Synthmagazine UK | Synth News, Gear & Sound Design

8. December 2025

TAETRO Unleashes the 1010music Bento: Portable Groovebox, Heavyweight Moves

TAETRO dives headfirst into the 1010music Bento, a groovebox that’s got more tricks up its sleeve than a dodgy street magician. Forget the usual suspects—this box crams granular, looping, and multisampling into a form factor that actually fits in your bag. If you’re sick of menu-diving and want a touchscreen that doesn’t make you want to throw the thing out a window, this one’s worth a look. We break down why TAETRO thinks the Bento punches above its weight, where it stumbles, and how it stacks up against the big names. Spoiler: it’s not just another plastic wannabe.

1010Music Bento, Ableton Move, Ableton Push, Roland P6, Roland SP404 MK2

8. December 2025

TAS

Defmod Network

Defmod Network’s Hybrid Rig: Where Synths Meet Six Strings and Chaos Ensues

Ever wondered what happens when you throw a sampler, a classic Telecaster, and a synth beast into a blender, then hand it to a livewire like Defmod Network? Mate, you get a hybrid setup that’s as unpredictable as Melbourne weather and twice as fun. In this wild tour, Ted Reyes (aka Defmod Network) walks us through his live performance rig—a mad scientist’s concoction of electronic and rock gear, all primed for on-the-fly jams and spontaneous sonic detours. If you’re keen on setups that can handle both a sweaty mosh pit and a synth nerd’s living room, strap in. This one’s

Behringer UB-Xa, Fender '52 Telecaster, Novation 49SL MKIII, Positive Grid Spark 40, Roland TR-8S, Teenage Engineering EP-133 KO II

8. December 2025

LUMINA

MusicRadar Tech

Halina Rice: Sonic Worlds and Immersive Storytelling with MusicRadar Tech

Step inside the luminous fog of Halina Rice’s creative universe, where sound and vision dissolve boundaries. In this intimate conversation with MusicRadar Tech, Rice reveals how her immersive-first approach transforms electronic music into a living, breathing environment. From spatial audio to evocative lighting, her performances are less concerts and more portals—each note a brushstroke in a vast, cinematic landscape. For those who see music as a place to inhabit, not just a sequence of beats, this interview is a rare glimpse into the architecture of sonic storytelling.

Ableton Live, L-Acoustics Elisa, Minimoog Voyager, Novation Peak, Roland SE-02, Roland SH-09, XLN Audio RC-20 Retro Color

8. December 2025

LUMINA

Oscillator Sink

Oscillator Sink’s Polygene 2: A Synthesizer That Breathes Light and Memory

Some instruments don’t just make sound—they conjure worlds. Oscillator Sink, the soft-spoken architect of synth reverie, invites us into the magnetic orbit of the Polygene 2 by Gene Synths. This is not a review, nor a tutorial, but a meditation on beauty, touch, and the secret language between player and machine. The Polygene 2 stands as both sculpture and vessel, its analog heart pulsing with stories old and new. Prepare to drift through fog, fractured harmonics, and the tactile poetry of a synth that demands to be felt as much as heard.

GFI Specular Reverb v3, Hate Echo, Polygene 2

8. December 2025

LUMINA

Voltage Labs

Voltage Labs: Echoes from Kingston to Kreuzberg – The Sonic Story of Dub Techno

Dub techno is not just a genre—it’s a living, breathing fog of sound that drifts between continents and decades. In this immersive Voltage Labs documentary, we travel from the humid, bass-soaked streets of Kingston to the unfinished, neon-lit corners of post-wall Berlin, tracing the magnetic resonance of a style that values space as much as sound. Voltage Labs, known for their visually rich, culture-driven storytelling, unravel the lineage of dub techno with a poetic sense of depth and atmosphere. Prepare to step inside the echo chamber, where machines become storytellers and every note is a ghost in the mist.

