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
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“Axel F” is the inescapable theme song of the classic '80s romp Beverly Hills Cop. Learn about the oddball hit and its pioneering creator.
Jane Weaver's latest album is a self-contained universe. The artist discusses shaking up her studio process, cinema, and the groove.
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.
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.
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The “Purple Rain” drum parts by Bobby Z. provide a classic example of how to play a power ballad for maximum emotional impact.
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.
SOUND BEHIND THE SONG
“Heliosphan” relies on the drums to act as a driving force. Even when the track borders on chaos, the TR-909 maintains perfect time.
Doctor Who, the sci-fi phenomenon, has taken many forms—and so has its theme. Discover how the 1980 version became a definitive classic.
The track contains all the hallmarks of classic Prodigy: a blistering synth hook, heart-stopping guitars, and the smack of the Roland TR-707.
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
During 2020, many of us turned to creative pursuits while at home. For Simon Gottliffe, his positive escape came from drumming.
Explore how the themes and drums on "Come as You Are” intertwine, then download the V-Drums kit to capture the Nevermind drum sound.
Learn to use the Roland TD-17's rich features to improve your drumming in a clear and simple way with this Ultimate Guide.
With so many electronic drum kits to choose from, what’s the best intermediate choice? Roland’s TD-27 series provides the solution.
The V-Drums Acoustic Design (VAD) series combines the Roland technology drummers love with classic acoustic drum set styling.
Our Contributors
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Eric is a freelance pop culture blogger with bylines in Rolling Stone, Vice, Pitchfork, and Nylon. He is also a DJ, producer, and pro-wrestling critic.
Gino Sorcinelli is the writer, creator, and editor of Micro-Chop, a Substack newsletter that dissects beatmaking, DJing, music production, rapping, and sampling. His articles have appeared on Ableton, HipHopDX, Okayplayer, Passion of the Weiss, Red Bull Music Academy, and Reverb.
Jessi Brown is a writer who lives in Seattle and online. She’s been tinkering with technology for over 25 years and never stops thinking about how it’s made and how it affects people.
Kirsten Spruch is based in Los Angeles and works in creator partnerships, with a focus on entertainment and technology. She is also a journalist who has written for Billboard and more, covering stories from emerging trends to new music. When she's not writing about music, she's making her own under the alias Kirsten Izer.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
Devo's cult status remains indelible. Co-founder Gerald V. Casale reminisces about the band and its longstanding association with Roland.
A legend of house music’s second wave, Roland instruments have been fundamental to Todd Terry’s genre-hopping career for the past 35 years.
Musical mad scientist Dolly Spectra discusses using her body as a MIDI controller in performance, community, and the future of electronic pop.
California-based DJ Mary Droppinz combines skills and taste with marketing acumen. The rising star shares the secrets behind her success.
AMÉMÉ reveals the ways his eclectic musical DNA helps him blur the lines between melodic techno, Afro, and deep house.