Future Music - October 2022

Mura Masa | In The Studio With

Moving on to prada (i like it)… bizarre sound. I think people should bassline, a clap, maybe a synth here the way the harmonium works is you
have to pump the air consistently
“That’s one of the more real- be having more fun like that, and if it and there. And a banging saxophone. with one hand and then play with the
other one. There’s a lot of mechanical
sounding songs on the album, the sounds like nothing on earth that I’ve become quite practised at not noises and wood hitting each other
and that sort of thing. I wanted a little
bassline especially. That emerged out you’ve ever heard, that’s probably a throwing a bunch of shit at things, bit of that, but not as much as was
coming out. It took a second to
of a desire to do a vogue-y house good thing.” and really being sensitive like – actually record it.”

thing that seems to be very popular something needs to go here, but I e-motions really captures that
vocal-led, smooth UK garage
now, post-Beyonce’s album. hollaback bitch has a real deep need to be careful about not sound. What is it that inspires you
about that style?
“There’s an interesting synth house vibe to it. Was that your overegging it. That was the case with “It goes back to what I was saying
about pop music before, where
that’s part of the chorus that’s one intention on this one? that one.” there’s that balance between
simplicity and elegance, and
example of hyper-destructive “Definitely Detroit house, and vocal understandability. Also a bit of
nuance, and something a bit
resampling, where it started as a samples. That was one that I wrote a blessing me is a good chance interesting. The bassline existed
before that main part, and it was
regular synth patch, got frozen down lot of Shygirl’s verse for, which is to ask about your approach something that we arrived at together
naturally. But me and Erika [de
in Ableton, frozen again with a bit of quite funny. Imagine me coming out to bass… Casier], we really didn’t spend long
writing that song, we just let it
TAILS on it, then put into a with that. But it’s fun to like, put “Again, a super minimal approach happen naturally.

granulator, resampled again, put into words into her mouth that she feels where it started with the bassline, “That’s what I love about garage,
actually, because it’s emergent out of
a sampler then enveloped to get the good saying and that sound like her. which is just an 808 sample. I think club music and the underground, so
there’s quite an intensity to it. But the
shape of how it pulses. That was my Pharrell moment, where it’s a SOPHIE 808, thrown into a journey it took as a genre, it became
like easy listening or something. It
“That’s very unusual for how I the whole song was constructed and I sampler. I’m a big fan of imagining adapted in a weird way. I’m a big fan
of Craig David, but you could argue
would normally work, because that’s took it to her. that mixing a song is like packing a that was the end of garage, when he
properly popularised it. Maybe I
quite a process, and I try to minimise “It was actually at a writing camp bunch of stuff into the back of a van. shouldn’t have said that. [laughs]”

that. But I just found myself for her album. That’s probably one of Everything occupies a certain space What made you settle on blush as
the final track on the album?
reiterating it again and again. What my favourites on the album. Again, in the van, the bass being the big “That actually wasn’t originally the
last track on the album, there was
you get at the end of it is a very very minimalist, it’s basically just a objects that need the most room. another track. Normally I go for a
more emotional note at the end and a
“When I’m mixing, I’m nice, full-stop on the end of an
album. There was a track that had
“IT ENDS QUITE SUDDENLY, WITH NO quite often shelving stuff that about it, a jungle track, an
and completely separating emotional one. Long story short, it
wasn’t able to be put on the album.
FANFARE… THAT’S THE IDEA BEHIND THE all the parts so there’s not
much overlap or “So I was left with a gap at the end
of the album, and I thought, well,
WHOLE ALBUM. DON’T OVERTHINK IT TOO interference. That’s actually like, e-motions is nice, but it doesn’t
something that Skrillex got quite go out the way I want. Then I
thought, well, actually, if we’re
MUCH – IT’S MEANT TO BE FUN” me on to. I’d always had eschewing the expectation of what
that approach, but watching I’m supposed to be doing anyway,
why not end on possibly the dirtiest,
how far he took it, with poppiest thing on the whole album?
It’s a very raise-your-cups type of
extreme shelves on things. beat, and it ends quite suddenly, with
no fanfare. I came to like that idea.
So it’s just blocks that That’s the idea behind the whole
album. Don’t overthink it too much
occupy separate spaces. I’m – it’s meant to be fun.”

always making room for the

bass. Also, sidechaining so

that things are getting out of

the way – I’m a big fan

of that.”

On tonto, is that an
accordion? Did you play
that yourself?
“It’s a harmonium, which is
a little organ. I did play it
myself. It’s an interpolation
of a weird underground
cumbia song that I love,
called Cumbia Del Tornado,
by Los Daddys. Me and my
friend Isabella, she’s
Honduran, we were trading
Latin music. We came
across that and I was like,
actually, I’ve always
wanted to interpolate this
and make it into something
else. It’s quite a flowery
track, I love that melody. I
was obsessed with it for
weeks and weeks.

“It took a second to
record it correctly, because

51

In The Studio With | Skudge

SKUDGE

Techno purist Elias Landberg’s
fourth Skudge album displays a
master craftsman at work.
Danny Turner dives in

54

Skudge | In The Studio With

nitially a duo, Elias Landberg’s now solo project Skudge positive thing because we worked very well together, but of

arrived in 2011 with the economical techno LP, course it’s easier to work on your own.”

Phantom. Following Gustaf Wallnerström’s departure,

Landberg widened his sound palette on the flawless, What were you using to produce tracks with in those

cerebral-sounding album Balancing Point and 2020’s early days?

equally intricate yet more house-oriented Time Tracks. “Back then we were 80% in the box. It’s kind of funny because

An in-demand DJ, oft found residing at techno hubs everybody thought we were only using hardware – and even

such as Fabric and Berghain, Landberg has kept a low wrote about that. I can understand why, but we didn’t even

profile while continuing to release music on his own Skudge have a 909. If you know what you’re doing, you can make

Records. His refusal to compromise couldn’t be more apparent software sound like hardware. We’d just put stuff through a

on his latest Skudge album, Soundworks, where sparse yet Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo and a Studer reel-to-reel tape

adrenal techno merges past and future with uncanny precision. machine, although I sold that two years ago and replaced it

with analogue mixing gear.”

Did Sweden have a buoyant techno scene when you

were growing up? Are you motivated more by the emotion of the music or

“The legal scene, if you can call it that, was very small, and the the creative puzzle that is putting a track together?

‘rave police’ closed down a lot of the clubs because of a “I need a vibe to come from the music I’m making otherwise

problem with drugs. The parties were great and there were I put it aside and start something new. I don’t know what the

lots of them. The best club in Stockholm back then was called rules are when it comes to making techno because I’ve created

Docklands, which was open from 10pm to 10am but they my own sample library using the same sounds since 2010.

closed it down in early 2000. It’s still called Docklands, but Every release has a lot of the same noises, but people might

they rebuilt it and people are now living in that building not hear that. Basically, I take out the sounds from previous

instead. When we started Skudge, there was a club called tracks, change and re-use them because I want Skudge to

sound like me. I’m not the sort of person that will

“I’VE CREATED MY OWN SAMPLE LIBRARY look for a kick drum for ten hours because I already
have a kick drum that I’m happy with so I’ll just use
USING THE SAME SOUNDS SINCE 2010. that on all the tracks but maybe EQ it differently.”
EVERY RELEASE HAS A LOT OF THE SAME Is the latest Skudge album, Soundworks,
mostly oriented towards clubs?
NOISES; PEOPLE MIGHT NOT HEAR THAT” “The music is mostly made for the clubs,but I’ve
started to make so-called ‘tracks’ using loopy beats. I
mostly make music for myself, then at some point in

the process I’ll start to think about who is listening

2.35:1 at Berns in Stockholm where most of the DJs and to it because I want the tracks to sound good in a club

artists were playing. That was great too, but now it’s become environment. Some tracks can take two months to complete

more commercial.” but one track, called November, took me three years.”

Did you start making music before the birth of the That sounds like a torturous process?
minimal techno sound? “The track was working because I had the melody but I just
“I’ve been making music since 1997, if not longer because I didn’t have the drums. I’m very picky and you have to be
played drums when I was a child and was in a grunge/punk when you release everything on vinyl. Once you’ve released it,
band. I have pretty broad tastes, but when I listen to music it’s it’s out there and part of your catalogue, so I need to be 100%
mostly ’90s hip-hop and I get a lot of influences from that satisfied before I send it to the pressing plant. It’s not so much
because I like the sounds and the gritty, lo-fi production. I also about the song itself but mixing, because I always have two to
like a lot of ’90s techno, like Mr. G, G-Man, Jeff Mills and five versions of every track.”
Robert Hood – all the obvious ones. But I don’t see Skudge as
minimal techno, it’s somewhere between techno and house.” The music’s spacious and fairly mid-tempo, so there’s
no hiding place for your production aesthetic…
How has Skudge Records evolved? “That’s true, but I also have way more sounds going on in
“When we started Skudge Records we didn’t take things those tracks than people might think. If you listen to a track,
that seriously. We sent out demos but always got negative you might think it’s working with five sounds but I’m
replies from labels who wanted to change this and that. A lot typically using 20 channels on a project. I’m always layering
of them said no to our biggest hit Convolution, which was a sounds and there are a lot of subtle sounds hidden in the mix.”
big miss for them because we’ve re-pressed that release at least
three times.” Is repetition important to your sound because you want
people to stay locked into the emotion of the track?
Skudge was initially a duo, of course. Was going solo a “I always want to make the perfect loop that can go on for two
freeing experience? or three minutes before you get bored of it, which is very
“Skudge has been my solo production project since 2013. difficult. For me it’s about adding funk to a track, which is all
Phantom was the only album that Gustaf and I made together, about how the drums and the bass play together. Most tracks
but we didn’t need to compromise because we had exactly the start with a loop before I begin adding sounds and then a
same tastes. He’s ten years younger than me and wanted to do melody comes through. It’s hard to explain, but I want the
something else with his life rather than trying to live off sounds to talk to each other and the drums and the bass need
making music. I haven’t thought about whether that was a to be 100% before I add any melodies.”

55

In The Studio With | Skudge

Where are you deriving your bass sounds from? remix I mostly tend to make a completely new track. I need to

“Like I said, the music needs to sound funky somehow so feel something from the sounds they’re sending, so I might

every track tends to have three or four different bass sounds end up just using just one stem – or maybe no sound at all.

working together. For example, I might use a sub bass, a more Ultimately, I want the remixes to sound like Skudge.”

percussive bass and a stabby bass all talking to each other and

then you add the kick drum, of course. As the kick drum is Have you ever had a bad reaction to a remix that bears

also a bass, the trick is to make sure the frequencies don’t no relation to the original track?

collide, which is all part of the mixing process. The basses are “Most of the time artists want it to sound like a Skudge track

mostly samples I’ve created from my synths over the years. I with a touch of their track, but that changes from artist to

have the 101 of course, but I’ve created my own sample artist. One sent me my Convolution track and asked me to

libraries using synths like the Buchla Easel and Moog Minitaur. make something that sounded just like that, but I asked why

I basically recorded sounds from those devices and sold them.” they would want their remix to sound like such an old track.

If I was lazy I could just take their stems, put them in Logic

That sounds quite an economical way to create your and put my kick drum on it, but having my own sound is

own sample libraries… important to me and I don’t want a track I’ve remixed to

“Or you can borrow synths for free from your friends and sound like anyone else.”

create a huge, super-cool library that nobody else can have. I

think that’s a good tip [laughs].” What can you tell us about the SKUDGE-O-NINE

interface that’s sitting atop your Roland TR-909?

Have you moved away from a mostly software setup? “It’s a breakout modification box for the 909 that allows you

“Now, it’s probably 50/50, but if I’m doing a remix then I’ll to control the pitch on the hi-hats and the decay on the kick

work in the box a lot more because I’m taking stems from the drum. It also has an overdrive so you can distort the kick. A

original track. It’s funny though because when I’m making a friend of mine who is really talented at modding things built

it for me but there are only two

“THE MUSIC NEEDS TO SOUND FUNKY of them.I’m not that technical so
I don’t understand the procedure
behind how it’s actually made
SOMEHOW SO EVERY TRACK TENDS TO but it’s a well-known

HAVE THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT BASS modification that you can
Google. Most of the people

SOUNDS WORKING TOGETHER” modding 909s destroy the case
and mod the panel, but I didn’t
want to do that because if the

909 is destroyed I can’t sell it. It’s

mainly used for live work

because we do a lot

improvisation and I have another

909 in the studio that’s not

modified because I can always

change the sounds in the

computer if I need to.”

Why has the Roland RE-501
Chorus Echo been such an
important tool for you?
“Because I love the grittiness of it
and I use the spring reverb on
every track and the tape delay on
almost every track. The RE-501 is
the last machine I would sell. If
you use a software synth and
record it through that it makes it
sound more alive. Basically, when
you record any sound through
something analogue it’s going to
be a little more wobbly and out
of tune. It’s definitely been a
good investment.”

You mentioned it’s really down
to how you process sound.
Analogue or digital, the same
result is achievable…

“If you want to sound less digital

you can get faster results with

56

Skudge | In The Studio With

57

In The Studio With | Skudge

58

Skudge | In The Studio With

like Splice and my house
project, KEL.”

What else is essential to the
Skudge sound?
“I’d say my Prophet-5. The
sounds I get out of it are, more or
less, the sounds that I have in my
head. It’s good for stabs, basses,
lo-fi pads and strings, so it’s very
versatile. It’s also very expensive,
but thankfully there are software
versions that sound similar.”

How do you approach

the mixdown?

“I try to mix as much as possible

while making the tracks, then I’ll

polish the track on the final mix

and cut away any frequencies, for

example if the hi-hat or resonance

on the stab is too loud. Everything

needs to be 100% before it’s

pressed because if the hi-hat’s too

“LIKE EVERYTHING, YOU NEED TO PUT IN loud it can distort on the vinyl
and the mastering engineer isn’t

THE HOURS, THE LOVE FOR WHAT YOU’RE a magician. They can do a lot, but
mastering for vinyl is a completely

DOING, AND YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN different process to digital.”
How much of your mixing
YOURSELF. THAT MIGHT TAKE YEARS” process is graphical?

“It’s a mostly non-graphical

procedure, but I need to look at

analogue, but if you buy a new analogue synth it can also the screen because obviously you don’t want any sounds to

sound digital because it’s newly made and doesn’t have the peak. At the same time, it also needs to sound good so I trust

grittiness of a vintage synth. In fact, some new analogue my ears and use a lot of outboard EQs and compressors for

synths sound even more digital than soft synths. These days, mixing. I’m addicted to outboard digital reverbs like the

most people that make techno are using software and there Ensoniq DP4 and the Eventide H-3000 Ultra Harmoniser. I

are so many software brands making great tools that getting also have two Lexicons and a Klark Teknik reverb.”

an analogue sound in the box is easier than it’s ever been.”

Do you ever share any of your sampled sounds?

