance floor doesn't notice"What's the next big thing?Absolutely everything that is coming in my career in the following months.
Best club experience?Keinemusik at the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt.
What's the worst job you’ve ever had?It’s not the worst, but the hardest. I worked for seven years in an Orange warehouse, where I used to work around 12/16 hours a day.
How do you know when a track's finished?After testing it several times in my live DJ sessions and seeing the public's reaction.
What was your last day job and when did you realise you could give it up?I was a personal trainer, and I had my own personal training center for three years. I spent a few years training while playing until one day, when I was on my way to play in Jordan, a client was waiting for me to train. At that very moment, I realized that I couldn't continue doing both things much longer.
Which song do you wish you wrote?'The Finishing' - Stavroz.
What's the easiest way to make it in the music industry?There isn't one!
What's the worst track you've ever released?I prefer not to say it... hahaha.
Recommend us a film.The King's Speech.
Recommend us a book.The Good Luck Book by Alex Rovira.
What or who is underrated?Having a home and being able to decide what and when to eat.
What or who is overrated?The price of bottles in VIP clubs.
What are you addicted to?Food.
What do you lust over?Being a better person every day.
What is your greatest regret?Not having started music production at a younger age.
What one thing would most improve your life?Having my own private jet :)
What’s the worst gig you’ve ever played?I'm not going to say where, but after a very long trip, I played for about 20 people after a warmup at 136 BPM.
Collaboration: rich creative experience or pain in the ass?It will always depend on who you collaborate with.
What’s the secret to a great mix?The subtlety. A good mix is one that the dance floor doesn't notice.
If you could only listen to one more track, what would it be?Home Again - Michael Kiwanuka.
How do you relax?Being at home, enjoying my time reading, and taking care of myself.
What one piece of software/kit could you not do without? Why?RekordBox. I find it the best organization tool for DJing with CDJs. I'm extremely organized and RekordBox allows me to be that way and bring out the best in me.
Art or money?Money.
Ronaldo or Messi?I’m Portuguese! Always Ronaldo.
Must-visit record store?Discos Delta in Ibiza, although it is no longer a record store.
What's your single biggest frustration in the music industry?None.
What’s your favorite label? Why?Safe Records. It aligns perfectly with my musical taste.
What's the worst thing about making music?The length of the process from when you finish it to when it is signed by a record label.
What’s your motto?Never give up.
Name something timelessGood music.
Tweet us a tip. What’s the best production advice you can give in 140 characters or less?Always keep in mind which labels you want to reach, for me it is the first and most important advice. Next, it's knowing exactly how you want that track to sound like. It helps me a lot to mentally structure the song, for example knowing if I'm looking for something serious or a playful tune, with or without vocals, etc. and then I start creating it.
If someone saw a performance of yours in 1000 years, what do you think they would they say?Good music never goes out of style.
Can music change the world?Yes, music is an art and all kinds of art have the capacity to change the world.
What are you listening to right now?“Ready to be Chilled” Rayco Santos podcast.
What should you do before you die? Travel more and more and moreEnjoy every day of my life, just that.
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Find Sara de Araújo on Instagram.
In a new series for Attack, we ask live electronic music musicians how they do it. First up, Alejandro Mossa.
With a newfound focus on reigniting Attack Live, we're starting a new series for live musicians. The new series called, 'How I Play Live', kicks off with Alejandro Mossa.
Mosso, originally hails from Argentina but is currently based in Berlin. His sound is a mix of house, minimal, tribal and experimental music played live. Over 20 years, he has been honing his craft, a craft that is tricky to get right, and his live performances epitomize his dedication to the art form.
Mosso’s discography is littered with releases on excellent labels including Hivern Discs, Third Ear and LumineresLaNuit. We asked him to talk through his live setup ahead of his latest EP 'Esserts’ released on Last Year In Marienbad, this Friday.
What are you using for drums?
