Richie Hawtin’s Performance Masterclass, fascinating shots of London’s Bagleys, I Dream of Wires documentary premiere, and Glasgow, Make Some Noise!
Richie Hawtin’s Performance Masterclass. A masterclass in live performance and DJing from techno superstar Richie Hawtin, via Point Blank Music School‘s college campus tour, CNTRL 2015. Hawtin reveals his live-DJ setup, based on Traktor and Live, explaining why he enjoys introducing human timing imperfections to the digital realm. Watch above.
Inside Bagleys Nightclub. Once recognised as one of London’s most influential venues, Bagleys has sat silent for eight years. Take a step back through time with an amazing set of photos from inside the legendary venue, later known as Canvas, which has lain empty since it was finally repossessed in 2008. See for yourself here.
Ableton share Battles studio video and launched Loop music summit. Ableton share Battles: The Art of Repetition, a studio video that finds out the philosophy and workflow of one of live music’s most respected experimental groups – watch in full above. Alongside that, Ableton have also launched Loop: A Summit for Music Makers, set to take place in Berlin from October 30th to November 1st. Its daytime program will feature talks and moderated conversations with Matthew Herbert, Robert Henke, Holly Herndon, Young Guru and many others, exploring the artistry and creative strategies of modern music makers; they’re geared to sharpen perspectives on how music, creativity and technology intersect. Find out more here.
Carbon Electra, a New Subtractive Synth. Plugin Boutique follow the release of their kick drum plugin and Casio CZ emulation with Carbon Electra, a 4-oscillator subtractive synth that’s due to be released in late July. Designed and developed by Davide Carbone of S:amplify, the synth will be accessible for beginners to learn with, but also provide plenty of power and features: a step sequencer, a vocal filter, and flexible modulation options. It will run on PC and Mac as 32/64-bit VST/AU plugins, priced at £59/$99. Register at Plugin Boutique for more info, and watch the promo trailer above.
I Dream of Wires Documentary Premiere. Following limited screenings at film festivals, I Dream Of Wires will be released this July/August in its final version. To celebrate the release, a premiere will be held in Berlin on July 28th, featuring a live performance and talk with the legendary American composer and modular synthesist Morton Subotnick, best known for the impact of his album Silver Apples of the Moon – the first electronic work commissioned by a record company. A mix of pioneers and modern artists feature in the film, including Subotnick, Trent Reznor, Gary Numan, Vince Clarke, Carl Craig, James Holden, Legowelt and more. More info about the Berlin premiere is available here. Watch the movie trailer above and read our exploration of the modular resurgence here.
Glasgow, Make Some Noise! Known as GMSN!, the DIY synth community who meet at Shoogle Studios in Glasgow to build kits and design circuits – whose members include musicians, producers, university lecturers and engineers – will be celebrating their first birthday in style with a “synth meet” at the studio. Starting from 12pm on August 1st and free for everybody, the event will feature a range of talks, demos, performances and more. To attend, simply register your interest on EventBrite, and remember to bring some headphones with you. Find out more here.
The SENSEries Chromehatic. “An amalgamation of modernistic headwear design and tangible digital technology”, the Chromehatic is a part of the SENSEries project, a collaboration between milliner Jodie Cartman and musician and instrument builder Crewdson, where “the wearer becomes both character and director through the close coupling of an almost costume-like aesthetic and the ability to control sound through movement, voice and touch.” It has become a set piece for celebrated London-based vocalist FEMME. Watch her using the Chromehatic above, and find out more here.