What route would you recommend beginners take? “I mostly record my own sounds but I did record some for

“Well I’ve gotten so many emails from people who have sent Swedish synth manufacturer Elektron. If you buy their Model:

demos to my label saying they’ve only been using hardware. Samples sequencer/sampler you’ll get some Skudge sounds

For me, it doesn’t matter – it’s not like I’m going to release a with that. I basically recorded about 300 sounds for them,

track because it’s made only using hardware – it also needs to they picked out a few that they wanted to use and I got to

sound good. For me, it’s better to learn software first and then keep the rest for myself.”

use hardware, but these days it feels like a lot of people are
doing the opposite – they buy a lot of hardware but the music Is it harder to be original in 2022?

sounds like the machines they’re using rather than themselves. “It’s way easier to become a producer now because you have

Like everything, you need to put in the hours and the love for unlimited tools and the computers are way more stable. When

what you’re doing and you have to believe in yourself. That I started out in 1997 using Emagic’s Logic, the memory was

might take years. Sadly, I feel a lot of artists these days make so much less and the hard drive smaller so you needed to

some music and a year later want to have their first release, problem-solve. I only had a small amount of hardware and

but if it takes time to find who you are as a person then it will yet somehow those tracks sound better than ones made in the

naturally take time to find yourself as a musician too.” box today [laughs].”

Is the Pearl Syncussion SY-1 one of your secret WANT TO KNOW MORE?
weapons? The synth sounds amazing.
The new Skudge album, Soundworks,
“I don’t have it anymore, sadly. It’s a percussive drum synth, is out now on Skudge Records. For
so you can make bass sounds and cool drums with it, but more information, visit skudge.
there are a lot of clones that sound more or less like the bandcamp.com/album/soundworks
original these days. I didn’t use it much for my Skudge
productions, but I’ve used it on a lot of side projects

59

RECCLAOSRSDISC…
[ And how they were made ]

S ince FM first launched mostly using an array of modded the way that it is. A lot of things got a bit obsessed. I don’t want to use
itself onto the shelves way analogue synths. While the gear used that I make don’t respond over a pre-programmed drum sounds.
back in 1992, we’ve been involved a lot of familiar faces, most keyboard range – they’ll make one
lucky enough to have the were circuit bent, sampled and sound, which I’ll then sample. Some “I’ve used modified 808 sounds
opportunity to sit down with many of processed to create unique textures. stuff I control with triggers and on Ambient Works. I’m surprised
modern music’s most exciting and control voltages; I put a lot of that the ambient stuff came out as
innovative artists. Whether it’s at the Richard D James: “The only control on these so that I can alter the well as it did.
time of their creation or in retrospect, keyboard that I haven’t changed is sound while they’re being triggered.
we’ve spent a whole three decades the Korg MS-20; I’ve got three of “Someone phoned me up to ask
taking you behind the scenes of the those. It’s a mad keyboard, it’s got a “I really hate the idea of using how we got the quality so good; I
making of countless iconic albums. great range of sounds and I like it other people’s equipment – I’ve just thought ‘What are they talking about?
It’s shit!’”
In order to celebrate this glorious
anniversary, we’ve delved into the FM Richard D James, a man who
archives to bring you a short snapshot can’t see a synth without
of 30 of those must-hear records, as wanting to dismantle it
told by the artists themselves and
some of their key collaborators. From
the most weirdo of ambient
experiments through to modern pop
classics, come with us on a journey
through three decades of killer
electronic music…

Aphex Twin – Selected © Andy Willsher/Redferns/Getty Images
Ambient Works 85–92

1[1992]
Ever one for breaking with
convention, Richard D
James’ early-career
masterpiece was created

60

30 years | Feature

© Joby Sessions/FutureMusic 4 Brian Dougans: “[Our studio,
Earthbeat] was a bit of a
NASA studio. We had Moogs
and about eight samplers,
like the Oberheim – the big long one
– and then there were two Akai
S3200s, two 1000s, an 1100 and
Expander, and then an S900 and an
Akai S612.

“Everything was driving through
an Atari ST with C-Lab’s Unitor,
which was linked up to the ADAT. We
had about five extra ports to drive all
the synths and samplers. Then we ran
all the rackmount stuff like the
[Roland] MKS and PG-300
modulators. At points we’d have to
sacrifice a MIDI port to get the
Roland JX-3P working.”

Future Sounds of London’s Massive Attack
seminal Lifeforms was made in – Protection
a ‘NASA’-like studio
5[1994]
Plastikman – Sheet One Utah Saints Future Sound of London Massive Attack’s second
– Utah Saints – Lifeforms album saw them expand the
2[1993] minimal setup of their debut
The second full length from 3[1993] [1994] album with synths like the
Richie Hawtin and his first Jez Willis: “The gear that Roland JD-800 and a couple of ARP
as Plastikman, Sheet One is was used on this album was analogue instruments. The Akai
one of the defining works of pretty simple. Most of the S1000 sampler and Yamaha RX7
stripped-back, early-’90s techno. bass came off a Korg M1 drum machine were still the core of
Richie Hawtin: “My studio for Sheet Pick Bass. Then we used a 909 kick
One was called UTK, which stands for on everything at the time. We kept Massive Attack’s Mushroom
‘under the kitchen’, as it was at my the drums simple, sampled loads of says: “Sampling is what we’re
parent’s house. guitars and stabs and then gated and all about”
triggered them. We always used to get
“It was the first real studio I had. I a rasping gated sound. We also used © Niels van Iperen/Getty Images
had all the Sequential Circuits stuff, all Akai samplers, which have their
my Wavestation, which was all over own sound, and they were always
this record, and all of the Roland easier to use than the Roland
stuff. I had my first patchbay – it samplers back then, even though they
meant that I could quickly do things. sounded better.
I’d just purchased a very early Allen &
Heath GS2 mixer. It was small, but it “Most of this album is heavily
had a lot of power. organic and not that thought about in
terms of sonics. Most of the
“I had 24 channels and a keyboards are Korg related: the
three-band parametric EQ. I had strings, the piano... all off the M1 or
flanges and delays going all the time. an O1/W. Then we had an Ensoniq
Another big piece of gear was the ESQ1 Workstation that was used for
DP/4, which I always used with at some of the sax sounds. We also had
least two effects, sometimes four. I a Yamaha TX81Z. It’s got one good
also had the early Yamaha SPX90, sound on it – that was the bassline on
which was a bit noisy, but was still Trance Atlantic Glide.”
quite incredible.”

61

Feature | 30 years

© Alamy everything to us… The R-8 taught
us to experiment with pitch and
sounds within rhythm structures.
We tend to use notes in a very
rhythmic way.”

Autechre’s Sean Booth says that Nine Inch Nails Model 500 – Deep Space
they think more in terms of feel – The Downward Spiral
than an overall tune 8[1995]
7[1994] The 1980s were the decade
the band’s sound though. More so than the gear itself, Trent Reznor: “I was working that originated house,
Mushroom: “Sampling is what we’re Autechre’s classic ’90s sound was with 16 tracks of audio and I techno and hip-hop, each
all about. Take [title track] Protection, built on an approach of heavily got the Akai S1100 sampler, the product of pioneering
the hi-hat is a one-bar sampled loop, manipulating even the most basic so I got stereo samples for black artists in the US taking
then I programmed some James sound elements: “We’re into rhythm the first time. I started using a whatever gear they could get their
Brown snares and wah-wah over the and sound, basically. In terms of portable DAT and a stereo hands on and pushing it to its limits
top, then added some keyboards. The melody, for us it isn’t so much about microphone in order to go out and to generate unheard sounds. As the
whole thing was programmed in my writing a tune, it’s more about using record things. My palette had just got ’80s rolled into the ’90s, these
home studio. I wrote it as a complete the sound at different pitches to much larger. sounds spread out and fractured,
piece of music, without a song in create a feel. I suppose rhythm is leading the original artist to
mind, then we sent it off to Tracey “I also had the money to put all experiment with new ideas and
[Thorn] and she wrote this incredible that equipment into my first proper technical approaches.
song over the top.” studio, which meant that I was able
to spend much more time on the Like many electronic artists in the
songs. In fact, what did happen was mid-’90s, techno originator Juan
that the whole demo, writing and Atkins was wary about switching
recording process all melted into one. toward digital tech in favour of the
I would go into the studio, work on classic hardware that built the genre.
ideas, and those ideas would turn into Juan Atkins: “The latest thing I got
finished songs. There was no was an Akai 24-channel mixing desk,
distinction between the demo process which I’m just getting into. As far as
and the recording process, as there new developments, there’s not really
had been before.” any [that interest me]... For a while,
companies tried to do these all-in-one
Goldie on Timeless: “We just systems, but somehow it just doesn’t
tried things out” give you the true thing, it’s too
consumer-oriented. I’ve got a Mac but
I’m mostly using my [Roland] MC-50
– it still does the trick.”

Autechre – Amber © Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images

6[1994]
Around the creation of their
second album, the IDM
icons were toying with MIDI
and digital tech – trying and
rejecting Cubase in favour of Emagic
Creator – but the core of their sound
came down to knowing their hardware
instruments inside and out.
Sean Booth: “There isn’t one thing
about the gear that we’re using now
that we don’t understand. The
analogue synths are second nature to
us, and the [Roland] R-8 is
completely our machine.”

62

30 years | Feature

© Dave Tonge/Getty Images chopping up loops and then trying to
get stuff I’ve written into grooves from
loops. This does it for you. It’ll
become a lost art.”

The Prodigy
– The Fat of the Land

Orbital – In Sides 12[1997] Released five years on
from their debut,
Experience – which

11[1996] coincidentally, came

Paul Hartnoll: “We out at almost the exact same time as
made the album in
Strongroom studios, the first issue of FM – Prodigy’s

breakthrough album saw Liam

in Shoreditch. Not in Howlett’s setup in a state of flux as

their big rooms, though. It was just his studio expanded, but the Roland

recorded in a little room. W-30 workstation remained at the

“In terms of kit, it was a lot of heart of his process. “I’m so used to

the [E-mu] Emulator III, to start – not the W-30 that I don’t want to move

the really posh one, the digital one. away from it. I know it inside and out.

It’s like an Emax III. There was also a The only downfall is that it’s only got

Akai S-1100s were The lot of [Roland] 909 going on in there, 16 tracks. I get round that by MIDIing
Chemical Brothers’ weapon of
choice on Exit Planet Dust still. A lot of 808. And then we two together. I use the W-30s for

sampled live drumming from sampling because of their raw sound

David Gray’s drummer, Clune quality. I also use the Akais quite a

[Craig McClune]. bit. And the Boss SE-70s.

“There would have still been a bit “I’ve got a hard disk in the studio

of the [Roland] R-8 and R-70 drum but I mainly just keep things on the

machines. And there was still a lot of desk, and just jam with it… Jam with

[Roland] SH-101 and SH-09. And some loops and fuck around with

then the Oberheim Xpander, big time. some effects just to get a vibe going.

Goldie – Timeless The Chemical Brothers Then we used the [Roland] Jupiter-6 Problem is, when you work like this
– Exit Planet Dust
9[1995] and the ARP 2600. Oh, and a you sometimes get stuck in that
Goldie: “[Timeless] was
made in the Moving Shadow [Roland] System 100.” eight-bar loop.”
HQ, which was [label boss
Rob Playford’s] semi- 10[1995] At the time of creating Orbital’s In Sides embraced a
detached in Stevenage. We were their debut, the mixture of live drumming and
using the [Akai] S3200s before Chems’ setup was still drum machine staples
anyone else. I’d already managed,
with EPs on Reinforced Records, to built around four Akai
take care of the Akai S1000s very
easily. Then we stepped into the S-1100s, despite eying up gear from
realm of the 3200, and moving into
what the Eventide was capable of E-Mu and new digital tech. Tom
doing. And also the Oberheim, at the
time, along with Vintage Keys. Rowlands: “I’m so used to Akai. It

“In terms of software, MESA files was the first one I bought, and if you
had just come out, so you could cut
audio, which no-one was doing at the go to different studios, they’re always
time. It was groundbreaking when you
listen to the drums on something like there, and they’re so easy to use. If
Sensual. Technically it was a lot of
software all having to sync up at the everyone’s got them, when you visit
same time. Bastardising the 3200
and scrolling, and having the ability different studios, all your samples
to record the sample window – what
people called, ‘the snaking of the remain compatible. I realise that, as
track’. That was on-the-fly. We just
tried things out.” most of our stuff involves samples,

even samples of our own stuff, the

amount you can do with it is pretty

restrictive when you look at what

other samplers can do.

“I just want something more

radical. Something where you can © Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images

fuck around with samples more…

We’ve picked up ReCycle. That’s

mainly about chopping stuff into

small parts and making your own

stuff out of it. It will make life a

complete ease. I spend so much time

63

Feature | 30 years

Photek
– Modus Operandi

13[1997] A pivotal work of
drum & bass from an
artist that would go on

to remix Bowie and

score major Hollywood movies.

Photek: “When I did Modus... I was

in St. Albans in Hertfordshire, where I

was born and grew up. By then I had

enough money to afford three E-MU

samplers, from the E-MU E4 series

[5000 and 64], which were at the

centre of everything. That gave me © David Tonge/Getty Images

the grand total of a minute and a half/

two minutes of sample time. There

was a Mackie 32 track desk, plus I Faithless’ Reverence was forged
had another 24 channel desk. Then I on a special deal with the
was using a PC to sequence it Swanyard Studios owner

running Emagic Logic. I’d just made

the switch from Cubase on an Atari. weren’t in everybody’s toolbox. I also

“My other prized tools were a had the Technics decks. If you

Lexicon Reverb and a Roland wanted to reverse sections of your

JV-1080. They made up the main sample, or change the pitch of it, the

body of the stuff I used. I had a few easiest way was to spin the deck

other bits, like an old Proteus and a backwards, or move the pitch control.

Sony multi effects box, an MP5. It “You had to construct that process Roni Size & Reprazent Fatboy Slim – You’ve
was like a half white rack unit that all by hand. I think it was a year after – New Forms Come a Long Way, Baby
not many people had come across at that that hard disc recordings really

the time, so I had a lot of effects that became the norm.” © Bob Berg/Getty Images 14[1997] Roni Size: “It all 15[1998] Norman Cook: “Most
started when I got rid of the album was
A change in mixing desk is of the Studiomaster made during the last
credited for Roni Size &
Reprazent’s New Forms’ sound

P7 mixing desk and hurrah of The House

got in a Mackie. That was the key of Love. It was my little spare

moment. We’d got that with the bedroom, overlooking the train tracks

advance from Talkin’ Loud. It had just of Preston Park station [in Brighton].

come out. We bought one and I think “I was using an Atari ST, an Akai

Andy C and a few others bought one. S950, and a coupla synths. Most of

The sound changed. The kicks really the musical stuff came out of a

popped, and you began to hear the Roland SC-70 SoundCanvas – that

top end really sing. Now, instead of was for traditional instruments like

putting nine different sounds through pianos. Then I had a Midimoog,

one output, we could spread stuff which did basslines. Then a 303,

across the desk. The Mackie just had naturally. And a 909, 808 and a

that sound. A big desk in a little box. Moog Prodigy – for the wild stuff.

