News Round Up 10/7/15

Yamaha launches Reface synths, Surgeon shares details of his modular rig, and is Facebook entering the music streaming game?

New MPDs from Akai. Building on the popularity of their pad-equipped USB MIDI controllers, the MPD series, Akai has announced three new MPD models, adding extra controls and a brand-new pad design. They say that their new black (not grey) Thick Fat MPC pads are more sensitive and responsive than previous generations, while the whole control scheme has been designed to promote intuitive creativity, and over $400 of free software included. Watch the introduction video above, and find out more here.

Is Facebook Entering the Music Streaming Game?  Though they have publicly denied these intentions, the social media giant is “planning to launch its own streaming service” according to the music and tech news website Music Ally, which cites sources speaking off the record to reveal that Facebook will be launching its own native video streaming service soon, as an intermediate step in the direction of an on-demand audio service. Per-stream rates will apparently match those of YouTube. Find out more at The Guardian, and in Music Ally’s report.

Fabric’s Legowelt Favourites. In promotion of his appearance in Room Two, the Fabric office put together a YouTube playlist of their favourite picks from the extensive discography of Legowelt. The selection includes ‘Immensity of Cosmic Space’, ‘Rave Till Dawn’, ‘Disco Rout’, ‘Anaconda Flow’ and ‘Wayfaring Stranger’. Listen above.

Goldbaby’s Ghetto Drum Samplers. Goldbaby has released their newest vintage sample pack Ghetto Drum Samplers, which was created using five vintage drum samplers (RZ1, DDD1, ASRX Pro, ST224 and the ES1) to sample a varied selection of sounds (808, 909, DR110, DMX, ER1, TE PO12, vinyl, live drums, percussion and more). The pack comes as WAV files plus patches for Maschine & Mikro, Battery, Kontakt, Geist, Reason and Logic’s EXS-24. For more info, click here.

RIP Charanjit Singh. The Indian electronic music pioneer credited with the accidental invention of the squelchy 303 sounds of acid house, which came to define the Chicago scene for years after, died in Mumbai on July 3rd, aged 75. Friends of Charanjit Singh said he had gone to sleep and did not wake up, and his death shocked close friends who said he had been preparing hard for a show in London and had plans to produce an album of Indian folk music.  Listen to his album Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat above, and find out more in The Wire‘s article.

Yamaha Launches Reface Synths. Yamaha has officially revealed new models of synthesiser that update four of their classics for the contemporary market. Priced at $499 each, the range includes the Reface YC combo organ, the CP electric piano, an FM synth called Reface DX and an eight-voice polyphonic virtual analogue synth, the Reface CS. Each features 37 mini keys and physical controls inspired by the original instruments. The synths can be used alongside an iOS app called Capture, which allows you to plug your phone into the keyboard and switch presets, regardless of the position of the physical controls. Find out more here.

Surgeon Shares Details of His Modular Rig. Techno stalwart Anthony Child, aka Surgeon, has revealed details of the modular setup he used throughout his Boiler Room x Dekmantel Festival live set, which you can watch above. Check out a high-res image of the rack here.

Free version of Output Signal. Simply fill out a form here to receive a free download of what Output describe as the world’s most powerful pulse engine for producers, composers, musicians and sound designers. Combining 40GB of analogue and digital sounds with organic instruments, Signal creates infinitely unique pulses for an entirely new sound. Watch the synth in action above, and find out more here.