Synthmagazine UK | Synth News, Gear & Sound Design

4. December 2025

MusicRadar Tech Puts the AstroLab 37 to the Test: Small Keys, Big Moves?

Arturia’s AstroLab 37 just landed, and MusicRadar Tech wastes no time getting their hands dirty. This pint-sized performance keyboard promises the full Analog Lab experience in a form factor that won’t break your back or your bank. But does shrinking the AstroLab make it a street weapon for gigging producers, or is it just another plastic pretender? We dive into the quirks, the killer features, and the bits that’ll have you swearing at your Wi-Fi. If you’re after a no-fluff verdict on whether this synth is worth your hard-earned cash, you’re in the right rave bunker.

Arturia AstroLab 37

3. December 2025

LUMINA

Pick Yourself

Pick Yourself: Breathing Life into Flat Sounds—The Secret Modulation Nebula

In the echoing corridors of modern electronic music, the difference between a flat, two-dimensional patch and a living, breathing sonic sculpture is more than just a matter of gear. Pick Yourself, a mentor for producers seeking emotional resonance, unpacks the secret modulation system that transforms ordinary synth lines into immersive, goosebump-inducing experiences. This video is not about what you play, but how your sound evolves—how it inhales, exhales, and shimmers with subtle imperfection. Prepare to drift through layers of movement, spatial depth, and dynamic storytelling as we explore the magnetic resonance at the heart of professional sound design.

Ableton Live, Ableton Push

3. December 2025

TAS

Monotrail Tech Talk

Monotrail Tech Talk’s Cheater’s Pad Trick: Lush Sounds from Barebones Modulars

Ever tried coaxing creamy pads out of your modular rig and ended up with something drier than a sausage roll in the outback sun? Monotrail Tech Talk is here to flip that script with a duophonic patch trick that’s as clever as a magpie with a stolen chip. In this video, Monotrail ditches the polyphonic big guns and shows how a humble two-oscillator mono voice can bloom into pads lush enough to make your DAW jealous. If you reckon modular’s just for plucks and bleeps, mate, you’re in for a treat. Grab a cold one and get ready for a

Eurorack Modular Synthesizer

3. December 2025

SPARKY

Espen Kraft

Espen Kraft’s QX7 Christmas: Sequencing 80s Cheer Like a Pro

Espen Kraft is back in the synth bunker, this time with the Yamaha QX7 at the helm, wrangling a herd of classic 80s boxes to resurrect a festive banger—dawless, of course. If you think sequencers are just for nerds in lab coats, think again: this video is a crash course in proper groove wrangling, Kraft-style. Expect tight MIDI syncs, punchy drum machines, and enough quantization to make Santa tap his foot. Don’t let the Christmas theme fool you—this is a masterclass in vintage hardware sequencing, delivered with Espen’s trademark retro flair.

Bit01, Roland D550, Roland TR-626, Sequential Tom, Yamaha DX7, Yamaha QX7, Yamaha TX802

3. December 2025

SPARKY

Starsky Carr

Starsky Carr Unleashes the Erica Synths Hexdrums: Out-of-the-Box Mayhem

Starsky Carr grabs the Erica Synths Hexdrums and dives straight in—no manual, no mercy. This is a first look that skips the waffle and gets right to the punch: analog grit, digital brains, and a master section that’ll melt your face if you’re not careful. If you’re after a drum module that can go from polite to pure chaos in seconds, Starsky’s got your fix. Expect crunchy beats, live tweaks, and a healthy dose of British banter. If you think you know what a drum module can do, think again—this one’s got a few rave bunker tricks up its sleeve.

Erica Synths Hexdrums

3. December 2025

MILES

Verbos Electronics GmbH

Verbos Electronics Voltage Multistage 16: Multistage LFO Mayhem in Eurorack

Verbos Electronics, the Berlin-based purveyors of West Coast–flavoured Eurorack, return with a deep dive into the Voltage Multistage 16 as a multistage LFO generator. This official walkthrough showcases the module’s knack for conjuring complex, evolving modulation patterns—think nested LFO shapes, strobe-triggered voltage jumps, and hands-free time modulation. If you’re after modulation that’s more Buchla than basic, this video is a patch-oriented treat. Let’s see how Verbos’ outside-in design philosophy translates to dynamic voltage sculpting and real-world patching tricks.