“We also upgraded from the “A lot of the tunes were 90%

Roland S-550 to the S-760 sampler. from the S950. And halfway through

This was at a time when everyone else the album I invested in another, as I

was using Akai. We were like, ‘No. told myself I was a professional now,

We’re using the S-760. It’s got the and as I was always running out of

monitor where you can see the memory. I only had 48 seconds! If

sample waveforms and it sounds you had a whole track in there you

different.’ We bought four. So we had couldn’t get any of the vocals in!

32 outputs on the desk, and we had “Then the turntable was

four S-760s so everything was nice.” hardwired straight into the sampler.”

64

30 years | Feature

Faithless – Reverence down on two-inch tape and then they Björk – Medúlla Burial – Untrue
were edited. Very little was being
done in the computer. The
sequencing ran on the computer. But
all the dub effects and stuff like that
were done on the desk.”

16[1998] Rollo: “The album 18[2004] Björk’s fourth album 20[2007] William Bevan, the
was put down in a big found her at a point of publicity-shy figure
studio called creative transition, behind the Burial

Swanyard. We’d got it following the birth of alias, isn’t one for

for cheap because Blissy and I were Laurent Garnier – her daughter. As a result, much of giving regular interviews. His
Unreasonable Behaviour
doing big remixes, and the deal was Medúlla was recorded on dictaphones Mercury-nominated album is a

that if we did them there and paid while walking in mountains or caves fabulous patchwork of samples –

full price, in downtime we could then 17[2000] – an idea inspired by Aphex Twin. drawing on sources as diverse as

use it for more personal and A genre-bending work “Basically, it enables you to record found sounds, video games and R&B
of driving dance
non-paying projects. music, featuring the layers of vocals while walking outside. vocals re-pitched to sit in completely

“They had an SSL setup. I think it I had to use a dictaphone after I had different registers – that were

was an E-Series. Then it was C-Lab... stone-cold classic The my daughter, because the only thing apparently pieced together freehand

We also had a Proteus Orchestral, Man With The Red Face. Alongside a you can remember is you and the in audio editor Soundforge.

Eventide H3000 and a Roland synth Roland V-Drum setup, Clavia nord baby. So I had to exercise that muscle Bevan’s school friend and

called a JD-800, which we got that Lead and Yamaha DX100, Roland’s with dictaphones until I got my frequent collaborator Four Tet gave us

famous picked staccato sound from. JD-800 proved a key inspiration to memory back. You can work on an an insight into his studio processes:

All of the pads and stuff we got from the French techno icon at the turn of idea and make it better and better, “He was a very inspiring person to

a big black Roland D-50. Then I had the millennium. but there’s something very important work with, the fact that he’s put out

various things like a Roland Juno-60 Laurent Garnier: “The JD-800 about the first time you record it, and those records and he’s never used a

and a couple of Juno-106s too. The is great! I bought two of them that usually is the take that stays. If I quantiser, or he’s never put anything

samplers were Akais, like the actually, and I still use them all the record something on a dictaphone, I on a grid. People flip out about the

S-1000. I had a TR-909 drum time. I’ve done a lot of stuff with couldn’t record it again.” sound of the Burial records and it’s

machine. The Acidy squelches would them which a lot of people didn’t because he’s not using things that

have come from the Juno. They were believe I made. On some tracks the everybody relies on.”

used whenever we found we needed bass sound is a JD-800 along with a

anything analogue. lot of the strings… I feel it’s very easy

“Every bit of playing that went to use for somebody who doesn’t want

into that record, from filters to piano to drown themselves in too much

playing and the vocals, were all put music technology.” Calvin Harris
– I Created Disco
For Medúlla, Björk took her © Alain BENAINOUS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images LCD Soundsystem
sampling process outdoors with 19[2007] – Sound of Silver
found sound techniques

Believe it or not, the 21[2007] James Murphy: “We
chart-bothering debut went to Longview
from one of the Farm Studios up in

world’s most

successful producers was created in

his bedroom on an old-school setup. Massachusetts

Calvin Harris: “All of that first – that’s where Stevie Wonder recorded

album was recorded on the Amiga. It Songs In The Key Of Life. They’ve got

was all done in my bedroom in a 40-input Trident A-Range desk that

Dumfries, before I got any interest I believe Hunky Dory was done on. It’s

from the music business. All I had a beautiful console and a beautiful

was the Amiga 1200, the Korg M5 studio, which we covered in tinfoil,

provided loads of sounds for the first mylar and silver fabrics to make it

album, a huge, 32-channel into a spaceship. The owners came in

Soundcraft mixer, my 950 – at some and were like, ‘What the fuck?’ It

point, that was upgraded to an looked like a Dr Who set and I had a

S3000 – the Alesis compressors, a silver boiler-suit, which made me look

Line 6 echo-thingy, a Focusrite kinda funny when I went into town to

VoiceMaster Pro and a couple of AKG pick up food.

C1000 mics. That was it! “We used the Trident and I used

“The Focusrite was brilliant, Logic on a Mac. But we only used it

because I could really crunch the for recording and editing – we don’t

vocals up and distort them to hell.” use it for any sound treatment.”

65

Feature | 30 years

Animal Collective
– Merriweather
Post Pavilion

22[2009] A seminal work
bridging the gaps
between New York

indie and electronic

music, MPP saw the four-piece

pushing themselves in the studio

more than ever before.

Avey Tare: “In the past, all we wanted

the studio for was to capture the

songs and the vibe we already had.

This time though, there was a little bit © Joby Sessions/Future Music

more production happening when we

were in the studio. There were a

couple of things that we were able to Noisia’s Split the Atom was
created using a heady mix of
come up with because of what they plugin bundles

had there – cool ways to mic and

layer drums, which wasn’t anything

we had planned before we went in.” other bits like Sylenth, Albino, Waves won’t even have the track on. I’ll just which is about 200 metres from my
NLS, and some FabFilter, Sonnox and record a bunch of sounds from a front door. It’s basically a tunnel
Geologist: “Ben [Allen], the Softube bundles.” keyboard or a guitar and manipulate running underneath a road and at the
that to fit with the track I’ve got. It’s other end is the sea. It’s got this
engineer, was really good at finding about wanting it to become an edited, amazing natural reverb, I think it
sequence-type sound rather than resonates at a G, just a really unique
the right EQ and sound for each of human performance. sound. We went there with three
microphones and we sung down
the parts. He was really good at “If I sat down with a guitar and there, threw stones at the wall and
started soloing over things, I’d never recorded loads of claps.
anticipating the production, especially get anything done that hadn’t been
done before – the guitar is such an “There are two songs on the
for percussion.” explored instrument. But if I record album, Adriatic and Tunnel Vision,
small parts and try to manipulate which are mostly made out of
Panda Bear: “[The Sweet Tea studio them to fit with the track – pitching samples from that tunnel.”
it, stretching it, slowing it down,
in Oxford, Mississipi] had this huge speeding it up – I forget that it’s
guitar. It just becomes sound.”
metal wall that was in a storage area Four Tet
– There is Love in You
and it sounded cool. A lot of the

reverb on the album is actually from

that hallway, especially percussion.” 24[2010]

A turning point
between his earlier,
folk-tinged sound and

more dancefloor-

focused work, Keiran Hebden’s 2010

album saw him pushing the

Noisia – Split The Atom capabilities of his software setup.

“It’s a very digital project and it feels The Field – Looping
State of Mind
23[2010] natural for me to keep it in the

Nik Roos: “We made computer and use plugins for EQ and
the album with the
latest version of stuff like that. On the Four Tet Mount Kimbie 26[2011]
– Crooks & Lovers
records, one of the concepts that Axel Willner: “The
album was done in
Cubase on a Windows gives it its sound is that it’s all different stages.

7 PC with a dual screen setup. Adam in-the-box. It’s not about budget, 25[2010]

S3A speakers provided the sound and circumstances or efficiency – it just One of the standout Firstly, I did all the
releases of the
we also had an SPL 2Control monitor allows me to make the music in a ‘post-dubstep’ wave, sketches at my home studio [in

controller. We also had a Terratec creative way. I usually don’t think Berlin]. And then I packed up the car

TMP1, Korg N5, SV-1 and M50. about the mixing while working on Mount Kimbie’s debut and drove down to Cologne to my

Then the Access Virus TI, Adam things, it just kind of happens as I go. saw the duo combining found sounds friend’s place, Dumbo Studios. Then

Sub12 and a Neumann TLM102 “There is [some live and sampled beats in Logic and FL the two guys [band members Jesper

microphone to record vocals. We used instrumentation] but even when I Studio. Dominic Maker: “Around two Skarin and Dan Enqvist] flew in from

serious amounts of iZotope Trash, record something in, I won’t try and months into making the album we Stockholm. That’s when we started to

Superior Drummer 2 for drums, and perform a perfect take, sometimes I went down to a sort of wind-tunnel live jam and arrange on the spot.

66

30 years | Feature

“I had the [Elektron] Octatrack, ensemble, which is how I record all
which had just come out – I had a the live stuff, and I use a preamp
beta version. Then an [Akai] MPC. Heritage Audio DMA-73 dual
And there was also some tracks that I microphone to record the piano. I’ve
had recorded in [Jeskola] Buzz, this got an Eventide DSP 4000
old tracker program. ultra-harmoniser and a cassette deck,
which I use quite a lot for re-recording
“We also used Machinedrum, a sounds in.
Roland SH-101, a JX-3P, and a
Yamaha CS01. And we also had a “For synths, I have the Korg
Minimoog Voyager. And, because we Trinity Pro and a CasioTone 101. I
were in a recording room in the studio also have a Roland SH-09 and a Korg
they had quite a lot of instruments. MS-20, which is the newest one, and
So, we had a piano, a vibraphone, it’s all over the album.”
and a double bass. This stuff was just
lying around. Jesper was also using
an acoustic drum kit, and Dan
Enqvist had a Höfner President and a
Fender Jazz Bass.”

Grimes – Art Angels

Jon Hopkins – Immunity 28[2015] Claire Boucher: “The © Kevin Lake Jon Hopkins relaxes in the
core of the studio is company of some beloved
my computer and an hardware and listening material

Apogee Duet USB

27[2013] interface, which doubles with

Jon Hopkins: “I’ve whatever mic I’m using at the time. professionally mastered in the end. I
basically got a love the Waves plugins too, especially
MacBook Pro running Sample packs are important; I’ve the Manny Marroquin reverbs, which I
really like for doing vocals. I used
been building my own and getting iZotope Nectar on a couple of vocal
tracks too, but it crashes a lot.”
so I can open Sound good drum sounds that I love, and I

Forge and work on sounds also usually use a synth or a guitar.

simultaneously in Logic. That’s the “I love the Nexus VST and Native

key setup that allows me to marry the Instruments’ Massive, and I really like Caribou – Suddenly

sort of programming I used to do with using iZotope Ozone for sending

the better-quality sequencing power people demos. I ‘mastered’ the album 30[2020]

of Logic. I’ve got an Apogee with Ozone, although obviously I got it Dan Snaith: “A lot of
the guitars on the
Grimes’ Art Angels saw her © Ye Rin Mok album are
create DIY sample packs, and
guitar sounds were just the start Omnisphere, and the

SOPHIE – Oil of Every piano as well. As for sampling, there’s
Pearl’s Un-Insides
a lot of individual sampled hits but

29[2018] there are also tracks on there that

One of the most have whole loops of other tracks
innovative producers
of their generation, within them.

“The one big synth on the record

Scottish-born SOPHIE is actually something I made. It’s

sadly died in a tragic accident in early exactly what you shouldn’t do with a

2021. Around the same time, modular synth – try and make a

collaborator Jimmy Edgar let us in on polysynth out of it. I used my modular

some of SOPHIE’s innovative tricks: gear and Reaktor Blocks and I

“We both use the Elektron equipment designed this software/hardware

very heavily so we were sharing hybrid thing. It has four wavetable

techniques for that and exchanging oscillators routed into four filters… I

sysex. SOPHIE really started to ended up getting its four voices doing

explore Karplus-Strong string independent things.

synthesis in the Elektron world and it “For example, if you send a

inspired me to get into that too, Quadrature LFO that modulates the

mostly to emulate sounds of real life. wavetable position of each of the four

[SOPHIE used] a technique called oscillators, you can hold down a

slip-stick. This is the synthesis that chord with four voices, and they’ll all

you use for physical objects that bend be at different points in the

and resonate different materials.” wavetable.”

67

Interview | Panda Bear & Sonic Boom

68

Panda Bear & Sonic Boom | Interview

ased in Portugal and no strangers to each You’re both based in Portugal we understand?

other’s music, Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) PK: “I’m based in Sintra, which is a 30-minute drive from

and Peter Kember (Sonic Boom) first Noah in Lisbon, but it’s technically in the Lisbon area. I’d lived

began working together on the former’s in the same little town in the UK for most of my life and had

Tomboy album in 2011, with the duo also wanted to move away for decades. I’d been to the Algarve as a

co-producing Panda Bear Meets the Grim kid and remember liking it even then, but after spending time

Reaper four years later. Having forged an with Noah on the Tomboy album, rehearsing for shows and

enduring partnership, it was only a matter going back and forth on different projects I really started to

of time before they would fully collaborate – a process like the way of life here.”

instigated amidst the isolation of the 2020 pandemic.

At first, Kember began re-familiarising himself with his When did you decide it would be a good idea to fully

long-lost collection of ’50s and ’60s American doo-wop and collaborate on a release?

rock-and-roll LPs. Crafting song-length loops from classic NL: “It kind of happened by accident. It was during the first

intros to tracks by Eddie Cochrane, The Troggs and The wave of the pandemic when everybody was locked indoors

Drifters, Lennox then added his own vocal observations to and Pete had this idea of making loops from the intros to

create fully-formed songs. A truly unique-sounding album, songs. He started sending me these big packs containing 30 or

Reset’s happy-go-lucky demeanour is nevertheless 40 loops that would be about four or five minutes long and

contradicted by its lyrical cynicism at global events. I’d try to build some sort of arrangement or structure to those

pieces, typically using vocals. After three or four songs I

So take us back to when you guys first met? suggested it would be cool if Pete would sing the lead on a

Noah Lennox: “The first interaction we had was over bunch of them too. There was no grand plan; it just came

MySpace actually. Pete’s friend had played him an album of together that way.”

mine and in the liner notes I’d written that Spacemen 3 and

Sonic Boom were one of my influences and he wrote back to Pete, we understand those loops that you sent to Noah

were inspired by your

PANDA BEAR & collection of ’50s and ’60s
SONIC BOOM doo-wop and rock ‘n’ roll LPs?
PK: “The story is that the house I
was living in with my wife at the
time was too small for all of our
shite and I couldn’t access the
bulk of my records for a period
of time. After moving here, I
made sure I had access to them
and began experiencing and

enjoying things that I hadn’t

For Reset, long-time friends Panda heard since I was a kid. It also
Bear and Sonic Boom stare down struck me that a lot of these
global unease through the medium of tracks had intros that juiced the
samples. Danny Turner found out more whole thing even though they
were independent from how the
rest of the song sounded. I just
felt they had a vibe that we could
grow something from.”

say he thought the record was cool and maybe we could work With the title Reset, is it as
together or play a show at some point. I wasn’t touring at the basic as you both pressing
time but I did have a bunch of tracks recorded for what reset on your careers with this
eventually would become Tomboy, so I asked him to mix the release, as it’s a pretty unique-sounding record?
recordings and since then we’ve grown closer, professionally NL: “That was part of it, but Pete and I hang out once every
and personally.” two weeks or so and during the pandemic we had a moment
to stop and think about the state of everything and a lot of
Pete, you also co-produced Noah’s album Panda Bear those conversations fed into the lyrics. We didn’t see each
Meets the Grim Reaper. What was your early experience other for the first three months of the pandemic, but after that
of working on those projects? we were able to work together, mostly in my studio and then
more in Pete’s towards the end.”

