synthmagazine.co.uk – Every day, synthmagazine.co.uk publishes fresh articles, artist stories and gear news from the world of electronic music – your independent magazine for synth culture and sound design.

4. February 2026

Voltage Labs Illuminates: Native Instruments and the Dawn of Sonic Infinity

Voltage Labs, ever the cartographer of electronic sound, invites us to drift through the magnetic resonance of Native Instruments’ legacy. This is not just a chronicle of software and circuits—it’s a meditation on how Berlin’s visionaries transformed the very fabric of music-making. Through poetic storytelling and tactile metaphors, we witness the shift from hardware-bound rituals to a universe where sound blooms from code. Prepare to feel the weightless gravity of Reaktor, the spectral touch of Kontakt, and the pulse of Maschine as Voltage Labs connects the dots between technology, culture, and the soul of creation.

Battery, Kontakt, Maschine+, Reaktor, Traktor

4. February 2026

ZAPP

Stefan Gubatz | Dirtbox Jams | Acid Gubi

Donner L1 Essential: Stefan Gubatz Throws the SH-101 Clone into the Beat-Frying Pan

Stefan Gubatz has a new blinking toy on his desk – this time, the Donner L1 Essential, an expanded SH-101 clone with extras that even old Casio fans will find intriguing. In his typically honest and no-nonsense style, he takes the thing apart, tests, tweaks, and lets it sizzle. Magnetic keyboard, modular design, and a step sequencer that screams happy accidents – this isn’t just a review, it’s a performance. But where there’s light, there’s noise: Stefan doesn’t hold back on criticism but stays fair, showing why the L1 Essential deserves a spot on stage despite its quirks. If you

Donner KB32M, Donner L1 Essential

4. February 2026

SPARKY

SON WU

EP-40 RIDDIM vs KOII: SON WU Throws Down the Pocket Operator Gauntlet

SON WU is back in the rave bunker, pitting Teenage Engineering’s EP-40 RIDDIM against the KOII in a no-holds-barred feature fight. If you’re after the real dirt on which pocket-sized beast deserves your cash, this is the showdown you need. Expect sharp insights, hands-on jams, and a few curveballs—SON WU’s signature style is all over this one. Don’t blink: the verdict comes fast, and the details are juicier than a warehouse party at 4am.

Teenage Engineering EP-133 KOII, Teenage Engineering EP-40 Riddim

3. February 2026

LUMINA

DivKid

DivKid Illuminates Modular Alchemy: d’Voxx on Recording, Producing & Mixing Sonic Narratives

In this atmospheric dialogue, DivKid invites us to drift through the fog-laced corridors of modular synthesis with d’Voxx—Paul and Nino—whose album ‘Telegraph’ becomes a living map of creative intent. The conversation is less a technical manual and more a meditation on the philosophy of capturing modular sound: performance, intuition, and the magnetic resonance between live energy and studio sculpting. Here, every patch and EQ sweep is a brushstroke on a canvas of shifting frequencies. For those who sense music as landscape and emotion, this video is a portal into the secret rituals behind modular storytelling. Some moments, like the bloom

Clouds, Distinct Mk3, DLD, ER-301, Instra CSL, Mackie 14:2 Mixer, Rosy, Tangle Quartet, Urverb

3. February 2026

MILES

UDO Audio

UDO Audio’s Super 8: Patchcraft and Performance with Hazel Mills

In this analytical dive, we follow Hazel Mills as she constructs evocative patches on the UDO Audio Super 8, revealing the instrument’s hybrid character and hands-on modulation appeal. UDO Audio, known for their lush, FPGA-driven analog-hybrid synths, provides the canvas for Mills’ performance video ‘SIGIL.’ The video is less about preset surfing and more about building sounds from the ground up—oscillator by oscillator, envelope by envelope—showcasing the Super 8’s strengths in rhythmic, percussive, and sustained textures. For those interested in how a synth’s architecture shapes real-world patches, this is a revealing look at both the instrument and the artist’s process.

