Museum, artist incubator, distro, and record store—Submerge and Underground Resistance represents the interconnected Detroit music community.
These inspiring female producers have left their marks on the music industry and continue to carve space for newcomers.
A group of eclectic Icelandic artists offer unique perspectives on electronic music performance, their home country, and more.
FEATURES
See All »Social media can reinvigorate vintage hits and help them reach broad new audiences. Here are some classic songs that got a second spin.
The prolific player shares her thoughts on touring with RAYE, finding success in the music industry, and her Roland gear.
The brainchild of housemates recording late-night jams onto cassette, Night Tapes explains the process behind their atmospheric dream pop.
From Africa to the United Kingdom, eclectic dance star Junior Simba shares his passion for infusing ethnic sounds into his songcraft.
LISTENING GUIDE
Here's a place to start exploring the massive catalog of Madlib, one of the finest producers to ever touch a beat pad.
Many artists and releases played a pivotal role in shaping the L.A. Beat Scene. Here's a variety of key sounds from a unique musical moment.
Before hip-hop was the world's most dominant musical genre, several groundbreaking women blazed a fiery trail for others to follow.
A string of artists and labels shaped trance across the '90s and early aughts. Here's a selection of tracks from the genre’s golden age.
For the uninitiated, we provide a roadmap to the formidable discography of rap’s foremost supervillain: MF DOOM.
Learn
See All »The JD-800 dominated the '90s with massive textures and a front panel that pushed limits. Learn to create immense layers with the instrument.
The drumming on the eternally funky “Let’s Groove” demonstrates how powerful disco rhythms can make listeners get up and move.
Josh Manuel discusses hybrid drumming and how he uses Roland electronic gear to enhance his performances with Kane Brown.
Explore the history and sound of the Roots' beloved track, “Mellow My Man," and learn to play some of drummer Questlove's iconic patterns.
The "Superstition" groove reminds us that, alongside his songwriting and musicianship, Wonder is one of the greatest drummers around.
SOUND BEHIND THE SONG
Detroit’s enigmatic duo Drexciya submerged themselves in Afrofuturist myth. "Rublicks Cube" is a transcendent TR-606 classic.
Mr. Oizo’s “Flat Beat” was an infectious song written for a Levi's® ad starring an orange puppet named Flat Eric. At its heart was the TR-606.
808 State’s ode to the Roland TR-606 has stood the test of time as one of the quirkiest yet most trailblazing tunes in their discography.
With a JUNO-60 and an army of Roland samplers, Animal Collective created an unforgettable melodic kaleidoscope: “My Girls."
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
DRUMS
With a wide world of drum gear to explore, get clarity on the type of drum set that will help any new drummer thrive.
Explore how the themes and drums on "Come as You Are” intertwine, then download the V-Drums kit to capture the Nevermind drum sound.
Chris Wood does more behind the kit than just playing drums. Learn how his hybrid kit informs Bastille’s uplifting, layered sound.
Clyde Stubblefield's groove is one of the most sampled beats ever. Learn the "Funky Drummer" beat and how to capture its sound with V-Drums.
There's an excitement to playing a drum set for the first time. As a father, Oli Raud gets to revisit that feeling with his children.
Our Contributors
See All »Darren is Percussion Product Manager for Roland Canada. He loves motorcycles, loud drums, and the great outdoors.
Evan's work has appeared in a host of print and online publications, including Rolling Stone, Wired, The Fader, and Tenderly.
Web media on the topic of synthesizers and music production tools.
Joseph's work appears in NPR, VICE, Bandcamp, Noisey, SPIN, Consequence of Sound, and more. He is also a curator at Northwest Terror Fest.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
As a founder of 1500 Sound Academy, multi-instrumentalist/producer/writer Rance Dopson uses his experience to help young musicians grow.
Italian duo MARNIK discusses '90s inspiration, all-star collaboration, and how their V-MODA headphones can withstand a meteorological event.
Nathan Fake creates music that exists on multiple planes. The artist discusses the early Internet, Roland gear, and running a label.
Musical mad scientist Dolly Spectra discusses using her body as a MIDI controller in performance, community, and the future of electronic pop.
Japanese-born Hinako Omori visited Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios to blend locally sourced field recordings with binaural technologies.