How quickly did the songs start coming together?

Peter Kember: “It was a good experience. I mixed Tomboy, PK: “The songs were there as soon as Noah started writing to
which I thought was an awesome record that had a really my loops and he’s very good at leaving space and putting
strong, intense vibe, and so I naturally have some really good things into spaces left by others. That makes it hard to fuck up
memories of that. Grim Reaper was more of a production because none of the sounds are fighting each other and that
role. Noah had sent me some skeletal demos that I really liked, leaves a lot of room to mix. I have to be careful what I say, but
so there were more conversations about what we were going I kind of believe that, these days, you can almost fix anything.
to do together and I was down for the whole journey.” I’d argue that the range of what you can do with an EQ on a

69

Interview | Panda Bear & Sonic Boom

voice makes the mic less important when it comes to how contained some of the most refined lyrics he’s ever written. It

you’re processing the vocal.” felt like they were little telegrams about the state of everything

at the time, whether that’s the pandemic lockdown or the

The album sounds super light-hearted and optimistic. whole Trump situation. It was a big illustration of how people

Was that an antidote to the prevailing mood at the time? are beginning to realise that we’re living right on the edge of

NL: “We hoped the album would be escapist for people – that the edge. Safety nets are being got rid of and any real thought

was the point of it. However, I should say that sonically the about how things impact society is being steamrollered by

album sounds very cheerful but lyrically it’s quite down in the business. If there is a god, it must be business because that’s

dirt and deals with much darker themes than the music might what everyone seems to pray to. I’m not sure if Noah was

suggest. Pete and I were talking about how cynical we felt at aware of all that, but it was nice to hear those succinct

the state of things at the time, which was pretty bad, but being summations coming through in his lyrics, albeit not in a way

cynical, negative and complaining about how we’re all that specified a day or an event.”

doomed certainly doesn’t help anybody. With that in mind we

thought, what if we go the other way and try to encourage or Is it true that you’re donating some of the proceeds?

fire people up and give them something that’s quite energised PK: “The reason that we decided to donate to MAPS

and positive, and that acted as medicine for us at the time.” (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) was

PK: “As the songs came through from Noah I realised they because they’re trying to fix things sociologically and mend

people who have post-traumatic stress disorder. I

“IT FELT MORE TO US LIKE THE SONGS think practically everyone suffered from that during
the pandemic and we’re still seeing echoes of it.”

MIGHT BE SET TO A MUSICAL OF SOME Regarding the tone of the record, a lot of the
SORTS. THERE’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING songs are quite reminiscent of US Westerns –
THEATRICAL ABOUT THE ALBUM’S TONE” especially tracks like Danger, where one might
imagine Clint Eastwood moseying into town on
a horse...

NL: “That’s awesome [laughs]. It felt more to us like

the songs might be set to a musical of some sorts,

which is probably what you were thinking about.

There’s definitely something theatrical about the

album’s tone.”
PK: “I pictured it as late afternoon in a shady street

somewhere in a Spanish town or down Mexico way,

but that wasn’t conscious. Noah just picked the

loops and started vibing with them, so a lot of that

feel you’re describing is down to him.”

The opening track Gettin’ to the Point directly
samples Eddie Cochrane’s Three Steps to
Heaven. How did you go about clearing that?
PK: “That was the toughest one… we nearly had to
take it off the record at one point. It’s funny because
the intro to Three Steps to Heaven doesn’t really
sound like the rest of the song – it almost sounds
like it was edited on. The samples were all taken
from hits, so the process was slow and expensive, but
we cleared them all.”
NL: “We wanted the record to be positive and cure
the ills of the world in a really grandiose way, yet we
had these roadblocks where you’re not even talking
to the original songwriter because some corporation
owns the copyright. From that perspective,
something we were trying to rally against was being
shoved right back in our face, which was rough.”
PK: “Publishing these days is like a venture capitalist
endeavour. The songwriters are all dead, but I
guarantee that if we were able to run what we were
doing by them, they’d be happy to be part of the
whole thing. Because all of this was going on, I did
start Googling about it and found some article
about a boy band that Harry Styles was in.

“I think it was One Direction who had several
hits that were heavily based on, not samples, but
songs by The Who, and Pete Townshend basically
said, where do you think we got all our ideas from?

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Panda Bear & Sonic Boom | Interview

At the end of the day, we only have 12 notes that we share Was getting your original music to match the sample a
between us and a small number of scales, so it all just tricky process?
circulates around.” NL: “In its basic form, the tracks were created quite quickly,
but the fine-tuning of the original idea and the editing was
It must be wonderful to build on a sample like that. Is kind of painstaking and took a long time, especially when it
that when you realise how good a riff is? came to setting the lyrics to the form I wanted to go for. I
PK: “I didn’t consider that when we were doing it, but it don’t like to just write words and set them to music – I find
makes my day to see that we’re now co-writers with Eddie that way of working is kind of clunky, so I’m really choosey
Cochrane or I’ve written a song with Doc Pomus [laughs].” about using certain words and how it sounds to sing them.”
NL: “A bunch of the time I knew that I knew the song but I
didn’t have a melody in my head when I was listening to it. Livin’ in the After and a few other tracks appear to
For me, Pete’s loops instantly enabled me to start rocking feature a lot of strange percussion effects. What were
something and gave me some immediate juice to work with.” you using for those?
PK: “I have a big tub of percussion that I’ve accumulated over
Were the strings on the track Livin’ in the After also the years, so you’ll hear these funny little party whistle things
sample-based? appearing on the record a bunch. A friend of mine gave me a
PK: “That song is actually made from two samples. The verses guiro, which is a Latin American percussion instrument, and I
go back and forth and when the track kicks into the chorus it bought a couple more that were also used to add some
riffs off of those strings without the vocals in it. Noah flavour. Noah and I were talking about ska and rocksteady
arranged that track but the chorus was tough because the stuff from the late ’60s. Back then, Jamaica was a seriously
sample goes out of time. Most of the other tracks looped fucked up place on many levels but they made all of this
happily on a grid because the samples were only two or three awesome music. They sang about their problems in a way that
chords long, but The Drifters sample was more extended.” felt uplifting and it’s really impressive how they’d make these
really beautiful, vibed-out tracks using rhythmic instruments
Did you find it interesting to examine the tuning on like the guiro whilst singing about the harsh realities of life,
those classic samples? and that definitely inspired us.”
PK: “It was interesting to find how much the tuning drifted
on a Doc Pomus track like Save the Last Dance for Me and Did you play any acoustic instruments yourself on this?
Noah also mentioned how the sample was out of tune on a NL: “Yes, although not on every song. We often used a lot of
Motown song by The Temptations called It’s Growing. We acoustic guitar to support the sample, but it’s pretty low in the
didn’t end up using that one, but maybe that’s why those mix so it’s tough to hear, and there are a couple of songs that
songs stand out. When I was in Black Sheep studios one time, have live bass rather than synth bass.”
the engineer analysed a sample of another Motown hit
through iZotope and realised that every instrument on the What type of synth sounds did you end up using to
track was out of tune. It’s interesting working with other complement the tracks?
people’s stuff like that because you discover things you PK: “All the harmoniser stuff was done on the Eventide H910
wouldn’t normally discover about them.” plugin, which is an awesome match for the original unit. It

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Interview | Panda Bear & Sonic Boom

has a certain weird magic to it, but we were just trying stuff lot of their plugins. I basically used Luna as a tape machine,
and got lucky. A lot of the synth parts that Noah played were then we took the recordings from that and stemmed them out
made using an Arturia MicroFreak that I’d bought and had into Pro Tools to finalise everything.”
barely got out of the box. We turned it on and preset one got PK: “Mixing, EQing and quite a lot of the effects were done in
an immediate look in. With the percussion and all the Pro Tools because that’s what I always work in for mixing.
electronics, I was just trying to find things that were as vibey Once I could afford to be a Pro Tools user – when I didn’t
as possible and taking notes to reaffirm what I already knew. need the hardware anymore, I really got into it, which
The acoustic guitar is something I’ve used on my productions probably came from working with MGMT who were also Pro
for years, so using that and stuff like handclaps are all Tools guys. When they upgrade and update it, it mostly stays
well-known tricks when it comes to overdubbing because the same and I hate it when those companies try to reinvent
they can really vibe tracks out and add a magic to things.” themselves. I’ve been through too many DAWs in my career,
but I like the Pro Tools interface a lot and I’m used to it now.”
Noah, would it be fair to say that you have a fairly basic
studio setup? How does your studio compare to Noah’s?
NL: “At the beginning of this record, the kitting out of my PK: “My studio is a little room with an awesome view of the
studio had kind of just started and this album was only the mountain and a door that goes onto the patio so you can
second or third thing I’d done in there. I just want a really work inside and out, but it’s for mixing really and recording
simple setup with each piece of gear being high quality rather direct. I don’t do vocal stuff here because I like to work with
than a whole bunch of stuff that’s of varying quality. I want an engineer as there’s certain parts of the creative process
the studio to be streamlined so I can just go for it.” where I really like to have someone else overlooking different
aspects. I don’t think artists think about music in the same
Your studio desk certainly looked fairly incomplete at way that engineers do, so for this record, recording, mixing
the beginning of the project… and editing were all very different disciplines. An engineer will
NL: “Apart from my Apollo and Neve compressors, the only usually have a much better perspective on that, especially in
thing I used on the desk was a Drawmer 1968 compressor, studios that have a range of microphones, for example. I also
which I put vocals through on a couple of songs because I like working in an environment where it’s a team effort, I can
needed the chorus to be a lot more powerful. Pretty much get input from people who know better than me and we’re all
everything else I did was in the box using Luna as my DAW working towards the same goal.”
because it plays nicely with the Apollo interface and I have a NL: “I can go either way. About 70% of what I do is

72

Panda Bear & Sonic Boom | Interview

“IT WAS TOUGH TIMES TO BE WORKING IN naturally inspired us all of the time.Even though I
mentioned that we kept hitting on things and
– IT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE A PARTY I CAN TELL getting lucky,I suppose we’re both at a point in our
careers where we’ve both made a lot of records and
YOU, BUT TOUGH TIMES SOMETIMES have a lot of experience, and that comes through.”
PRODUCE REALLY GOOD MUSIC” Has this album given you both ideas about
creating another conceptual album from a
different era perhaps?

PK: “Towards the end of the sessions for Grim

completely solo, particularly during the writing phase, but I Reaper, Noah said something along the lines of let’s do a

also feel there’s a lot of benefit to working with engineers in a record that’s just vocals and percussion. I thought that was

proper studio because I’m not super good at mic placement interesting and because I never forgot he said it percussion

or miking drums. I just try and bend things until they sound became one of the really important parts of this record. The

good, so it’s better to work with someone who knows what propulsive nature of the songs usually comes from percussion

they’re doing because it streamlines the process.” arrangements and the stuff we did live in Noah’s studio, and

PK: “Sometimes when you’re working on stuff, you start to because that had a natural energy to it the album was made

discount things because you’re used to working in a particular surprisingly quickly.”

way. To be fair, I did most of the vocals for my tracks, but NL: “This album definitely made me want to make

some were done at Noah’s and others at Black Sheep studios something else with Pete, but I usually wait for an idea to

here in Portugal. As Noah said, we really didn’t have a grand come to me and everything follows from that. It also needs to

plan and the process was incredibly casual. Noah would say, feel exciting to me over the period of a couple of months. In

‘What mic do you want to use?’ and I’d say,‘Whatever one is Reset’s case, it was all about the gestation period I spent with

set up’.” Pete’s intro loops that bore fruit, but I wouldn’t want to do a

Reset part two.”