For the writing process, I primarily use one-shots from my extensive sound library or the Roland TR-8S with its classic drum sounds. For kick drums, I've been using the Kick 2 plugin by Sonic Academy, as it allows you to tune its sound to the finest details. When performing live, I export all drum sounds from my songs as individual loops and load them into the Akai Force. Occasionally, I also bring the TR-8S to add extra hats or shakers, which helps reinforce transitions or add tension to specific parts.
Why do you use the Akai Force and not a Novation Launchpad, or Ableton Push?
I've been performing live for over twenty years, and until recently, I always used a laptop running Ableton with a MIDI controller, audio interface, and sometimes an external piece of gear. While powerful, I grew tired of the cable-heavy setup and bringing my laptop on stage. Switching to the Akai Force, with its "Ableton-styled" interface, provided a comfortable, well-built, and expressive standalone solution. Although the new Push standalone is very appealing for staying within the Ableton ecosystem, the Force remains for the moment as my go-to for its rich interface and robust hardware.
Alejandro MossoCan you explain if you jam live or are triggering pre-made loops and samples?
I do both. I primarily trigger loops of individual sounds (kick, clap, hats, bass, chords, etc) that I previously created in my studio. These are all rendered from my original Ableton song projects. Depending on the setup I bring to the show, I also improvise some hand percussions with a Roland SPD::ONE or drum variations with a TR-8S.
But it's not Splice, or Loopcloud loops?
Using Splice loops for a "live set" would defeat the purpose. A live set should showcase the music you've created, not pre-made loops from a library.
Do you do all the leveling on the Force or, in other words, “before you play live”?
I export all sounds as individual loops from my Ableton projects. These already have a good relative balance to each other. Once loaded into the Force, I ensure every song (combination of its sounds) peaks around the same dB level, allowing for consistent compression and limiting across the entire set on the master channel. This way, I can focus on creative tasks during the performance rather than leveling.
Are there any plugins on your setup before the master out is fed to the club sound system?
Yes. When rendering the original sounds from my songs as loops for performance, they go through the project’s bus compressor with only 2 or 3 dB of compression. Once loaded on the Akai Force and levelled with the rest of the set, all sounds go through a limiter/maximizer on the master bus. I don't push the limiter too hard, but a few dB helps reduce the dynamic range further and ensure a consistent output level.
For producers trying to start a live electronic performance, is there something you could tell them that would avoid them sleepwalking into a mistake? A hack maybe?
There’s no hack, just dedication and courage. Unlike DJs, musicians are artists, and performing live puts us in a particularly vulnerable position. The stress of playing live your own music in front of a crowd can be daunting, but nothing compares to the joy of seeing the audience respond positively to the sounds you meticulously crafted in your studio, hoping they would one day resonate with someone.
I recommend newcomers find their balance between structure and freedom in their setup and preparation. Aim for as much freedom as possible and as much structure as necessary. You need the ability to improvise and play around, but also have a structure to fall back on when things get out of hand.
Could you elaborate on what you’re doing in this video?
In this video, I'm playing around with the sounds of my track "Ribose." I use the knobs on the Force to control macros I've set up for performing, which combine various effects like HP filters, reverbs, delays, and EQ kills. On the touch screen, you can see a channel X/Y effect, similar to a Korg Kaoss Pad. Additionally, I play some hand percussion using a Roland SPD::ONE.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alejandro Mosso | LIVE (@alejandromossomusic)
And the same here. It seems like on the first channel there is a drum loop, but it’s not 4 bars, it’s more like 32 bars? Is that correct?
In this video, I'm playing with the sounds of my track "Miracle." In my music, I often use phrases with different lengths, or polymeters, to create a sense of variation and movement. For live performances, I export sounds in 8 categories corresponding to the channels on my Force live set: Kick, Clap/Snare, Hat/Shaker, Bass, Percussion, Synth 1, Synth 2, and ETC (voices, textures). Most percussive loops are short, 2 or 4 bars maximum (for example the first channel in the video is just a 1 bar kick loop), but elements with modulations or irregular lengths are rendered in longer loops to ensure their full expressive range is represented when I play.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alejandro Mosso | LIVE (@alejandromossomusic)
Are live arrangements done on the fly or practiced in advance and then possibly recreated with a little improvisation?
