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.

20. April 2026

Voltage Labs: Space Dimension Controller and the Ghosts in the Akai Machine

In a dim-lit Amsterdam studio, Voltage Labs invites us to drift alongside Space Dimension Controller as he rekindles his romance with vintage Akai samplers. These machines—S900, S1000, and their kin—aren’t just tools, but portals to unpredictable sonic realms, shaping the very fabric of his new album. With every sample, the air thickens with nostalgia and creative electricity. Voltage Labs’ signature documentary style captures not just the gear, but the emotional undercurrents and tactile rituals of sound design. Prepare to witness how these samplers breathe grit, randomness, and spectral beauty into modern music.

Akai S01, Akai S1000, Akai S2000, Akai S3000, Akai S900

28. March 2026

SPARKY

Optoproductions

Optoproductions Digs Deep: MIDI Amsterdam’s 30-Year Rave Bunker Legacy

If you’ve ever wondered how a synth shop can shape an entire country’s club culture, Optoproductions just handed you the blueprint. In this episode, we get a backstage pass to MIDI Amsterdam, the gearhead haven that’s been fuelling Dutch electronic music for over three decades. Expect tales of sleepless nights, classic machines, and the kind of community you only find when you mix obsession with a bit of Dutch stubbornness. Tim Niewenhuis, the shop’s founder, spills the beans on surviving tech revolutions, helping lost producers, and why personal touch still trumps online mega-marts. This isn’t just a shop – it’s

Akai S1000, Alesis MMT-8, Apple (early models), Atari (early computers), Bitwig, Nord Lead, Roland MC series

MORE ARTICLE WITH Akai S1000

Voltage Labs: Space Dimension Controller and the Ghosts in the Akai Machine

Optoproductions Digs Deep: MIDI Amsterdam’s 30-Year Rave Bunker Legacy