It definitely sounds like it was a fun record to work on,

even though the reality might have been different? WANT TO KNOW MORE?
PK: “It was tough times to be working in – it didn’t feel like a
party I can tell you, but tough times sometimes produce really Panda Bear & Sonic Boom’s debut

good music. I always repeat what Jim Dickinson said to me, album Reset is out now on Domino
‘When you’ve got a great song, it’s pretty hard to fuck things Records. For more information, visit
up’. It doesn’t matter if it’s the worst recording on the worst pandabearofficial.com
day, you’ll get there and Noah’s songs were really good and

73

In The Studio With | Nils Frahm © Leiter

As the German composer and producer returns with
a new three-hour opus, he tells Matt Mullen how his
gear choices have shaped his genre-hopping sound

74

Nils Frahm | In The Studio With

any artists shun modern, digital instrumentals that are sparse, haunting and atmospheric.

equipment in favour of analogue Over ten tracks, with runtimes that extend well into the

instruments: it’s a story that’s been double digits, Frahm embarks on a reflective exploration of

told through countless interviews, in tone, texture and atmosphere that pushes past the three-hour

these pages and elsewhere. But none mark. Plangent chords slowly emerge and dissolve into the

we’ve spoken to seem to have ether. Arpeggios run on for 5, 10, or 20 minutes at a time. At

pondered this preference quite as the end of Stepping Stone, there’s a full minute and a half

deeply as Nils Frahm. The German devoted to the decay of a single note.

composer/producer’s fondness for the analogue springs not This is not a record for the impatient, or those with a short

from gear fetishism or the fusty nostalgia of a chin-stroking attention span. But it’s a richly rewarding and hypnotic listen,

purist, but a deep-seated reverence for the sound’s power to both immersive and near-infinite – an easy way to lose a few

evoke something extramusical – something spiritual. hours, and an easy way to lose yourself. In Music For

“My constant inspiration,” Frahm says of the creative Animals, Frahm touches on something essential about

process behind his new album, Music For Animals, “was ambient music: its ability to give one pause, to open up the

something as mesmerising as watching a great waterfall, or moment in which it’s experienced to a stillness and quietude

the leaves on a tree in a storm.” Meditative moments like that verges from the musical into the spiritual.

these led him to draw parallels between the nature of his

experience, the music he was working on and the instruments When did the ideas behind Music For Animals begin to

used to create it. “I wanted to imagine music which works in take shape?

similar ways,” he tells us. “Sitting at this waterfall, watching “In the beginning of the pandemic, there was a lot going on. I

the water go, it reminded me of my synthesiser playing an had just finished my world tour, and was taking some months

arpeggio. The notes go into my effects unit, and even though off. We realised okay, there’s nothing happening and all of the

it feels like a loop, when you focus on it, it sounds different ideas we had for the year were cancelled. As I was starting the

every round. That’s why I love analogue.” project I was selling a lot of my instruments to clear out the

In the tendency of analogue machines to exhibit minute studio, and then we started rewiring the whole setup. I also

variations in their sound and behaviour, Frahm found released some older material which I never had the time to

something authentic, a sense of imperfection and a constant think about in the hectic years before.

flux that mirrors something fundamental about the world. “On top of that clean-out process, I received the glass

“When you sample something digitally with a PCM sound, harmonica, the instrument which Nina, my wife, played on

you sample the same bits, the same exact information,” the record. We’d talked a lot about it, and I’d waited for the

Frahm says. “But when it actually sounds the same then I’m thing for two years. Finally it arrived, and when I heard her

dead. It’s dead air, I feel it with my heart.” play it – just by accident, because I asked her to – I went to the

control room, listened to that, and that moment, the

“I JUST SET UP THE SCENARIO, A COUPLE idea for the music took shape.
“We didn’t have anything in mind, we were just
INSTRUMENTS, I MAKE A HEADPHONE jamming once a week,having a bottle of wine and
some picnic in the studio. It took me a little while to
MIX, I PUT ON SOME EFFECTS… A LITTLE realise that this is actually music I should take
seriously. But there was also this nice thing about it,
BIT LIKE ROLLING THE DICE” that it didn’t feel like one of these more ambitious
ideas, where I’m thinking: I’ve got to make a great
album, how do I do it? With All Melody, it was much

more a case of feeling like I needed to help the

This philosophy lies at the core of Frahm’s latest release, album in being great. But this time around the album helped

Music For Animals. The project was conceived and recorded me to stay sane. So I think this album did a lot for me, and I

in Saal 3 of Berlin’s colossal Funkhaus complex, a studio didn’t do so much for it.”

that’s been managed by Frahm since he oversaw an extensive

overhaul in 2016. Deconstructed, reconstructed and outfitted What led you towards extending the structures on this

with a carefully curated selection of analogue gear, vintage record and writing much longer pieces?

effects units, a custom-built mixing desk and a restored “Normally, my recordings are pretty long, because it’s

physical reverb chamber, the exquisitely wood-panelled space improvisation. I’m not going into the studio thinking okay,

was first used to record Nils’ previous album, All Melody. I’m writing a song, how long should it be? That is not really

But where that record pushed the studio to its limits, the way I do it. I just set up the scenario, a couple instruments,

seeing the composer invite a variety of new timbres and I make a headphone mix, I put on some effects, a little bit like

textures into his world, his latest represents a move in the rolling the dice. Then I go with whatever the result is. To give

opposite direction – from maximalism to minimalism, from the moment a chance, you don’t give up after three, four or

All Melody to No Melody. A collection of ten improvised five minutes of playing. You don’t play the peak moment in

compositions for glass harmonica, pump organ, Mellotron the first three minutes. You’re trying to record something you

and a handful of analogue synths, Music For Animals finds want to listen to again, so you move carefully, so you don’t

Frahm abandoning the piano – the instrument with which he mess it up.

made his name – and making the boldest stylistic departure “That approach takes time. I would say after 15, 20

of his career. minutes of looking, searching, you – sometimes, not every

The record brings his music further into the ambient time – end up in a moment where you enjoy yourself. Then

realm than ever before, substituting his typically delicate, you try to hold that moment in the jam session, that is maybe

sentimental melodicism with expansive, sweeping minute 20 to 40. Then after 15 to 20 minutes of really having

75

In The Studio With | Nils Frahm

a good time with the music, you’re probably losing it. So a early ones, and it has something to it I’ve never heard on a
session could be easily one hour long, and then I could cut it Moog. Then the Mellotron is important. The Juno-60s I use
down. Depends on how short you want to cut your hair, you quite often, on the arpeggiated synth lines and whatnot.
know? You could cut away basically everything, or you just That’s basically it.”
give it a little bit more span. I didn’t want to make it too short.
Because that feels so efficiency-driven, like: ‘this is useless, this You seem to be drawn to the more classic machines. Do
is useless, we just want to have the creamy bit in the middle’.” you ever experiment with anything newer, or do you like
to stay in that vintage world?
Could you pick out a few pieces of gear that were “I don’t know how to explain it. Again, it’s not a rational
fundamental to the sound of the new record? choice that I’m against new instruments. But when I listen to
“I hope that every piece of equipment we used was pretty newer synths that everybody seems to love, for example the
much fundamental, because I didn’t want to use everything I new Prophet-10, I don’t get so inspired by the sound. I also try
had. The room is an instrument for me, the acoustics of the new things out all the time, because I’m curious. I’m trying
room are really incredible in Funkhaus. And the reverb the Behringer remakes of the oldest synthesisers. I’m listening
chamber we’re using. We set up a reverb chamber, the physical to everything I can get my hands on. But it rarely happens
one, which was not in use for a long time and now we have it that I feel like, okay, now I want to play a song with that.
back in use, for a 3-4 second reverb. It sounds incredible.
“The glass harmonica is a new instrument. It was made
“The mixture of the room sound was that reverb, and that new, but it’s an old style of instrument. For me, it’s much
makes everything sound pretty incredible already. Then you more important that I have the feeling that I can get a sound
can add a little bit of other effects, I use in mixing a lot of tape from it which I feel belongs to me, and it’s not a sound that
delays, and some plate delays, which are all old machines. I’ve heard a million times from this or that person. Listening
Some older broadcasting reverbs from EMT, plate reverbs. We to other people’s work helps me to know where I shouldn’t go.
also have a BX20 AKG spring reverb, which is the ultimate It’s not like I listen to other musicians and I feel like, oh, this is
spring reverb, from the ’70s. It’s a really lovely thing. The inspiring, I gotta try that. It’s bittersweet, when you listen to
effects almost make as much of the music as the instruments music from other people which you really love. That is
which run into the effects. For me, it’s like pinball. The something you love, but you can never do.
instrument is the ball, and when the ball hits the table, that’s
the reverb – all kinds of interesting things happen that you “If you use a lot of recent products, which everybody can
never thought would happen. order at Amazon at this point, the chances are that, without
knowing, you will sound like somebody else. Obviously, if you
“The instruments were glass harmonica, pump organ, have the money, you can buy the old synthesiser on Reverb or
Minimoog – a wonderful synth I got a couple years ago, it’s an some other platform, and spend way too much money on it.
incredible sounding thing. From ’73, one of the very original When I bought most of my equipment, for me, that was a

© Marcus Wernergood investment, because I would pay very little
money for very good machines, very professional-
sounding machines. It was very affordable, which is
different today, I understand, because now you pay
way too much money for old instruments. Because
there must be something to them, right? They
wouldn’t have gained so much in value, if they were
actually crap. It’s a bit sad that we can’t build
similarly amazing machines today.”

Do you think there’s something misguided
about the constant urge to create something
new, something better?
“There’s definitely a problem with that. I don’t know
when that happened, that whatever was new also
equals better. So you just had to make that
neon-coloured ‘new’ sticker on the thing and people
would feel like, I should have that just because it’s
new. It creates a big problem with overconsumption
and having the newest things all the time. If I have
the new instrument, then I will automatically be
part of the frontier of innovation. That is maybe an
illusion, because actually you sound like the trend. If
you’re using what is on the market or hip today, and
you’re buying that because it seems like you’re part
of the future, maybe you’re actually already part of
the past. You need to be the one who has the thing
nobody else has. In art, you can try to be original
without consuming.”

You’ve been collecting music tech since you
were a teen. Which pieces have stuck with you
throughout your life?

76

Nils Frahm | In The Studio With © Leiter

77 © Marcus Werner

In The Studio With | Nils Frahm

© Marcus Werner

“The Rhodes, and my Juno-60. The Rhodes I got from a then you’re happy that you can rely on a set of trusted, proven
piano teacher for almost no money. It was very sweet that sounds, which you know will probably work. So I wasn’t really
they supported me. The Juno-60 I bought for 60 Deutsche pushing the studio to its limits. That is also cool to do, but you
Mark in the ’90s when I was maybe 14. I also bought a Moog need a little bit more of a team to do that. When you want to
Prodigy, which I sold because I felt like I could not repair it. do crazy experiments, it’s better to be two or three people in
When I think about it now, it’s the easiest thing to repair, but I the studio and invite other musicians as well.
was scared of things not working. But it sounded so good, and
I bought it for 100 DM and sold it for less, because it was “That’s what I’ve done for All Melody. But in All Melody I
broken. Now, thinking about that I feel quite stupid, but I kept was basically trying the studio out and getting to know it.
the other things for sure.” With this album it was more of a nice cruise, knowing the
studio. Like always, it’s a big privilege to record here, because
We’ve read that your studio is heavily analogue. What things sound so good from scratch. No matter where you put
role does the computer play in your recording process? the mic, things just become a completely artistic choice.”
“I like the computer for what it can do. It’s a welcome
collaborator in the studio. It’s not my favourite piece of It’s become a space you can rely on.
machinery, because I’m always scared of it. I never really trust “Wow, it’s much easier. I’ve worked in so many places, and in
the thing. I’m just happy when it works, and it usually does, so bedroom studios most of my life. I was constantly needing to
I’m fine. I use it as a tape machine, I don’t use plugins, or experiment to avoid sounding like crap, and if that’s your
effects from the computer. I don’t use sound generators from main focus, you really learn your craft. But now here, I’m
the computer. But the computer is a good tape machine for afraid I’m not really challenged so much anymore as an
me, because like I described, when I play one-hour takes, engineer. I have all the stuff I want, all the brushes, all the
often two or three a day, and then I end up with 20-30 hours colours. What do I want to paint? That’s the only question.”
of jams for a week. And then you would not really be able to
afford the actual tape to record it all on.” We’re interested to find out more about your creative
process. Do you have any rituals or habits or
Did you try any new techniques on this record? peculiarities to the way that you work?
“I was more focused on playing on this record. Because I was “There is no magic to it. It’s the discipline to be in the studio
not alone. When I’m alone I sometimes get bored with as much as possible and to keep your equipment ready. I’m
playing for myself and I start experimentations which not waiting for the muse to kiss me, and then when I feel like
sometimes lead to nothing, often lead to something, you oh, it’s happening, I go into the studio and imagine what I can
never know. But when you’re sharing the studio with do. As we say, in Germany, appetite comes while you’re eating.
someone else and just want to focus on making the music, I think it’s more like that. I go in the room and play, and if I
feel like nothing’s happening, I keep on playing until

78

Nils Frahm | In The Studio With

something has happened. If I’m not inspired, then I at least meditation because it’s ever-changing and yet always the

train my fingers or I work on something anyways. same. You watch that water flow and you know that every

“Failed attempts need to be part of your creative process, molecule is unique and it passes by, yet it looks like it stands

because you will never go into a project and just play golden still. It seems to be the same water, yet it cannot be.

takes. You will have a lot of bad moments and some good “I wanted to imagine music which works in similar ways.

moments. Often it happens in the evening that I’m getting Sitting at this waterfall, watching the water go, it reminded me

more free and creative, because maybe the brain needs to be of my synthesiser playing an arpeggio. The notes go into my

half unconscious to let go. In the morning, I’m analysing the weird effect unit, and even though it feels like a loop, when

work from the evening before, debating with sober Nils, the you focus on it, it sounds different every round. I can explain

rational Nils, not the tired, little bit spaced-out Nils from the technically why that is, and I love it. That’s why I love

evening. Was it only great yesterday or is it also nice in the analogue. When you sample something digitally with a PCM

morning when you actually feel a little bit uninspired?” sound, you sample the same bits, the same exact information.

“You make a hi-hat, cut that out, and sample it in a

You’ve mentioned that for this album, you were inspired sequencer. When you sample the PCM, it’s a glitchy type of

by natural phenomena in writing music that relies less experience, and that often feels weird. I prefer a trigger

on structure and narrative. Could you tell us more? triggering the drum machine’s noise generator to put an

“I felt inspired by more banal things, like when you’re in envelope on the noise. Noise is an organic sound that’s never

nature and you hear a car driving by in the distance. I had the same, so when the envelope cuts a slice out from your

moments when the sound that the wind makes in a tree gave noise generator to create a hi-hat with the filter, every hi-hat

me an incredible feeling. Or certain other phenomena. When has a different sound. Noise, when analysed, is ever-changing.

I was watching a little waterfall while hiking in the mountains, It’s a random mathematical equation.

resting, sitting there thinking of Siddhartha and Herman “For me, that’s the main difference in what really defines

Hesse. In Eastern philosophy, the river is a good point for my work. I loop things, yes, but I don’t loop them with PCM.

I never loop a PCM bar. If you want to loop one bar

“THERE IS NO MAGIC TO IT. IT’S THE of music, and repeat that bar… it’s very difficult. Use
a very old cranky sampler, like a 12-bit sample at
DISCIPLINE TO BE IN THE STUDIO AS least, which runs into analogue effects.You turn the
filter on each round a little bit. Because when it
MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND TO KEEP YOUR actually sounds the same,PCM type of same,then
I’m dead. It’s dead air, I feel it with my heart. It’s not
EQUIPMENT READY” the waterfall I’m looking at. It’s a glitch, it’s a fucking
glitch. I don’t like this glitch. I’m not pleased by it.
“Some people might love that computer

© Marcus Werner glitchiness. I loved it when I was younger. Then I

learned, I want to use electronics, but I want to have

the fundamental principle of that ever-changing

water. Or, you look in the fire and you think the fire

has this size and the flames always go like this. But

actually look at it, really look at it, and you will never

see the same flame twice. For me, I don’t know why

but it blows my mind.”

Does spirituality play a big role in your work?
“Absolutely. Music is my religion. It’s a spiritual
language. Maybe the words we are using now are
good to make business. It’s a nice form to negotiate.
But what I actually want to speak about, I cannot tell
you now. Whatever I’m saying is just blah, blah, blah.
When I want to say something, I play it. It’s language
which comes directly from the heart.