There’s a bit of both. Once you have improvised several arrangement variations or effects gestures while playing your songs live, you learn what works best for a certain context, and these become a stable part of your set. Often times, you make mistakes while performing and new ideas can flourish from that.
Do you use scales and keys within Live or Force to make sure any improvisation fits the music?
I currently don't run any additional synths on my Force, so there is no need. In the past, I’ve used a Push controlling Ableton with a fixed scale in order to ensure any smokey 3 am wild keys improvisation doesn’t ruin the song. I am a guitar player, not a keyboard one :)
Find Alejandro Mosso on Instagram. Mosso's new EP 'Esserts’ released on Last Year In Marienbad is out this Friday.
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Part 2 of a special Track by Track examines the production techniques behind ARTCORE OffSonar VA Vol.2.
Flug - Racing Cars Feat. Liz McFarlandI started working on the percussive patterns using the Elektron Analog Rytm and Octatrack. Then, I recorded all the patterns into Ableton Live, where I added compression, sidechain, saturation, reverbs, and parallel compression, especially on the mid frequencies. Some of the plugin brands I used include Native Instruments, Plugin Alliance, FabFilter, SoundToys, and iZotope.
Another recognizable element is the bass, created with the Moog Mother 32. I composed the main sequence using its internal sequencer, then recorded it into Ableton to add effects like reverb, saturation, a touch of chorus, and finally EQ and stereo enhancement to achieve that warm, surrounding bass sound.
The last element was the vocal. I wrote some quotes about our typical clubbing experiences and used ChatGPT to refine them. Then, I asked my good friend Liz McFarland to record the vocals using a Blue Microphone. I layered the vocals with the Manipulator plugin, adding some tape effects, compression, reverb, delay, and reverse effects created from the same vocal track.
To finalize the track, I normalized the volume of all channels using an SSL channel strip to amalgamate all the sounds. If you're interested here's a list of plugins I use
Native Instruments - Reaktor, Native Instruments - Replika XT, Native Instruments - Choral, Native Instruments - Guitar Rig, Fab Filter - Pro Q3, Fab Filter - Pro C2, Fab Filter - Saturn, Plugin Alliance - Kirchhoff EQ, Plugin Alliance - Cassetem, Plugin Alliance - SSL4000 E, Sound Toys - Echoboy, Sound Toys - Decapitator, Output - Thermal, Infected Mushroom - Manipulator, Cable Guys - Shaperbox, Audio Damage - Kombinat Tri, Plugin Boutique - Stereo Savage.
Find Flug on Instagram.
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AD7USTMENT - Queen
'Queen' is a track I produced inspired by Indira Paganotto. First, I was inspired by some psy trance samples, such as a typical psy trance bass line.
Sometimes I start with my machines, sometimes I start with some samples. This depends on my mood. In this case, I started with the kick I made with the Vermona Kick Lancet followed by some samples because it's the first time I produced something with this kind of psy trance touch. For my bass lines, subs I mostly use the Moog Sub 37.
The vocal I did by myself. I recorded it and used several UAD plugins, FabFilter, the Decimort and a reverb from D16 group. The drums are mostly made with the Elektron Analog Rytm Mk 2, the Ace from u-He, and I added some top loops. For the tops, I worked with by the Dave Smith Pro 2, I created a synth also with the Analog Rytm and added some FX samples.
I always try to work only with my machines, but using samples sometimes gives me a better workflow and more inspiration. But even if I use some samples, I always make them sound like my signature sounds using UAD plugins.
Find AD7USTMENT on Instagram.