Voltage Multistage 16

2. December 2025

LUMINA

Metamyther

Metamyther Illuminates the Moog Mind: Stephen Petoniak’s Sonic Blueprints

Step into the dimly lit workshop where sound is sculpted, not just built. Metamyther, known for cinematic industrial explorations, brings us face-to-face with Stephen Petoniak—the mind behind Moog’s tactile dreams. Through this immersive conversation, we drift through the magnetic resonance of design philosophy, the tactile ghosts of hardware, and the evolving nebulae of instruments like Muse and Labyrinth. This isn’t just a talk; it’s a journey into the emotional architecture of synthesis, where every knob and menu is a portal to creative possibility. Prepare to see, feel, and almost taste the future of sonic storytelling.

Moog Labyrinth, Moog Mariana, Moog Mavis, Moog Muse, Moog Spectravox, Moog Subharmonicon, Moog Theremin, Moogerfooger FX Pedals

2. December 2025

SPARKY

Bonedo Synthesizers

Kurzweil K2088: Bonedo Synthesizers Unleash a Workstation Beast

Bonedo Synthesizers are back at it, this time dropping the Kurzweil K2088 into the sonic arena. Forget your average plastic-fantastic keyboard – this is a heavyweight workstation with more engines than a rave bunker generator. No talking, no fluff, just pure sound – Bonedo’s signature style. If you’re after a synth that can layer, split, and mutate sounds faster than you can say ‘V.A.S.T.’, this video is your ticket. Dive in for a taste of what happens when German efficiency meets American synth muscle, and prepare to have your presets blown wide open.

Kurzweil K2088

2. December 2025

TAS

Underdog Electronic Music School

Underdog Electronic Music School: When Less Is More – The Perkons vs. Rytm Showdown

Ever splashed out on a bit of kit, only to realise it’s about as much fun as a soggy snag at a rainy BBQ? Underdog Electronic Music School dives headfirst into the classic gear conundrum: the mighty Analog Rytm MkII versus the hands-on Erica Synths Perkons. Oscar’s journey is a ripper tale of ditching over-complication for pure, sweaty-fingered immediacy. If you’ve ever felt like your dream machine turned into a dust collector, this one’s for you. Grab a cold one and let’s see why sometimes, the simplest box can spark the wildest jams.

Elektron Analog Rytm MKII, Erica Synths Perkons

2. December 2025

SPARKY

Captain Pikant

Captain Pikant Dismantles Blue Monday: Drum Machine Mayhem and DMX Wizardry

Captain Pikant dives headfirst into the rave bunker with a forensic breakdown of New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’—the track that turned the Oberheim DMX into a street weapon. Expect sharp edits, dry wit, and enough crunchy drum science to make your DAW sweat. Pikant’s style is all killer, no filler: concise, punchy, and laser-focused on what makes this beat slap. If you think you know the story behind ‘Blue Monday’, think again—this one’s full of clever theft, dirty tricks, and a few surprises that’ll have you reaching for your own drum machine. Strap in, because this isn’t your average nostalgia trip.

Aly James Lab VSDSX, Arturia Comp FET-76, Arturia Dist Tube-Culture, Arturia Keystep, Baby Audio TAIP, D16 Group Decimort 2, Dübreq Stylophone, FabFilter Pro DS, FabFilter Pro Q-3, FabFilter Pro R-2, GForce Oberheim DMX, iZotope Ozone Imager 2, Klanghelm MJUC, Klanghelm SDRR, Marcus Miller V7 Alder-4 LH AWH 2nd Gen Bass, Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol M32, Neural DSP Archetype Cory Wong X, Oberheim DMX, PSP Audioware E27, Simmons SDSV, Squarp Hapax, Valhalla VintageVerb

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