“In music you can have ten different feelings and
thoughts being said and received at once. But when
we use language we have linear threads of thought,
we cannot communicate ten ideas simultaneously,
we have to first talk about the first idea and then
connect it with the second and go back and forth. So
what I actually want to describe, what I have the
urge to express, will never come out of my mouth. I
try to describe things with words, but it’s so hard. In
music, it’s so easy.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Nils Frahm’s Music For Animals
is out now via LEITER

79

FM | REVIEWS

Roland Juno-X £1,719

Roland’s long-awaited Juno for the 21st century is finally here –
but is it a worthy successor to the much loved original? Dave
Clews finds out

CONTACT KEY FEATURESWHO: Roland WEB: roland.com TONE GENERATION: Various ZEN-Core MODEL sound engines (Juno-60,
Juno-106, Juno-X, XV5080, RD-Piano, Vocoder) KEYS: 61 velocity-sensitive, synth-action with channel aftertouch DIMENSIONS: 1,072 x 333 x 118 mm
WEIGHT: 11.6 kg

80

Roland Juno-X | Reviews

THE PROS & CONS

+

Oodles of original
Juno mojo in a
solidly built chassis
Stunning looks and
familiar layout
Immense, authentic
sound

-

Tiny screen can
be confusing
Speakers are
underwhelming
Steep learning
curve for in-depth
sound design

oland’s Juno-106 $2,000, what does the Juno-X offer stunning. The classic red, white and mains connector, balanced and
analogue polysynth, for similar money? Well, nestling blue livery immediately identifies it as unbalanced stereo audio outputs, a
launched in 1984, under that beguiling exterior lies not a new arrival in the Juno family, with stereo audio input and traditional
holds a cherished just a faithful digital recreation of an the famous “Programmable 5-pin MIDI IN/OUT ports. There are
place. One of the first original 106, but also the next- Polyphonic Synthesizer” legend. The inputs for expression and sustain
truly affordable generation Juno-X engine, a Juno-60 chassis is solid aluminium and even pedals, a mic input for the vocoder
MIDI-equipped model, hundreds of sounds from the the chiselled plastic end cheeks are function, and a pair of USB ports for
polysynths, and an acknowledged classic XV-5080 module and RD faithful to the original, making the backing up settings to a USB stick, or
cornerstone of ’80s music, the 106 piano series, a vocoder section, plus unit easy to lug around despite being connecting to a computer for use as a
remains sought after. Having already the option of more downloadable built like a tank. MIDI controller or a 14-input,
revived the equally legendary Jupiter Roland Model Expansions. 4-output audio interface. You’ll also
line with the Jupiter X and Xm, we The front panel is bristling with find two well placed headphone ports.
now get the Juno-X. The Juno-X certainly has the wow sliders and multicoloured illuminated
With the current market price for factor. It feels reassuringly heavy, the buttons, in a layout reassuringly We were surprised to find that this
a decent original Juno-106 around physical dimensions are comparable familiar to any previous Juno user. synth has built-in speakers, unusually
to the Juno-106, and it looks Meanwhile, there’s a proper IEC for a pro synth. Through these you

81

Reviews | Roland Juno-X

THE ALTERNATIVES can stream music from a mobile plus there’s an authentic stereo As someone who used a JV-1080
device via Bluetooth to jam along. chorus with a new third mode that extensively in the past and still owns
Roland Jupiter- combines the effect of the first two. an XP-80, we can attest that these
Xm £1,279 The Juno-X’s 61-key keyboard is a There’s also a copious selection of are very faithful recreations. You also
high-quality synth action drafted over modern multi-effects on tap, with get all the classic Roland TR-series
Roland’s ZEN-Core- from the Fantom-0 series and is dedicated hardware controls for drum machine sounds to boot.
based modern wonderful to play, with a premium reverb, drive and delay. Finally, the
derivation of their feel and just the right springiness to I-Arpeggiator imbues your playing Plug a dynamic mic into the port
legendary Jupiter facilitate accuracy on fast runs. with intelligent input based on the on the back (there’s no phantom
line squeezed into a Channel aftertouch is present, pitch or rhythm of your playing. power support for condenser mics)
compact, portable although you really have to lean in and activate the vocoder model and
battery-powered hard to activate it. Anyone who’s ever There are apparently over 4,000 you’ll be rewarded with a real treat for
format. Throw in played an original Juno will enjoy the preset tones in the Juno-X, including the ears. The vocoder sounds
another £800 if you fact that Roland’s combined pitch authentic digital recreations of the incredibly clear, full and wide,
want the full-size bend and modulation lever has not original Juno-60 and 106 factory although not as close to the tone of
Jupiter X only survived, it’s actually an patches, and sound banks from the the VP-330 as you might expect.
improvement over the original, with XV5080 module, Roland’s flagship There are only two sounds available
roland.com more depth of travel in the synth module from the early 2000s, – Vocoder 1 is the brighter, more
modulation plane. More performance
Roland control is offered by two adjacent Flicking through the list
Fantom-06 sliders and three switches that can readily brings a smile to the
£1,200 place access to any parameter you face of any Juno aficionado
like in easy reach of your left hand.
Another ZEN-Core-
based synth from Elsewhere, there’s a brand new
Roland, but with Supersaw oscillator type and three
more workstation different filter types to choose from,
capabilities and a (labelled R for Roland, M for Moog
large colour and S for Sequential we’re guessing),
touchscreen
EXPANDABILITY
roland.com
The Juno-X is an extremely capable and versatile instrument. If you simply want an
Roland System-8 updated version of the Juno-106, it can be just that, but there’s much more power under
£1,290 the hood. For instance, as well as the numerous bundled synth engines, the Juno-X has
the ability to be expanded with extra classic synth models from the Roland Cloud stable,
Roland’s flagship such as the SH-101, JX-8P, or even Jupiter-8, among others. This makes the Juno-X a
‘Plug-out’ synth is kind of ‘several synths in a box’ solution, so much more than just a modern take on the
built around its 106 alone. Its wide gamut of preset tones make it capable of producing sounds from any
Analogue Circuit synth-based genre over the past four decades, with more than enough scope for hands-on
Behaviour tech
(found in most editing thanks to the
Boutique synths), familiar controller layout.
arguably surpassed
by the newer Roland Cloud
ZEN-Core engine subscribers can also
purchase the WC-1
roland.com wireless dongle that can
be used to purchase extra
82 sound banks, expansions
and other ZEN-Core-based
Roland synth models.
These can be transferred
permanently to the
Juno-X, with the only
caveat being that you’ll
then need to reconnect to
the server every 30 power
cycles in order to
reauthorise the licences.

Roland Juno-X | Reviews

digital-sounding of the two, while I-ARPEGGIO: Like on Jupiter-X and HI-RES SLIDERS: The sliders on the LCD SCREEN: The info-packed PERFORMANCE BUTTONS: Mainly
Vocoder 2 has a warmer, fuller sound Xm, the I-Arpeggio function analyses Juno-X’s control panel are high-res, screen can be used for advanced used for scene, model, tone and part
but is no less distinct for it. your keyboard playing and produces 1,024-step controls, for smooth sound design beyond just preset selection, but they also double as step
an optimal arpeggio pattern based on transitions with no audible stepping selection and tweaking using the front input switches for the I-Arpeggio’s
The original Junos found the pitch and rhythm of your input between values panel sliders sequencer mode
themselves heavily favoured for bass
and pad sounds, so it’s no surprise to only suitable as a last resort if you corner location Roland used for the undeniably inspiring, particularly if
find a lot of the available sounds in have nothing else available to monitor design of the Jupiter-X. synthwave or ’80s-tinged electronic
the Juno-X devoted to these through. The tiny screen often pop is your bag.
categories. Brassy pads, lush strings, appears congested, considering the Despite appearances, then, there’s
rubbery plucks and plonky basses can work it has to do to effectively grant nothing truly analogue about the 8.5FM VERDICT
be found in abundance, and flicking access to the many hundreds of Juno-X. Some would argue that it’s
through the list readily brings a smile parameters contained within a synth simply another fancy hardware Ideal for those who’ve
to the face of any Juno aficionado, of this depth. container for the ZEN-Core engine. always wanted a Juno-60 or
while the Juno-X engine backs these Yet the Juno-X is somehow much 106, this delivers the spirit
up with a selection that includes However, there are two different more than that, connecting with the of those original synths and
edgier, more modern sounds. software editing options available for user on another level that makes it much more besides
the Juno-X. One is Roland’s dedicated more than the sum of its parts.
The Juno-X doesn’t score too free Juno-X editor, which syncs with
highly on ‘approachability’. Sounds the synth in real time over USB, Roland claim that it fuses
that you play from the keyboard are turning any available computer into a authentic vintage spirit with modern
called tones, and these are recalled large colour display, while the other is creative power, and we’d have to
and stored in a part, together with Roland’s Zenology PRO software agree, but despite definitely needing
settings such as pan and EQ. You can synth plugin. At least the screen is in to reach for the manual to get the
then layer up to five parts together the optimum position on the Juno-X, most from it, to have this machine
into a scene. Scenes also store rather than the bizarre upper-left under your fingers, looking and
sequence data, effects and I-Arpeggio sounding the way it does, is
settings, with complex scenes
sometimes reminiscent of the
auto-accompaniment mode on an
arranger keyboard.

On power-up, the Juno-X defaults
into Scene mode, so individual sound
selection is not obvious. We had to
embark on a substantial learning
curve to figure out how its sounds and
patches are structured. The ZEN-Core
synthesis technology under the hood
means a generous 256 notes are on
tap polyphony-wise, although
polyphony does vary according to
which engine you’re using. There’s a
TR-style step-edit mode for
sequencing I-Arpeggio patterns,
especially useful for use with the
built-in drum sounds. This transforms
the two rows of buttons into step
entry buttons, à la TR-808.

The front panel controls are only
relevant to the selected part, but you
can select multiple parts at once and
have the sliders control everything
together. The layout as it stands is
tailored towards the Juno-X engine,
and labelled functions will change
according to the selected synth
model, but touching any slider will
bring up its current function and
value on the central screen. The
ability to tweak parameters
individually on the fly is a wonderful
thing, and the sliders themselves are
high-res, 1,024-step units.

Issues? Well, the slider controls
are tricky to make out under dim
stage lighting conditions. The built-in
speakers lack low end and are really

83

Reviews | Focusrite Vocaster Two Studio

Focusrite Vocaster Two
Studio £469

Everything you need to start podcasting, but is it everything you
want? Simon Fellows finds out

KEY FEATURES I/O: Comprehensive podcast production kit with twin channel Vocaster Two interface, DM14v dynamic mic and HP60v headphones.

Vocaster Two interface: 2 XLR mic inputs, mic input gain range: 70dB, mic input frequency range: 20Hz – 20kHz, stereo phone input & output via 3.5mm TRRS
socket, stereo camera output via 3.5mm TRS socket, Bluetooth: v5.0 Vocaster Hub production/mixer software included
84

THE PROS & CONS Focusrite Vocaster Two Studio | Reviews

+ THE BUNDLED HEADPHONES

Well-designed, After enjoying the quality of the mic, the HP60v closed
complete solution for back headphones are a little underwhelming. The build
amateur podcasters quality is alright, they’re comfortable enough and they
do the job sound-wise. I just fail to understand why
Phone input, camera Focusrite has bundled a pair of on-ear cans when clearly
output and loopback an over-ear pair would do a much better job of isolating
are all hugely potential sound bleed. Perhaps it’s because these offer a
useful features more universal fit, but they’d be the first thing I’d swap
out for something more suitable.
Plenty of clean gain
for sensitive dynamic
microphones

-

Combi inputs would
have been a better
choice than just XLR

Pretty much dumbed
down software

potify added 1.2 just works. Press a button, two at the The kit comprises a two channel Round the front are two
million podcasts in most, job done. Vocaster Two interface, a DM14v 1/4”headphone outputs, one marked
2021, bringing the dynamic mic, a pair of HP60v Host, the other marked Guest.
total number on its Which is where Focusrite’s headphones, an XLR cable, a USB-C Spinning it around, the back panel
platform to more Vocaster Two Studio comes in. As the to USB-A cable and a portfolio of features two XLR inputs, two 1/4”
than four million. name suggests, it’s a neatly packaged podcasting software. The interface, TRS-balanced speaker outputs, a
That’s just one podcasting kit aimed squarely at microphone and headphones all 3.5mm TRRS phone input, a 3.5mm
platform. Add in the other big hosts. amateurs looking for a complete appear very pro in black, a look TRS camera audio out, a 48V
That’s a lot of podcasts, and a solution. Its sister kit, the slightly unified by a matching set of subtle phantom power button, a Bluetooth
good deal of new entrants, most of cheaper Vocaster One Studio, is a red metallic stripes. button and USB-C port (USB-3).
whom won’t have any production single channel option for solo creators
skills. If, like them, you’re more but, if you can afford it, the twin The obvious omissions are an The smooth, matt black top panel,
focused on content than you are on channel Vocaster Two will future-proof additional mic, a second pair of which unfortunately picks up
technical production you’re going to your investment. At some point you’ll headphones and cabling for a guest. finger-marks rather too easily, has a
want a simple recording system that want to record a guest, and the However, the Vocaster Two Studio giant central rotary input level control,
additional channel lets you do that. isn’t cheap so I’m guessing these flanked by two volume controls for the
items would have pushed the price headphone and speaker outs. Sitting
beyond the level most newbies are nice and tidily in a strip below these
willing to invest. are found a mute button, an enhance
button and an auto-levels button for
The Vocaster Two looks more like each channel.
a posh consumer-orientated bit of
tech than most interfaces. Its Basic operation couldn’t be easier.
attractive pebble-shaped form is Plug in your mic, hook up the
laced with seductive, tactile plastics interface to a laptop (or USB-C
and smooth, integrated buttons, equipped iPad), launch your DAW,
something of a far cry from the brutal, don your headphones, set the gain
rectangular metal bricks that we’re level and speak. Just like most
used to seeing. interfaces in that respect.

85

Reviews | Focusrite Vocaster Two Studio

THE ALTERNATIVES However, the Vocaster Two has

Universal Audio half a dozen standout features that
Volt 276 £265
make it particularly attractive to
UA’s new generation
of audio interfaces amateur podcasters. Auto-gain is a
comes in two
flavours: the top- feature commonly found on
mounted-control of
the ’76 range works interfaces, but nevertheless it’s good
for podcasters and
producers alike and to see it here because it removes
you’ll be glad for that
extra compressor. much of the faffing and anxiety from

uaudio.com getting a decent recording. Press and

t.akustik Podcast hold one of the two input gain
Bundle £203
buttons for ten seconds while
Perhaps an ideal
companion to the speaking into the mic, and it’ll then
Volt 276 is this
bundle from automatically set the level for that
Thomann’s t.akustik
brand which adds all particular channel.
the extras you need
to start creating your Talking of gain, the Vocaster can
own podcasts.
provide up to 70dB, which is enough
takustik.com
to drive the most sensitive dynamic
Tascam Mixcast
4 £579 mics out there without resorting to a

More than just an Cloudlifter. Podcasters favour I/0s: Two XLR mic inputs, a BUTTON-UP: Top-panel button DIAL IT DOWN: Control the
audio interface dynamic mics for their noise rejection TRRS phone input, two 1/4” controls for muting and an individual channel’s volume and
aimed at podcasting, potential, so this is a real boon. speaker outs, two headphone Enhance function, which allows the overall output with these
the Mixcast 4 is outs and a TRS camera output you to dial in voice presets chunky top-mounted rotaries
designed as a The phone input and output,
multichannel mixer
for all your either via cable or Bluetooth, is
podcasting needs.
For more hands-on heaven sent. I can’t think of a
control, you’ll need
to stump up extra. podcaster who doesn’t occasionally Finally, the interface ships with too dumbed down for my liking. For

tascam.eu interview guests over the phone, so Vocaster Hub software, which enables example, the gain level indicators will

86 this feature will be well used. you to control all the aforementioned display green, amber and red for

Similarly, the camera out is a blessing features in an intuitive, graphic-heavy, clipping, but there’s no scale. Call me

for the many podcasters who also tech-lite way. It’s also the place to old-fashioned, but I like to know

stream or post their podcasts to fine-tune your levels for the best where -12dBFS is...