UDO Super 8

3. February 2026

SPARKY

Doctor Mix

Doctor Mix at NAMM 2026: Camelot, Stylophone, and Live Rig Mayhem

Doctor Mix storms NAMM 2026 with a double-barrelled blast of live performance tech and cheeky sampling fun. First up, he and Simone from Audio Modeling show off Camelot—a platform that turns your gig rig into a seamless, scene-switching monster. Forget dropouts and clunky transitions; this thing keeps your set tighter than a warehouse rave at 3am. Then, in classic Doctor Mix style, he detours to the Stylophone booth for a hands-on with their new sampler—cheap, cheerful, and primed for instant sonic mischief. If you want a taste of the future (and a few laughs), this one’s pure NAMM energy.

Audio Modeling Camelot, Kontakt, Omnisphere, SL88, Stylophone Sampler

3. February 2026

TAS

Sineway

Sineway’s Microcosm Mayhem: Turning Effects into Idea Generators with Digitakt II

Ever wondered what happens when you treat your effects pedal like a wild idea kangaroo instead of just a finishing touch? Sineway’s latest escapade is a ripper: Sequential Fourm, Hologram Microcosm, and Digitakt II all thrown into the ring for a no-prep, from-scratch track build. This isn’t your usual polite studio noodling—Sineway’s workflow is fast, hands-on, and full of surprises, with the Microcosm leading the charge as a chaos box for inspiration. If you’re keen to see a pro wrangle fresh sounds and build a club-ready groove before you can say “outback BBQ,” this one’s for you. Grab a cold

Digitakt II, Faderfox UC4, Hologram Microcosm, Sequential Fourm

3. February 2026

LUMINA

Underdog Electronic Music School

Underdog Electronic Music School: Feedback Delays as Sonic Storytellers

What if the heart of your synth patch wasn’t an oscillator, but a feedbacking delay—a living, wailing entity that breathes instability into every note? In this immersive exploration, Underdog Electronic Music School guides us through a decade-long search for a sound that slips, slides, and howls with magnetic resonance. We drift through modular landscapes and digital realms, chasing the spectral textures that once haunted Kangding Ray’s productions. Prepare to unmoor your expectations: this is sound design as narrative, where each drone is a nebula and every pulse a flicker of fractured light.

Ableton Echo, Ableton Shaper, Chakmat Triple Steeple, Knight's Gallop, Pit Viper by Animo Factories, Sarajevo delay line, Steve's MS-22 by Three Tom Modular

2. February 2026

LUMINA

HAINBACH

HAINBACH and the String Armonica MK2: Overtone Dreams and Sonic Glasswork

Step into a mist-laden soundscape where resonance shimmers and history hums beneath your fingertips. HAINBACH, ever the explorer of sonic oddities, invites us to drift inside the String Armonica MK2—a modern vessel inspired by Benjamin Franklin’s glass armonica, yet reborn for today’s ambient voyagers. This is not just an instrument; it’s a magnetic bridge between ancient psalter and futuristic shimmer, where every note blooms like fractured light through fog. Prepare to be enveloped by overtone-rich textures and the peculiar beauty of a machine that feels as much spirit as circuitry. The real magic, as always with HAINBACH, is best experienced

String Armonica MK2

2. February 2026

SPARKY

Woody Piano Shack

Woody Piano Shack’s Minilogue Review: Four Notes, One Big Rave Bunker Question

Woody Piano Shack dives headfirst into the KORG Minilogue, the synth that’s been haunting budget-minded analog lovers for nearly a decade. Is it still worth your hard-earned cash in 2026, or is four-note polyphony just a cruel joke in a world of digital giants? Woody’s signature blend of hands-on honesty and gentle sarcasm slices through the hype, giving us a no-frills look at what slaps, what sucks, and why this synth might still have a place in your studio—if you can live with its quirks. Grab a cuppa, because this review doesn’t pull any punches.

Korg Minilogue

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