News Round Up 6/2/15

James Holden on modular synthesis, discounts on Ableton courses, the political legacy of Detroit techno, and watch a live KiNK performance.

Moog Model 15 Modular Reborn. Ghostly International artist Patricia, aka Max Ravitz, demonstrates the newly reborn Moog Model 15 Modular Synthesiser, which has been painstakingly recreated using new old stock parts, with original PCB designs and manufacturing processes wherever possible. The Model 15 joins the System 35 and System 55 in a 2015 remake of Moog‘s 1972 Modular system lineup. Watch above.

James Holden on Modular Synthesis. “So many times you hear a preset or a plug-in demo patch on someone’s record, and when I hear that – that person is dead to me. I’ll never listen to their music again because it’s so lame.” Ableton talk to James Holden about how he uses Max for Live, developing his own software, and all things modular here.

Talking To Japan’s Top Sound Engineers. RA talks to three expert Japanese sound engineers who work some of Japans biggest clubs and festivals. The trio discuss the links between sound quality and dancefloors, their working relationships with DJs, and sound engineering generally. Read the feature here.

Free Live Set from Laidback Luke. Dutch EDM veteran Laidback Luke sheds some light on the studio techniques that create a perfect mixdown in his chat with Ableton, discussing the perils of mixing in stereo, the importance of layering, and mixing down for club systems. He also shares the Live set of his track ‘Stepping To The Beat’, which you can download and examine via Splice here to see how it was made.

Buchla Drop New Systems and Sequencer. Legendary modular synth company Buchla showcase their new standalone systems and a step sequencer: the LEM4 Snoopy, LEM3 Spider and 252e Polyphonic Rhythm Generator will all drop within the next few months. Check out the video of the 252e Polyphonic Rhythm Generator, which can create impressively complex rhythmic patterns, and find out more about each unit here at RA.

KiNK’s DJ/Modular Hybrid Performance. A live performance entitled ‘Cyrillic’ from Bulgarian house and techno producer KiNK, who explains: “I’m recording basic loops with melodies from my modular synthesiser, I play back the sounds, using a standard DJ setup (CDJs, turntable). I create the beats live with Roland TR-8, all beat matched by ear. This is my first rehearsal, I hope you like it.” Watch above.

Discounts on Shoogle Studios’ courses. Scotland’s leading electronic music studio is offering up to 20% off courses at Glasgow’s Shoogle Studios for one week only (act quickly – offer ends Sunday 8th). Find out more here.

MainStage Update Turns Hardware Into Software. With Apple’s update to Logic and MainStage last month, came a feature that allows you to easily create sampled software versions of external instruments. Rather than having to trigger and record every note of your keyboard and map that audio to your keyboard with EXS24, MainStage’s new Auto Sampler plugin sucks in the sounds of outboard gear directly to sample instruments you can use. Find out more here.

Elijah interviews Logan Sama on new Rhythm & Cash podcast. Grime don Elijah of Elijah & Skilliam begins an interview series on his podcast Rhythm & Cash, with an in-depth interview with fellow grime mainstay and KissFM DJ Logan Sama, where they talk about “2014, KissFM, YouTube, Success, Boiler Room and more across nearly 140 mins.” Stream and download above.

Surgeon’s Connectivity. Juno interviews the pioneering electronic musician and DJ Anthony Child, aka Surgeon, who recently surprised many by performing a live set of punishing, modular driven techno alongside collaborator Lady Starlight in support of Lady Gaga at Gaga’s #ARTRAVE tour. Read the feature interview here, and watch the performance above.

Electronic Warfare: The Political Legacy of Detroit Techno. Synonymous with the multi-billion-dollar electronic music industry, hedonistic European techno has become far removed from its roots in the plight and black protests of Detroit. Pitchfork examines Detroit techno’s militant, inner-city history and and the “cultural smudging” that came after, with tracks from important artists here.

Neville Watson’s Glasgow Anthems. Ahead of his solo appearance at Sub Club in Glasgow this coming Saturday, Subculture talk to Neville Watson, about his favourite music to have came out of Glasgow. Read it here.

10 Ways To Fund Your Music Career. Helado Negro, Jane Penny, Holly Herndon, White Mystery, and Brenmar share their tips on earning a living through music in an article for Fader here.

London Clubbers to be Breathalysed Upon Entry. The Metropolitan police have introduced a new breathalyser program at six clubs in Croydon, as an attempt to tackle what they see as increasing nightclub-related violence caused by excessive “pre-loading,” where “young people get drunk on cheap drinks before going out”. Door staff will test and deny clubbers who are intoxicated upon entry. More information here.

Streaming Now Bigger Than Radio. American teens now spend more time with streaming audio services, such as Pandora and Spotify, than they do with radio according to the first public release of the autumn 2014 “Share of Ear” report – a unique audio measurement study which evaluates the listenership of many new media including streamed audio, podcasts, and others. Find out more here.

Indies Launch Action Against YouTube. Independent music companies have launched a unique ten-point digital action plan, calling on the EU to reinforce copyright as a fundamental right, a liberator of the creativity that drives the digital market, as news of YouTube copyright abuses resurface. Full details here.