YouTube. It provides instant syncing possible mix. Yes, the software may On the plus side, the software

and could prove a real time-saver. be easy to understand but it’s a bit does reveal an additional feature,

loopback. This enables you to record

the output of your computer, which is

useful for including everything from

backing tracks, intros and outros to

THE BUNDLED MIC pre-recorded interviews.
As well as the Hub utility/mixer

the Vocaster Two Studio ships with

Hindenburg Lite podcaster and radio

recording software, plus trial

subscriptions to Squadcast and

Acast. Essentially, Squadcast is a

cloud recording suite and Acast is a

podcast hosting platform. Whether

you decide to continue with these

The included DM14v is reminiscent of a streamlined subs or not, Hindenburg is a solid
piece of recording software, or you

Shure SM7B, arguably the best podcasting mic, bar can, of course, use your own DAW.

none. Just like the Shure, it’s a low sensitivity dynamic

mic that’s excellent at rejecting unwanted noise but does

demand a lot of clean gain. As mentioned, the Vocaster 8.0FM VERDICT
has more than enough on tap. It’s a basic XLR mic with
no on-board EQ controls, but that’s no bad thing here:
there’s no setup required. Just like the SM7B, it does
feature a built-in pop-filter, windshield, internal shock
mount and sturdy mount bracket that’ll work with any

stand or boom. It’s a weighty beast too, with a tough

all-metal construction. I was really impressed with the If you need to get your
sound, especially the mid-range where the voice sits. podcast running quickly,
Unsurprisingly for a dynamic, it’s not detailed but has a then this kit is a no-brainer.
flat response with little colouration and enough warmth. The more tech savvy may

prefer another solution

Sebsongs Euclidean | Reviews

Sebsongs Euclidean £138 THE PROS & CONS

Rob Redman gets polyrhythmic with this riff on the popular DIY +
module by Music Thing Modular
Small but clear
CONTACT WHO: Sebsongs Modular WEB: modular.sebsongs.com KEY FEATURES Three channels of up to 16 steps, DIY kit with an arduino chip, design
Intuitive interface
Inverted extra output, External trigger and reset Great pattern
generating tool
E uclidean is a small but very into how modules work and what is each of the three channels, which sit
capable trigger module, going on behind the faceplate. above a handful of CV patch points. -
based on the well-respected Speaking of which, the Euclidean has
kit from Music Thing a lovely clear one, with crisp labeling Euclidean is a trigger sequencer The DIY aspect won’t
and clock divider. It has an internal be for everybody

Modular. Some people may be put off and no ostentatious design gimmicks, 120bpm clock but can take triggers 87

by the fact that this is a DIY kit but something to be appreciated when in from external devices, making it easy

have no fears, there’s a very clear and the depths of a gig, or playing in a to integrate into a rig.

thorough build guide. If you’ve done darkened studio. Three channels are available with

any soldering before you’ll be fine A small yet important detail is variable lengths of sequence from

with this kit. There’s an Arduino chip that here you’ll find wider holes for zero to 16, each with an output for

onboard but if that isn’t your bag you attaching to rails. Some modules still sending triggers, along with an extra

can also purchase your kit with the opt for screw width, circular holes, inverted output for channel one.

code preinstalled. which can be harder to mount with. Setting up and adjusting sequences

It’s nice to see DIY modules hit Once completed, the 8hp module is simple, using the three knobs, for

the market and, while not for is smart looking and sturdy. The length, density and offset.

everybody, I think building one, even layout is easy to navigate, with an 8x8 This is where the LED matrix

if one is all you ever do, can give LED matrix making it easy to see the makes for a great solution on such a

some useful and interesting insights sequences. A single knob adjusts diminutive module. A twist of the

length knob illuminates the set

number of LEDs. A turn of the density

knob shows how many steps output a

trigger, based on euclidean

algorithms, and then the offset knob

adjusts the overall positioning of the

sequence in one-step increments.

LEDs give visual feedback, so you can

easily see the sequence. Some

euclidean modules use different

methods for showing the sequences

but none as intuitive as this.

External devices can be used not

just for triggering but also for

resetting and there’s a manual reset

button too, rounding off the simple IO

of Euclidean. The Inverted output of

channel one can be used at the same

time, giving an extra option or synced

track of trigger output.

8.0FM VERDICT

Nice option for clocking
and pattern generating, if
you don’t mind building it.
The LED matrix is ace and
sequence-setting is easy

Reviews | Joué Play Pro Option

Joué Play Pro
Option from €295

Martin Delaney gets playful with this
advanced, but organic, approachable,
controller for the Joué app (and beyond)

KEY FEATURES Base board with interchangeable controller templates. Free app for quick results

with how-to projects and sounds of different genres. Can send MIDI/MPE to more pro software. USB-
powered and portable. App can host up to 4 Plays at once. Eco-friendly production. Choice of two colour
schemes. PRICING: Starter Pack (Board plus 2 pads): €295, Full Pack (Board plus 4 pads): €345

88

Joué Play Pro Option | Reviews

tray outside the particularly when sending MPE to the 9.0FM VERDICT THE PROS & CONS
mainstream of MIDI Wavetable synth, which was a natural
controller products fit for the Play Keys pad. A versatile and potentially +
and you’ll often find future-proof controller
innovations from The Joué Play should attract system. Great with the basic Eco-friendly
smaller companies. newcomers and seasoned musicians app, but it transforms when construction,
One is the Joué Play. alike. We also think this’ll be a the pro version is unlocked ethically sourced
Developed by Arnaud Rousset and kid-friendly instrument, finding a wood and non
Pascal Jouguet (co-creator of the home in SEN teaching situations perishable materials
JazzMutant Lemur multitouch where individual students have A truly tactile
controller, best known for use by different needs for how they play. This experience, and
Björk), this is a modular system with is a very well-thought-out product and could be a good
a wooden baseboard, and up to four gives users the full progress from a option for the
different control layouts, connecting simple app on the iPhone, to the controller
to macOS, Windows, or iOS. iPad, to the computer, and then on to commitment-phobe
The package includes the Play fully blown DAWs or VJ software. The pro upgrade
Board, pads, and a USB C-to-C cable, adds a MIDI editor
with adapters for USB A and and MPE control, for
Lightning (power users might more functionality
appreciate the optional USB and expression
C-to-MIDI cable). The board is made
from French beechwood, and metal, -
and feels more substantial than the
average budget controller with We can’t help but
wooden elements reminiscent of imagine a larger base
Snyderphonics Manta, and Livid board unit that could
Instruments’ Ohm. house two pads. Just
The pads use RFID to because it would
communicate with the board, and the look cool
available layouts are: piano (25-key
piano), drum pad (16 drum pads with 89
x-y area), keys (17-key alternative
style keyboard with expression strip),
and guitar (representing the first
seven frets on a guitar neck). All pads
have octave/bank up-down buttons,
play/rec buttons, and feature a
dome-shaped object called the effect
bubble – press this to toggle an audio
effect, or apply pressure to vary the
amount of effect. The pads are very
playable, and the response is certainly
good enough for live performance.
The Joué application identifies the
board and pad immediately, and
shows installed packs and projects,
including a selection of how-to
examples, like Massive Attack’s Tear
Drop or Billie Eilish’s Bad Guy. You
can of course create your own
projects, and choose a suitable sound
pack: a wide range of genres are
covered. Up to eight tracks can be
used per project, and users can set
tempo, loop length, and instrument
tuning (the guitar pad offers
alternative tunings like drop C).
Record quantisation makes recording
tracks beginner-friendly. Projects can
be shared with other Joué users, or
exported as stereo mixes.
Joué Play sends MIDI over USB,
but the Pro firmware upgrade (€50)
unlocks full MIDI and MPE mapping.
This is where Joué came alive for us,

FM|SOUNDS & SAMPLES

Spitfire Audio – This brings us neatly to the
POLARIS £299 plug-ins ‘synth’ mode, where the
> Polaris is a collaboration with lower half of the scalable plugin
electronic music composer Articulations here include differences usable sounds, with the string window changes to the ‘eDNA’ engine
BT (Brian Transeau), who has in playing styles (for the orchestral orchestra recordings covering an view. You’ll also find that preset
had an enduring interest in recordings) as well as sounds from interesting array of techniques, and selection adapts here to present new
pushing the boundaries of dance different synth hardware, alongside recorded with violins spread wide and categories with mysterious names like
music and beyond (as hyperbolically ‘vintage’ sounds from old samplers, with larger (and lower) instruments in Stasis and Outpost. I have voiced my
put by Spitfire). Nevertheless, it is tape-based instruments and some FX. the middle – something aimed at frustrations regarding some aspects of
clear that Polaris distills elements These alone are a strong set of highly more effective hybrid settings. Spitfire’s plugin design in the past,
from the areas that interest him in and I’m afraid that Polaris is no
terms of sound design. exception. The eDNA GUI takes its
cue from earlier iterations presented
In short, Polaris takes recordings within Kontakt. Although the
of a modern string orchestra and scalability of this version makes
those derived from a range of accessing various editing functions
synthesisers, and combines them in a and windows easier, the colour and
number of creative ways. The best contrast employed here (as well as
way to get a sense of the underlying the distracting graphical underlay)
content (the undiluted sounds and makes everything a little harder going
audio performance recordings) is to than it really needs to be. There’s also
use the dedicated plugin in its a problem with the eDNA preset
so-called ‘standard’ mode. When selection box, where the dark sliders
presented in this way the software and invisible category dividers make it
allows you to browse and select from a rather painful experience.
a range of presets, each with their
own underlying set of articulations. Luckily, sounds included with
Polaris are very strong, and provide
plenty of scope for editing and further
transformation. The eDNA engine lets
you combine and edit two layers of
sounds in some interesting ways. As
to be expected from Spitfire, this is
squarely aimed at those writing music
for visual media such as film, TV and
computer games.

That said, there’s plenty on offer
here for those outside these areas
looking for some new content to
employ in their productions, though if
you are looking for a wider range of
sounds and far more comprehensive
editing options then something like
Spectrasonics’ Omnisphere 2 might
be a better first step.
Bruce Aisher
spitfireaudio.com

VERDICT 7.4

90

Sounds & Samples | Reviews

Thick Sounds – Timeless
Jungle £29.95
> An amazing rinse-out round of loops,
samples, MIDI, and Serum presets, taking
us back to the DnB days of yore. The
blistering beats and basslines in this 1GB+
old skool pack are ready to transport you to a time
when heavily chopped Amen loops, ravey synths,
and cone-melting dub bottom-end was tearing up
the dance.

The 150+ loops run at 160-165bpm and work
a treat against each other, with the dynamite
one-shots, multi-sample kits, and three fully
loaded construction kits only sweetening the deal.

Vibe-wise, the shadow of scene superstars like
(Timeless-era) Goldie and Dillinja loom large over
this one. So, if you’re after an authentic taste of
that early ’90s sound, you’ll wanna wheel this lot
up right now. Roy Spencer

loopmasters.com

VERDICT 9.0

Industrial Strength Audiotent – Splice Explores – Sample Magic –
– Blue Note Hip Mutate £21With great power comes great Geothermal Energy Fragmented House
Hop £23.95 From $7.99/month From $7.99/month
responsibility. And with these seven
> Super cool collection of > Eco-conscious sound pack, built > Pumping production pieces for
construction kits, containing all the > synth processing racks for Ableton largely out of the subterranean house heads nostalgic for the
track-starting elements of six comes mucho fun. The Audiotent gurglings and seismic grumblings jackin’ past of ’90s clubland, made
seriously jazzy rap beats. Think team’s super secret FX chains have been of old mother Earth. To harvest the like they were back-in-the-day. A lot
Jazzamatazz, or the kind of dusty wax strung together under the hood, for noises here, a team of intrepid audio of the vintage drum breaks, grooves, and
rappers like MC Solaar rode in the ’90s. unparalleled control and sonic potential on engineers and composers headed out into vocal chops sound like they’ve been
There are drum folders, full of dope kick every sound you tweak. The racks are the bleak Icelandic tundra. Pointing their resampled from old funk, disco and soul
and snare programming – with added broken into teams, taking care of your mics towards the sonic going ons around a wax, giving this collection that authentic
finger-click and splashy ride top lines bassline business, and any limp lead work. fault line, they captured the “physical flavour. Elsewhere, heavier hitting beats,
added on the side. Plus plenty of music Turn the knobs and behold your unholy manifestations of geothermal energy”, and ravey piano, and deep basslines bolster
and melodic loops, covering smooth vocal creations. It’s like adding a splash of turned it into samples. Everything from the roster, with tough dance kicks and
takes, sub bass riffs, extra percussion, and glowing ooze and watching it turn into a hissing lava rocks and volcanic gases, to polished synth lines offering more modern
some slick and stylish piano and key work. club-smashing monster before your eyes. gushing hot springs and bubbling mud punch. Add some tasty Astra and
More than enough for beat heads, It also comes with a bonus transition FX pots made the grade. And these unique Beatmaker kits, and you’ve got a fine
downbeat dudes, and lo-fi MPC cats to rack, in case you’re brave enough to recordings join hundreds of others to make assortment of retro-inspired sounds.
have a ball with. Roy Spencer control these brutes with sweeps and up one shots and Foley. Roy Spencer Roy Spencer
loopmasters.com risers. Roy Spencer splice.com splice.com
audiotent.com
VERDICT 7.0 VERDICT 8.0 VERDICT 8.0
VERDICT 8.0

91

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Full Bucket Frequency Shifter 2
> If you’re a fan of free plugins, you have to
check out Full Bucket Music. The German ModulAir and WhispAir, plus the FB-3100 series, good-natured, and so do we! The plugin in
developer has released some great – and which emulates Korg’s PS-3100, -3200 and question in this article was first made available in
great value for money – plugins that can be -3300 synths, are not to be missed, alongside a 2012, but has recently been updated ten years
tracked down at fullbucket.de. Synths like huge number of other synths and effects. Full after the fact. Here we’ll shed some light on
Bucket encourage donations to keep them feeling Frequency Shifter 2.

