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.

13. January 2026

Espen Kraft’s Pitch Bump Brass: Five Synths, One Fat Attack

Ready to slap your tracks with that classic 80s synth brass punch? Espen Kraft dives into the world of pitch bump attacks, showing off how five different synths can deliver that unmistakable smack. If you think all brass patches are born equal, think again—Espen’s got tricks up his sleeve and envelopes to tweak. Expect a no-fluff, hands-on tour through pitch envelopes, detuned oscillators, and some tasty hardware flexing. This isn’t just another preset scroll—get ready for a synth brass bootcamp, Kraft-style.

Arturia Jupiter-8, Arturia OP-XA V, Arturia Prophet 5, OB-Xd, PG-8X VST, Roland Jupiter-8, Roland JX-8P

13. January 2026

LUMINA

Voltage Labs

Voltage Labs: Sonic Ghosts and the Birth of Trip Hop

In the fog-laced streets of Bristol, a new sound once drifted—part memory, part magnetic resonance. Voltage Labs, with their signature blend of documentary depth and visual storytelling, guides us through the spectral origins of trip hop, where genres dissolve and atmosphere reigns. This isn’t just a history lesson; it’s a meditation on how music becomes a shared instinct, a language of slow rhythms and deep textures. Prepare to step inside a world where beats exhale fractured light and every note is a haunted echo of the city that birthed it.

Ableton Live Suite, Akai MPC Studio, Arturia Audiofuse 16 Rig, Arturia CS80 VST, Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro MKII, Buchla Easel Command 208c, Deckards Dream MKII, Elektron Octatrack, Korg Nano Kontrol 2, MAM ADX1, Moog Grandmother, Nord Drum 3P, Roland TR8S

13. January 2026

SPARKY

Molten Music Technology

Molten Music Technology’s Oberheim TEO-5: Analog Goo in a Plastic Shell

If you think five voices is a joke in 2024, think again. Molten Music Technology drags the Oberheim TEO-5 out of the synth picnic and into the spotlight, showing why this slab of analog warmth keeps stealing the show from shinier, pricier boxes. Robin Vincent’s hands-on, no-fluff approach slices through the hype and gets right to the sticky, treacle-thick sound that’s got synth nerds drooling. If you want to know what makes this synth more than just a pretty face (spoiler: it’s not the pinstripes), strap in. This is analog done right, and you’ll want to hear it for yourself.

Oberheim Teo-5

13. January 2026

SPARKY

Underdog Electronic Music School

Underdog Electronic Music School: Semi-Modular – Your Gateway Drug to Eurorack Mayhem

Thinking of jumping into the modular synth rabbit hole but don’t fancy selling a kidney? Underdog Electronic Music School’s latest video slices through the confusion with a no-nonsense look at why semi-modular gear is the ultimate first hit for aspiring patch-heads. Oscar’s got the Moog DFAM, Intellijel Plonk, and XAOC Sarajewo delay all lined up, showing how a few clever connections can turn a simple groovebox into a rave bunker. If you’re tired of reading manuals and want to see real-world patching that actually slaps, this one’s for you.

Intellijel Plonk, Moog DFAM, XAOC Sarajewo

12. January 2026

SPARKY

The Unperson

The Unperson Unleashes the Korg Poly-800: Cheap, Cheeky, and Still a Street Weapon

If you think vintage synths are all museum pieces and wallet-busters, think again. The Unperson dives into the Korg Poly-800—a synth that crashed the 80s party with paraphonic swagger and a price tag that didn’t require selling a kidney. This isn’t just a nostalgia trip; it’s a hands-on, no-DAW, all-hardware jam that shows what happens when you push a plastic legend to its limits. Expect quirky programming, factory sounds that punch above their weight, and a performance that proves you don’t need a laptop to fill a rave bunker. The Poly-800: underrated? You bet. Boring? Not a chance.

Korg Poly-800

12. January 2026

RILEY

Bthelick

Bthelick Flips the Script: Jamback’s ‘Positive’ in Five Keys—Major Vibes, Minor Moves

Ever wondered what happens when you take a tech house banger and run it through five different keys? Bthelick, the groove scientist with a knack for breaking down dance tracks, just went full mad scientist on Jamback’s ‘Positive.’ This video isn’t just a theory lesson—it’s a vibe rollercoaster, showing how a single note swap can flip your mood like a cheap burger joint flips patties. If you’re into practical beatmaking hacks and want to hear how major, minor, and their weird cousins mess with your head, you’ll want to catch this ride. Spoiler: some things you gotta hear to believe.