Ableton Live Suite, Arturia Audiofuse 16 Rig, Arturia CS80 VST, Arturia Pigments, Arturia V Collection, 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 RE-201 Space Echo, Roland TR8S

7. December 2025

TAS

sunwarper

sunwarper’s SP404 MK2 Tricks: Ambient Mayhem and Guitar Shenanigans

Ready to wrangle the SP404 MK2 like a kangaroo on a caffeine high? sunwarper, the LA-based sonic wizard, dives headfirst into the wild world of ambient live sets, armed with nothing but his trusty Roland SP404 MK2 and a guitar. Forget your standard beatmaking—this is about bending time signatures, layering drones, and pulling off performance tricks that’d make your average sampler spit out its chips. If you reckon the SP404 MK2 is just for lofi beats, mate, you’re in for a treat. sunwarper’s approach is as inventive as a backyard BBQ gone off-script, and you’ll want to see how he

Roland SP404 MK2

7. December 2025

SPARKY

Sanjay C

Sanjay C Drops the Absynth Bomb: Synth Legends, Reverb Wizards, and Gear for the Brave

Sanjay C is back in the bunker with a synth news round-up that’s got more heat than a toaster-fight in a rave bunker. Native Instruments is teasing the resurrection of Absynth, and sound designers everywhere are losing their minds. Serato’s SLAB controller wants to steal your desk space (but not much of it), Valhalla’s FutureVerb is bending reverb into new shapes, and Universal Audio is gunning for guitarists with a studio-in-a-plugin. Plus: Moog and Expressive E are dropping workflow upgrades that’ll make your DAW jealous. If you want the lowdown on what’s hot, what’s free, and what’s about to melt

Expressive E Osmose 61, Moog Messenger, Native Instruments Absynth 6, Serato SLAB, Universal Audio Paradise Guitar Studio, Valhalla FutureVerb

7. December 2025

SPARKY

Free Beat

Free Beat vs. KOII: Can the Teenage Engineering EP-133 Actually Do a Full Song?

Ever wondered if the Teenage Engineering EP-133 KOII can actually pull off a full track, or if it’ll just have you pulling your hair out? Free Beat dives headfirst into the groovebox’s infamous song mode, wrestling with scenes, patterns, and the kind of workflow quirks that make or break a hardware jam. Expect honest frustration, accidental sample deletions, and a few moments of creative clarity. If you’re after a no-fluff, hands-on look at whether this little box is a rave weapon or a workflow headache, you’re in the right bunker.

Teenage Engineering EP-133 KOII

7. December 2025

LUMINA

Andrew Huang

Andrew Huang Illuminates the Sonic Alchemy of K-Pop Demon Hunters

When rhythm bends and melody leaps, the soundtrack to K-Pop Demon Hunters becomes more than music—it’s a living, breathing landscape of emotion and narrative. Through Andrew Huang’s luminous lens, we drift through fractured beats and kaleidoscopic hooks, uncovering the soundtrack’s wild, unorthodox spirit. Huang’s signature blend of technical insight and playful curiosity guides us into a world where pop conventions dissolve, and every note feels like a story unfolding in real time. If you crave music that shimmers with surprise and depth, this journey is your invitation to listen with new ears.

7. December 2025

SPARKY

Scott's Synth Stuff

Scott’s Synth Stuff Takes the Hydrasynth Deluxe for a Blue Monday Bender

Scott’s Synth Stuff is back in the rave bunker, this time firing up the Hydrasynth Deluxe to reverse-engineer New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’. If you’ve ever wondered how to get that iconic reedy lead and punchy bassline without a vintage rack taller than your fridge, Scott’s got you covered. Expect a no-fluff breakdown of LFO sync trickery, filter acrobatics, and a hands-on multi-split setup—all delivered with Scott’s signature straight-talking style. There’s even a patch download, so you can skip the guesswork and get straight to the dancefloor destruction. Hydrasynth owners and synthwave obsessives, strap in.

ASM Hydrasynth Deluxe

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