LFO > Mix and Volume >

Full Bucket Frequency Shifter’s LFO has five Full Bucket Frequency Shifter is a unique
LFO shapes to choose from. Using the option to mix Left/Right channels’ Dry/Wet
Waveform dial, you can switch between levels independently. It’s really useful in
Triangle, Square, Ramp Down, Ramp Up, and signal processors like frequency shifters,
Sample & Hold. You can also switch the LFO where combining modulation with varying
to off, which disables the Minimum mix levels for your L/R channels create
parameter control in the Frequency section. compelling stereo effects. Similary, the
The LFO’s rate can be adjusted between 0Hz L/R channels’ volume can be adjusted
and 20Hz using the rate slider. Alternatively, separately. Alternatively, turning on the
clicking the Sync button syncs the LFO to Link L/R function lets you adjust both at
your DAW’s tempo between 16/1 and 1/16. once and links the L/R channels in the
The Value window in the bottom right of the Frequency, Mix and Signal Routing area.
plugin shows your LFO’s rate.
< Signal Routing
Frequency >
The plugin also allows distinct signal routing
The range of the frequency shifting is configurations. The two switches in the signal
selected using the Range dial. Ranges of routing section let you choose between Real,
±5Hz, ±50Hz, ±500Hz, or ±5000Hz can Imaginary or Complex signals, or a mix of all
be used. Lower values result in a more three. We can try experimenting with different
subtle effect, and higher values can be signal routing setups to see how this affects
used for extreme frequency shifting. Fine our sound, as some combos of settings create
tune the extent to which you shift your interesting beating rhythms. As with other
signal’s frequency using the Min and Max settings, the L/R channels’ signal routing can
sliders, which control the bottom and top be configured independently, for a unique
limit of frequency shifting that occurs. The stereo effect. These settings have no effect
meters below the Min/Max sliders show on the sound when the effect is 100% wet.
how your signal’s frequency are affected.

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FREQUENCY SHIFTING?

Also known as Bode Frequency Shifting, this process changes the pitch of a signal
positively or negatively. While ‘pitch shifting’ is more standard, the two techniques are
different: pitch shifting mulitplies the signal’s pitch, with every part of it following
relative to everything else; frequency shifting adds or subtracts frequencies to a signal.
If you raise your fundamental frequency by an octave, the harmonics will be off by
different ratios. All this makes frequency shifting very program-dependent, and the
effect sounds particularly interesting when tuning already-inharmonic sources such as
drums. Or try tuning lower frequencies up for a far less drastic effect on the highs.

Vibrato > < Presets

One useful application of a pitch shifting Full Bucket Frequency Shifter also comes with
device is for adding gentle vibrato to a 30 factory presets that cover a wide range of
signal. First we add the plugin to a frequency shifting applications, from subtle
channel, then we select the Init preset modulation to extreme alien-like effects. You
from the Preset dropdown. Next, we switch can see the current preset in the Program
the LFO shape to a triangle, reduce the window at the bottom left of the plugin. To
Min amount and increase the Max in the select a new preset, click on the numbers at
frequency window. We can then increase the bottom left of the plugin window and click
the LFO rate as desired. To increase the on a preset from the dropdown menu. You can
depth of the vibrato effect, increase the also Initialize the plugin with the Init preset,
frequency Range from 5 to 50, then adjust which will give you a blank canvas with which
the Min/Max amounts to taste. you can start to introduce frequency shifting to
your signal.

< Tuning Drums

Another useful application for a frequency
shifter is in tuning drums to help things sound
more cohesive and harmonious. Again, place
an instance of Full Bucket Frequency Shifter
on the part to tune, and initialise the plugin
with the Init preset. We can then adjust the
max frequency parameter until our drum
reaches the desired frequency. For even more
range, we can increase the frequency range
amount. The value window displays how many
Hertz we’re adjusting the signal’s frequency by,
and if that’s a positive or negative value.

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FM LONG TERM TEST|Longtermtest|Xxxxxxxxx

Akai MPC One €639 can’t do. It also has CV/gate
outputs to control modular gear.
Akai’s MPC One was introduced back in 2020 And unlike other grooveboxes, the
and quickly made heads turn. How has it MPC One has no set measure limit
changed since its release? Leo Maymind when creating patterns.
dives in…
Game-changing updates
CONTACT KEY FEATURESWHO: Akai WEB: akaipro.com All-in-one sampling and sequencing workstation running Akai’s MPC 2 software.
Can also be used as a controller for the desktop version. While it was already a very
featured packed device at its
A kai’s MPC series grew workflow buttons, albeit with less The MPC One is billed as a release, Akai has kept updating
by… one with the new hardware ins and outs but with a standalone production device, and the MPC One with a plethora of
MPC One, released in more affordable price tag. It’s with the ability to chop and updates that not only include
2020. A smaller, more quickly become the MPC for sequence samples, play and workflow enhancements but new
portable version of their MPC Live, producers who want to dive into control other MIDI devices, run instruments and effects altogether.
the One featured the same familiar the MPC workflow but haven’t had internal instruments and drum The most recent update, OS 2.11,
4 x 4 pad layout, 7” touchscreen, much experience with these synths, and record and resample is quite a game-changer.
four Q-link knobs and an array of machines in the past. audio, there truly isn’t much it
There have been many small
workflow enhancements, but one
of the biggest introduced in the
new 2.11 OS update, is the new
Sounds browser, which allows you
to quickly browse through all of
the instruments’ presets at once.
The Sounds Browser also features
a shortcut to the new Setlists

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Akai MPC One | Long term test

HANDY HACKS THE PROS & CONS

There’s now a new shortcut to +
create a keygroup from a single
sample called Pad to Keygroup New instruments in
in OS 2.11. This makes it much 2.11 sound
quicker to choose a sample and exceptional and
then audition melodies with the really make the MPC
sample as a sound source. One an even more
Furthermore, new in 2.11 is the fully-fledged
ability to set up key range splits production machine
and layers for external MIDI Small but
keyboards. This allows you to important workflow
have several tracks record- tweaks in the new
activated at once and choose OS help speed up
your sound based on your key your process
range – incredibly handy both Tons of plugin
live and in the studio. effect choices
Those heavenly
feature, which allows users to Exploring just the OPx-4 Akai pads are still a
quickly organise stored projects for alone would take weeks if joy to use
recall during a live performance.
This is incredibly handy, as the not months -
more long-winded route of opening
up a project via the Browser amount of articulation control FM VERDICT New instruments can
window is definitely not something available, including the ability to take a while to load
you’d like to be doing in front of adjust hammer falls, sustain •VAL•UE•••••••• Hefty price tag for six
a crowd! levels, staccato, noise, and •BU•ILD•••••••• new instruments
much more. •LON•GE•VIT•Y •••••• Having a few
A huge update in the new ••••••••••USEFULNESS different ways to
MPC OS, especially for those OPx-4 is a hugely versatile OVERALL accomplish the
coming from the Elektron four-operator FM synth with same task can at
workflow, is the ability to now add high-quality built-in effects, eight 9.4 times be confusing
probability to any note in the macro knobs, and a 32-slot FM
sequencer, whether it’s internal or modulation matrix. Exploring just With its latest workflow 95
sending MIDI externally. this one instrument alone would improvements and new
take weeks if not months. Akai instruments, it is a very
That brings us to the new have also given each of these capable standalone
instruments available in the MPC instruments banks and banks of production machine
One. First introduced with the new presets, so you aren’t stuck
MPC Key 61, there are now six starting with an Init patch and
new instruments available at the crafting from scratch.
price of $499 for the entire
package. Available to users, These new instruments and
Fabric, OPx-4 (an FM synth), effects, along with the probability
Organ, Stage Piano, Stage EP, and and ratcheting, have really made
Studio Strings all sound top-notch. the MPC One an endlessly
explorable machine. Whether
Endlessly explorable you’re more into the sampling
side, the sequencing angle, or
While $499 might seem excessive both, the MPC One is a hugely
at first, diving deeper into these capable production machine and
new instruments shows a level of live tool.
depth that isn’t apparent from the
surface. For example, the Stage
Piano instrument features the
choice of four real pianos,
sampled in multi-layer format,
with a total size of 2GB of
samples! There’s also a huge

Essential Tools For Music M3a0kinYega|rGse|aFreGautuidre

Where is music laptop or tablet, and access your full
making technology set of projects, library of sounds, and
going next? all of your studio gear from anywhere.

This even opens up the idea of
remotely working in famous or
noteworthy studios anywhere in the
world without having to set foot in
them. Or being able to make music
remotely using a collection of classic
instruments stored on the other side
of the planet.

FM has been charting advances in music-making tech
for 30 years. Based on what we’ve seen, let’s make
some predictions for the future
O ver the past 30 years, Capture the sound in
we’ve been first-hand introduction of MIDI, downsizing of audio is pretty much standard for your head
witnesses to a lot of audio interfaces, the implementation home speakers and consumer
of things like Firewire, Thunderbolt, headphones. Right now, wireless Machine learning is already being
used to do some incredibly
changes in the ways we USB-C and Bluetooth, over the past audio isn’t quite up to scratch for interesting things in the music
making realm. Take the intelligent
make music. Having spent much of few decades it’s become far simpler studio use – the latency it introduces ‘assistant’ tools in iZotope’s plugins,
for example, which can make
this 30th anniversary issue taking to get the various devices in your is problematic, and quality can be impressively usable mixing decisions
tailored to your music through smart
stock of where we’ve been, let’s take studio to talk to one another, and variable – but we can’t be far off the analysis of incoming audio.

a punt at guessing where we’re going. those connections are all-round faster technology catching up with Similarly, tools like Hit’n’Mix’s
RipX are using smart analysis of
What will music technology look like and more reliable. music-making needs. audio files in order to break mixed
tracks down into their component
in 30 years’ time? In 2052 we may It’s hardly an outlandish bet to Our prediction, however, is that elements. This is the same sort of
tech now being applied in DJ
well be laughing at everything that predict that studio connectivity is the potential of wireless connectivity software like Serato and VirtualDJ – it
effectively teaches the software how
we got wrong… only going to become further is going to go even further. Not only to identify track elements such as
drums, a vocal or bassline, in order to
Everything, everywhere simplified in the future. Most likely will the future see us being able to isolate these elements from the rest
the bulk of those pesky wires will control and record synths, recording of the audio file.

A recurring trend throughout the start to disappear completely. gear and effects within our studio, Elsewhere, ‘smart’ plugins are
already finding ways to help inspire
development of music tech has been Wireless MIDI is already a fairly but it will let us access our full music the creative process. Take the likes
of Audiomodern Playbeat, which
a slow march toward simplified common, if not yet ubiquitous, making setup wirelessly from uses AI to suggest drum patterns
based on your own style of
connectivity. Through the feature in our studios, and wireless anywhere. Simply open up your programming, or Algonaut Atlas,
which creates smart ‘maps’ of your
The past few decades have seen percussion samples sorted by tone
a slow, steady march toward and timbre.
simplified connectivity
We predict – and hope – that
these various technologies will
become commonplace for designing
synth sounds or effect treatments.
You want a dark, analogue-style synth
bass sound? Rather than search your
existing presents, simply put those
words into a smart synth plugin and
let it design a sound based on your
description. Better still, upload a
reference track with a synth sound
you like and have the plugin analyse
and automatically recreate it.

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FGeeaatruGreui|d3e0| EYsEsAeRnStial Tools For Music Making

Subscriptions will reach Spatial audio – tech gimmick or particularly soundtracks, atmospheric
a tipping point the future of how we consume music or theatrical audio. But is a
and mix music? Dolby Atmos mix going to improve
Subscription services are hot right your classic Beatles records? We
now in the music-making world. It impressive, and given its adoption by classic ‘two speakers’ setup for home doubt it.
might seem like every software brand Apple, Amazon and Tidal, these systems and headphones is unlikely
is heading in the direction of formats aren’t likely to disappear any to die any time soon, and the need to Climate-conscious
expecting you to pay monthly for time soon. create music that works in all music making
access to their products, but our situations probably means that
hunch is that this model won’t prove That said though, people listen to straightforward stereo (and mono In music, as in most aspects of our
sustainable for the industry. music on a multitude of different compatible) mixes are unlikely to lives, climate impact is likely to
speaker setups in a multitude of disappear anytime soon. become an ever more prominent
The thing about subscriptions is situations – from audiophile home consideration in the coming years. So
that they’re an easy sell if you’re systems to single Bluetooth speakers, Beyond this, the real question is: what could that mean for music
asking users to pay for a single from high-end headphones to two does immersive audio actually making? Our studios are likely to
service, but the more of them there friends each sharing an earbud. improve music? Maybe, but not in all become more energy efficient, and
are competing for users’ money, the While immersive-compatible devices situations. Dolby Atmos mixes can we’ll likely all become more aware of
harder it is to convince them to are becoming more common, the add life to some audio projects – the power consumption of our racks
subscribe. Look at what’s happened of hardware, computers and
in TV and film – when Netflix first THE OVERLOOKED IMPACT OF interfaces in a way that hasn’t been
appeared, it hoovered up subscribers, STREAMING, CURRENTLY SEEN AS AN so much of a factor in the past.
but now there’s a considerable
amount more streaming services ‘ENDLESS RESOURCE’, WILL LIKELY We’ll likely spend more time
competing for your eyeballs, few BECOME MORE PROMINENT considering the ways we access and
people can afford monthly create music too. Physical formats
subscriptions for everything, and now Manufacturing of all kinds like vinyl may fall out of fashion due
in 2022 Netflix has reported its first comes at a high price, even to their impact, or at least we may
drop in subscribers. now, but will it get worse? see significant changes to the ways in
which it’s produced and shipped.
The same goes for music-making Similarly the often overlooked impact
software. Subscriptions are of streaming services, currently seen
potentially viable for ‘pro’ software as an ‘endless resource’ – both for
that working musicians rely on for music listening and cloud storage –
their day job – such as Pro Tools in will likely become more prominent in
big studios, or the pro-level versions years to come.
of rekordbox or Serato for DJs. But
most users can’t afford multiple Whatever happens, it’s likely a
monthly subscriptions, and don’t studio in 30 years’ time will be far
want to be limited to a single brand’s more efficient and energy conscious
apps. Roland Cloud, for example, is a than today’s.
great, generous package – but even
Roland aren’t the be-all-and-end-all.
There’s simply not enough of a
market for every brand to go to a
subscription model.

Our prediction? Things like
Splice’s rent-to-own model will
become the norm. Or if subscriptions
do take off, it will be some kind of
cross-brand ‘Spotify for software’,
offering a single monthly sub.

Stereo is here to stay –
but we’ll also listen in
new ways

With the arrival of Dolby Atmos and
Spatial Audio, there’s been a lot of
talk of whether these more immersive
formats will make stereo audio
obsolete. We’re slightly sceptical of
this. Immersive audio is undoubtedly

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