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.
"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.
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.
GAIA 2
SPOTLIGHT
Live electronic music performance creates a unique interaction between performer and listener. Discover how it is both exciting and transformative.
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.
With so many electronic drum kits to choose from, what’s the best intermediate choice? Roland’s TD-27 series provides the solution.
For Neil Peart's birthday and in remembrance of his immeasurable contribution to drumming, we journey back to revisit the Time Machine.
The TD-17 series is the perfect introduction to an electronic kit. Get top-tier sounds and tools to make every drummer better, faster.
Chris Wood does more behind the kit than just playing drums. Learn how his hybrid kit informs Bastille’s uplifting, layered sound.
Our Contributors
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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.
Jason is the Editor-in-Chief of EDM.com. He also DJs and produces electronic music under the moniker Fluencee.
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
Badflower is a band where chemistry is paramount. The members speak from the studio where they're working on their sophomore release.
Italian duo MARNIK discusses '90s inspiration, all-star collaboration, and how their V-MODA headphones can withstand a meteorological event.
Brooklyn trio Nation of Language demonstrates how its '80s-synth pop credentials are not just future past but future present.
Ali Stone's new single "Crudo," featuring ZENOLOGY, refers to a love that's pure, sincere, and gets better with time.
From Africa to the United Kingdom, eclectic dance star Junior Simba shares his passion for infusing ethnic sounds into his songcraft.