synthmagazine.com – Every day, synthmagazine.com publishes fresh articles, artist stories and gear news from the world of electronic music – your independent magazine for synth culture and sound design.

18. January 2026

EZBOT’s Dub Techno Adventure: Elektron Boxes Get Down and Dirty

Ready for a wild sonic ride? EZBOT’s latest video is a masterclass in wrangling the Digitone II, Digitakt II, and Octatrack MK2 into a dub techno beast that’s as addictive as a late-night servo pie. With his trademark laid-back style, EZBOT shows how sound design can be more fun than a backyard BBQ gone rogue. If you’re keen on performance rigs that can cop a beating and still pump out hypnotic grooves, this one’s for you. Grab a cold one and dive in – just don’t expect to stay seated for long!

Elektron Digitakt II, Elektron Digitone II, Elektron Octatrack Mk2

18. January 2026

SPARKY

SpectreSoundStudios

SpectreSoundStudios vs. The Preamp Hype: Lang 312L Throws Down

Think your home studio needs a boutique preamp to sound pro? SpectreSoundStudios is here to torch that myth with a flamethrower and a wink. Glenn Fricker, never one to mince words, rips into the upgrade obsession, exposes the real value of transformer saturation, and puts the Heritage Audio Lang 312L through its paces. Expect brutal honesty, a few gearhead surprises, and a reality check for anyone about to drop rent money on shiny boxes. If you want the truth about preamps—minus the fairy tales—this is your rave bunker briefing.

Heritage Audio Lang 312L, Heritage Audio OST ADAT, Shure A15AS

18. January 2026

SPARKY

Rapid Flow

Rapid Flow’s 1-Hour Workflow: Synths, Speed, and Zero Nonsense

Rapid Flow’s Erik is on a mission: make a full track in 60 minutes, no faffing about. In this first part of his 1-Hour Workflow series, he dives headfirst into composing, armed with his Zensphere VST and a studio rig that’s all about speed. Forget endless tweaking – it’s about trusting your gut, slapping down ideas, and letting the gear do the heavy lifting. If you’re tired of paralysis by analysis and want to see a real producer keep it moving, this is your kind of rave bunker. Erik’s workflow is a masterclass in getting out of your own way

Ableton 12, Akai MIDIMIX, Iridium Keyboard, Prophet 6, Torso T1, Zensphere

17. January 2026

RILEY

TAETRO

TAETRO’s Pentamento: Texture Layering That Slaps Harder Than a Broken Subwoofer

TAETRO just dropped his first plugin, Pentamento, and it’s got more flavor than a late-night taco truck. Forget dry, sterile tracks—this tool lets you slap field recordings, noise, and all sorts of wild textures right on top of your sounds, and it does it in real time. If you’re into making your beats stand out with some gritty, personal sauce, this is the kind of streetwise hack you’ll want in your DAW. TAETRO’s always been about helping folks get creative, and Pentamento is his latest love letter to the beatmaking community. Curious? There’s a free version, so you’ve got zero

Pentamento

17. January 2026

SPARKY

AudioPilz

AudioPilz vs. Elektron Analog Four: The Challenge Nobody Asked For

AudioPilz is back in the Bad Gear bunker, this time wrestling with the Elektron Analog Four—a synth that’s equal parts analog muscle and digital head-scratcher. If you like your grooveboxes with a side of existential crisis, this one’s for you. Expect sharp wit, brutal honesty, and a healthy dose of meme-fuelled chaos as Florian Pilz tries to squeeze fat sounds out of a machine infamous for its thinness. Spoiler: it’s a love-hate relationship, and you’ll want to watch the video to see if he survives the challenge.

Elektron Analog Four

17. January 2026

SPARKY

Nu-Trix The Synth Guy

Nu-Trix The Synth Guy Unleashes Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro: AI Vocals That Actually Slap?

AI singers that don’t sound like a toaster on fire? Nu-Trix The Synth Guy dives headfirst into Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro, and it’s not your grandad’s robotic crooner. We’re talking fast, freakishly natural vocal lines, a workflow that won’t make you want to punch your DAW, and enough voice models to fill a rave bunker. But does it kill the need for real singers, or is it just another studio party trick? Strap in for a no-nonsense, street-level breakdown of what this software can (and can’t) do. Spoiler: you’ll want to hear the audio for yourself.

Synthesizer V Studio 2 Pro

17. January 2026

SPARKY

Accurate Beats

Accurate Beats Puts the Korg Kaoss Pad V Back on the Street

Accurate Beats is back in the bunker, this time with Korg’s Kaoss Pad V – a white-hot resurrection of the classic KP3. Is it a bold new street weapon or just a nostalgia trip with a USB port? Expect no-nonsense breakdowns, a few gripes about old-school displays, and a healthy dose of finger-driven chaos. If you’re after surgical precision, keep walking. But if you want instant performance FX and a bit of that rave magic, this one’s got your name on it. Accurate Beats cuts through the hype and tells it straight – flaws, fun, and all.

Korg Kaoss Pad V

17. January 2026

LUMINA

CROW HILL

CROW HILL and the Art of Compression: Shaping Silence, Sculpting Presence

Compression: a word that conjures images of invisible hands shaping sound, of whispers blooming into thunder, of musical ghosts brought into the foreground. In this poetic exploration, CROW HILL’s Theo invites us to drift through the history and heart of compression—not as a mere technical fix, but as a vessel for emotional storytelling. With the guidance of sound engineer Jane Datony, we journey from radio’s fragile beginnings to the nuanced landscapes of modern mixes. Prepare to listen with new ears as compression becomes not just a process, but a brushstroke on the canvas of music.

Fairchild 670, Kerwax Replica, Logic Stock Compressor, Universal Audio 1176

17. January 2026

RILEY

Verysickbeats

Verysickbeats Breaks Down No I.D.’s Genius: Sliders, Flutes, and the Synido Tempopad C16

If you ever thought making a dope melody was just a matter of mashing pads, think again. JFilt from Verysickbeats dives deep into the mind of No I.D. and unpacks the wild, brain-bending technique behind Common’s “Soul By The Pound.” This isn’t your grandma’s piano lesson—think sliders instead of keys, and a groove that’ll have your head nodding before you know it. With the Synido Tempopad C16 in hand and a streetwise approach, JFilt shows why some tricks are way harder than they look. You want to level up your beat game? Grab a snack and let’s get into it.

eSPi, MPC 2000XL, MPC 500, RX 1200, SP-1200, Synido TempoPAD C16

17. January 2026

SPARKY

Doctor Mix

Doctor Mix Unleashes the Korg Kaoss Pad KP5: Performance FX Gets a Fresh Kick

Doctor Mix dives into the latest evolution of a club classic: the Korg Kaoss Pad KP5. With his trademark enthusiasm and a dash of showmanship, he tears into the box and gets hands-on with the new multi-touch surface, showing off everything from harmonic manipulation to wild vocal FX. This isn’t a dry menu crawl – it’s a rave bunker test drive, with live looping, resampling, and enough sonic chaos to keep your fingers twitching. If you think you know the Kaoss Pad, think again: KP5 is here to shake up your live rig, and Doctor Mix is just the mad

Korg Kaoss Pad KP5

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