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
The track contains all the hallmarks of classic Prodigy: a blistering synth hook, heart-stopping guitars, and the smack of the Roland TR-707.
Talk about '80s music, and a-ha's era-defining hit single “Take On Me” comes to mind. Get the story of this classic and the JUNO-60's role.
Drawn to the unique characteristics of the JUPITER-4, Sharon Van Etten found songwriting inspiration in the iconic synthesizer.
“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. Abe Cunningham of Deftones and tech Ed Davis explain their approach to the style.
For a top-of-the-line electronic drum kit, look no further than the TD-50X series. Every element combines for a superb drumming experience.
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.
Prepping for a big gig or woodshedding to improve your chops—these V-Drums exercises will help build precision, timing, and more.
Looking for a Roland V-Drums kit to help you achieve your drumming goals? This introduction will help you find the ideal kit for you.
Our Contributors
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Heywood is a lifelong Californian who now splits time between Los Angeles and the high desert. He is co-founder of the record label Chain Letter Collective and founded Chain Letter Press as a publishing home for both his creative output and copywriting. He lives with his spouse and their dog, Scully.
Peter Kirn lives in Berlin and is editor of CDM.link. He is an electronic musician and technologist with a background in composition and musicology, producing both experimental and club music and speaking around the world about new expressive technologies.
Based in Bath, United Kingdom Stuart is a veteran music tech journalist for outlets like Music Radar, Total Guitar, and more. In addition to his many publication credits, he was the editor of Rhythm.
Hannah Lockwood is an audio engineer/electronic music producer from Sydney. Her live sets are a collision of noise and harmony centered on modular synthesis. Hannah co-founded the Deep Seeded collective, showcasing the local live electronic artists and DJs actively breaking the boundaries of contemporary music.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
Brooklyn trio Nation of Language demonstrates how its '80s-synth pop credentials are not just future past but future present.
Where some people see a sampler, Lionclad sees a world of possibilities. She shares about mixtapes, puppet shows, analog synths, and more.
One of his generation's most significant synthwave artists, Com Truise looks back at the beginning of his journey and shares what lies ahead.
Devo's cult status remains indelible. Co-founder Gerald V. Casale reminisces about the band and its longstanding association with Roland.
From Africa to the United Kingdom, eclectic dance star Junior Simba shares his passion for infusing ethnic sounds into his songcraft.