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
"Closer" by Nine Inch Nails is built around a densely layered groove featuring the TR-606. The edgy track achieved great chart success for the band.
“Everybody Needs A 303" marked the arrival of Fatboy Slim. The track would propel him to become one of the world’s first superstar DJs.
At the heart of Tangerine Dream’s hypnotic “White Eagle” lies a secret—one kept between the band and a pair of JUPITER-8s.
“Caribbean Blue” by Enya is a tapestry of layered vocals over a bed of JUNO-60 pads. Its sounds evoke the pull of nature on the human psyche.
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
DRUMS
Hybrid drumming blends acoustic and electronic elements. Anika Nilles explains her approach to the style on tour with Jeff Beck and beyond.
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.
The Roland TD-1 series gives beginning drummers everything they need to enjoy the instrument and excel without breaking the bank.
Prepping for a big gig or woodshedding to improve your chops—these V-Drums exercises will help build precision, timing, and more.
To play drums, you need gear, time, and patience. Explore the specific pieces required to help garner new skills and joy from drumming.
Our Contributors
See All »Harold Heath is a former DJ and producer who writes about music for DJ Mag, Mixmag, Attack Magazine, and others.
Jamie is Artist Relations Manager for Roland Europe Group. A walking musical encyclopedia, he's also an avid trivia fan with interests in numerous areas.
Joseph's work appears in NPR, VICE, Bandcamp, Noisey, SPIN, Consequence of Sound, and more. He is also a curator at Northwest Terror Fest.
Kat is a music and culture journalist with a decade of digital and print experience and a career emphasis in electronic dance. Bylines include Billboard Dance, Spin, MTV News, Discogs, Mixmag, Miami New Times and more.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
The composer uses everything from a youth choir to the MC-202 to bridge the gap between electronic and organic, ancient and futuristic.
Mndsgn has spent over a decade exploring inner truths as danceable moods. Find out why creating his latest was such a rare artistic pleasure.
As a founder of 1500 Sound Academy, multi-instrumentalist/producer/writer Rance Dopson uses his experience to help young musicians grow.
Kamaal Williams’ music is a genre-defying feast for ears. He speaks about his percussive approach to piano and his love of Roland gear.
Energetic, accomplished, and ambitious, BricksDaMane is one of the most prolific and in-demand producers in hip-hop.