In this episode of the 4ms Company Podcast, legendary producer and engineer Sylvia Massy dives deep into her rule-breaking approach to sound. Known for her work with icons like Tool, Johnny Cash, and System of a Down, Massy discusses her relentless curiosity, experimental recording techniques, and the philosophy behind treating the studio as a living instrument. The conversation is a masterclass in creative risk-taking, gear obsession, and how the environment shapes musical performance—perfect listening for anyone who thinks outside the DAW.

13. October 2026

Taylor Fiore

Taylor Fiore Gets Squishy: Compression Demystified for the Real World

SPARKY

Compression: the secret street weapon for anyone who wants their mix to punch, duck, or just behave. Taylor Fiore, California’s own multi-tool music machine, breaks down compressors with the kind of clarity and sarcasm that’ll make your next bassline bounce. Forget the endless theory – this is hands-on, Ableton-in-the-trenches stuff, with real talk about threshold, ratio, sidechain, and those magic moments when a track just needs to get squashed. If you’ve ever felt lost in a menu, this one’s for you.

Ableton Compressor

13. October 2026

Blairy’s Beatlab

Blairy’s Beatlab vs. the Mvave FM1: Punk-Sized Revolution or Just a Cheap Thrill?

JET

The synth world’s had its fair share of seismic shocks, but Blairy’s Beatlab reckons the Mvave FM1 is about to stomp all over the rulebook. Forget polish and prestige—this pocket-sized, dirt-cheap box is flipping the industry on its head, unleashing a DIY firmware free-for-all that’s got even the big boys sweating. If you like your gear rowdy, unpredictable, and about as subtle as a mosh pit, you’ll want to hear what Uncle Blairy’s got to say.

MVAVE FM1

13. October 2026

Meska

Meska’s Modular Mirage: Sculpting Textured Ambiance from Simple Blocks

LUMINA

In Meska’s world, sound becomes elemental—fog, thunder, and static light, all conjured from the most humble modular building blocks. Here, we drift through a patch built from scratch, where low oscillators and noise swirl into a living, breathing ambiance. Meska guides us with a steady hand, revealing how even the simplest tools can birth complex sonic landscapes. This is synthesis as alchemy: a lesson in depth, space, and the beauty of modulation.

AuraX system, Beep, Gliss, Jumbal Hang, Juniper, Polydactyl Versio, Resonance Filter Bank, Tensal Tail, Typhoon, Zadar

13. October 2026

Underdog Electronic Music School

Underdog Electronic Music School: When One Pulse is Enough to Break Your Brain

JET

Forget your four-to-the-floor safety net—Underdog Electronic Music School drags us kicking and screaming into techno’s real underbelly: the single pulse. Oscar’s on a full quantum physics bender here, binning tradition and zooming into the micro-beats that make a groove tick. It’s not just theory—he’s getting his hands dirty in Ableton, plugins, and even modular, showing us how much chaos and emotion you can wring from one beat. If you thought techno was just about pounding kicks, you’re about to get schooled, hard.

Ableton Live, Ballista Blast, D16 Drumazon, Four Bricks Rook, Mixel, Shakmat Lancer’s Lash

12. October 2026

Voltage Labs

Voltage Labs Illuminates the Nebulous Origins of Ambient Music

LUMINA

Voltage Labs threads a luminous path through ambient music’s clouded dawn, from Satie’s sonic furnishings to Eno’s tapestries of suspended time. With a keen eye for moments where music and environment dissolve into each other, this episode lingers in foggy airports, bustling Japanese storefronts, and the haunted decay of Basinski’s tapes. Here, the story of ambient is a meditation—on memory, loss, and the secret lives of sound between the notes.

11. October 2026

1010music

1010music Unleashes Major Firmware for blackbox 2 & bento: Workflow Overdrive

LYRA

1010music celebrates their anniversary with a substantial firmware upgrade for blackbox 2 and bento, turbocharging both devices for modern production and performance. The update brings powerful new sequencer automation, expanded scenes, ethereal effects, and workflow enhancements that will appeal to DAWless musicians and studio tinkerers alike. We break down what’s actually delivered, how it’s presented, and what the new architecture means for creative users.

11. October 2026

sunwarper

sunwarper vs. Koala Sampler: Stem Splitter Showdown in a Budget Rave Bunker

SPARKY

sunwarper dives headfirst into Koala Sampler’s new “high quality” stem splitter, stacking it up against its own crusty past and the heavyweight Logic Pro. Expect a no-fluff, hands-on breakdown of what’s actually improved, what’s still glitchy, and why budget producers might finally have something to shout about. It’s a battle of algorithms, artifacts and expectations—served up with sunwarper’s signature lofi flair.