Ableton Live

12. January 2026

SPARKY

Starsky Carr

Starsky Carr Unleashes the iLoud Sub: Small Box, Big Bass, No Nonsense

Starsky Carr dives headfirst into the low-end trenches with the IK Multimedia iLoud Sub, putting this compact subwoofer through its paces in a real-world small studio. If you think a sub this size can’t shake your walls, think again—Starsky’s got the measurements, the room correction, and the brutal honesty to prove it. Expect standing waves, beefier mixes, and a bit of British banter about why most subs just make things worse. This isn’t your average gear review—this is a rave bunker upgrade, Starsky style. Prepare to question your monitor setup and maybe your life choices.

ARC X room correction, Dynaudio LYD7, IK Multimedia iLoud Sub, IK Precision 6

11. January 2026

SPARKY

Sanjay C

Sanjay C’s Studio: Flock Audio, Stream Decks, and a Desk That Slaps

Ever wondered what happens when you let a gearhead loose with a Flock Audio Patch, a Stream Deck, and a wallet full of dreams? Sanjay C’s 2026 desk tour is a synth bunker fantasy come true. He’s ripped out the cable spaghetti, slammed in a routing system that actually works, and lined up a battalion of gadgets that would make any producer drool. From wireless cans to a keyboard with actual wood in the keys, this is a workspace built for speed, inspiration, and a bit of flex. If you think studio workflow upgrades are all hype, Sanjay’s about to

AI AI AI TMA2 Wireless Headphones, Akai MPK Mini MK4, Apple Trackpad, Arturia 8Pre, ATC SCM25A, Avalon 737, BAE 1073, BenQ Desk Lamp, CalDigit TS4, Chase Bliss Generation Loss, Daydreamer Synth 1, Elgato Wave Mic Arm, Ember Mug, Eventide H9, Flock Audio CX, Flock Audio Patch, Furman Power Conditioner, Lewitt Ray Microphone, LG Flex, Logitech MX Master 3S, Maschine MK3, Moog Messenger, Neumann MT-48, Nina by Melbourne Instruments, Novation Launchpad X, NuFi Air 75, Osmose by Expressive-E, Roland J-6, ROLI Seaboard Block, Roto-Control by Melbourne Instruments, Sequential Prophet 6, Sound Anchor Speaker Stands, SSL 4000, Stream Deck Plus, Strymon Night Sky, Studiologic SL88 GT, Tube-Tech CL1B, Universal Audio 1176, Universal Audio Apollo

11. January 2026

SPARKY

Free Beat

Free Beat vs. KOII: Sample Chopping in the Rave Bunker

Sample chopping on the Teenage Engineering KOII finally gets the Free Beat treatment, and it’s about time. Our favourite daily-gear explorer dives into two ways to slice up beats, with a workflow that’s part coffee-fuelled experiment, part practical chaos. Expect hands-on action with patron-submitted drums, a few honest gripes, and a look at what makes the KOII’s sample handling both clever and occasionally clunky. If you want to know whether this box is a street weapon or a fiddly toy, you’ll want to read on—and then watch the video for the full sonic mayhem.

Teenage Engineering KOII

11. January 2026

SPARKY

Andrew Chapman Creative

Andrew Chapman Creative’s Hardware EQ Tier List: Sonic Street Weapons Ranked

Ready to bin your plugin EQs and go hardware hunting? Andrew Chapman Creative is here with a no-nonsense, laugh-out-loud tier list of hardware EQs, slicing through the hype like a samurai at a toaster-fight. Forget the sales talk—this is real-world studio grit, where sound, workflow, and value slug it out for top spot. Expect sharp opinions, a few sacred cows tipped, and enough honest banter to make your rack blush. If you’re after the truth about which EQs slap and which ones should stay in the pawn shop, this is your rave bunker briefing.

API 550A, API 550B, API 560 Graphic EQ, BAE 1073D 500 Series 1073 and EQ, DBX 530 Parametric EQ, Drawmer 1971 Two Channel EQ, Elysia X Filter 500 Series Stereo EQ, Heritage Audio HA73EQ Elite Series Microphone Preamplifier with Equalizer, Klark Teknik EQP-KT, Lindell Audio LiNTEC Program Equalizer, Lindell Audio PEX 500, Maag EQ4 500 Series EQ, Mackie 32x8 Console, Manley Massive Passive, Neve 1073 SPX, Pheonix Audio Gyrator, Pultec 500 Series, Purple Audio Odd EQ, Rupert Neve Designs Inductor EQ, Solid State Logic SSL E-EQ Mk2 500 Series Equalizer, Solid State Logic SSL Revival 4000 Signature Analogue Channel Strip, SSL Ultraviolet EQ, Stam Audio SA-EQP1A, Toft Audio ATB, Trident 80B EQ, Tube Tech PE-1C, Vintech X73i, Warm Audio EQP-WA, Warm Audio WA73-EQ 1073-Style Microphone Preamplifier and Equalizer

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