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
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.
The spiraling of the TR-909 on "Hunter" weaves a web of percussion. Immediately, the track draws the listener into a world of intrigue.
The TR-808 pattern at the center of “Hangin' on a String” elevates the moody groove.
Explore the mysterious backstory of “Pump Up the Jam,” a worldwide electronic music smash and tale of mistaken identity.
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
DRUMS
Explore how the themes and drums on "Come as You Are” intertwine, then download the V-Drums kit to capture the Nevermind drum sound.
Josh Dun’s groove on the Grammy-winning “Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots is infectious. Explore the beat and get its unique tone on V-Drums.
Led Zeppelin reinvented the 1927 blues classic as a head-bobbing riff fest. Recreate the John Bonham beat that continues to inspire drummers.
Hybrid drumming blends acoustic and electronic elements. Anika Nilles explains her approach to the style on tour with Jeff Beck and beyond.
The TD-17 series is the perfect introduction to an electronic kit. Get top-tier sounds and tools to make every drummer better, faster.
Our Contributors
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Brian Lamb AKA Unit:E is a Roland Cloud Academy instructor and admin of the MC-707 and MC-101 Facebook user group. As a DJ, he's participated in countless events across Hawaii and the West Coast.
Charles “BLVK Samurai” Burchell is a music producer, rapper, multi-instrumentalist, and educator from New Orleans, Louisiana.
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.
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.
A FEW MINUTES WITH
Japanese-born Hinako Omori visited Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios to blend locally sourced field recordings with binaural technologies.
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.
Experimental duo H31R strives to break through genre boundaries. The pair shares insight into their influences, gear, and creative process.
Kamaal Williams’ music is a genre-defying feast for ears. He speaks about his percussive approach to piano and his love of Roland gear.
Jubilee grew up in Miami where the 808 shaped her sonic DNA. She talks about keeping spirits high and how music creates community.