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Articles by Mac Severino
Rave Riffs In The Style Of Effy’s 'Not Yours" Using Twin 3
In this Synth Secrets, we’re going to be recreating Effy’s high energy rave-focused track ‘Not Yours’ using the recently updated Twin 3 soft synth from FabFilter. Since her first release back in 2020, rising rave star Effy has been putting out single after single with impressive consistency.
Farrago
As part of our Show and Tell series, we asked Belgian techno powerhouse Farrago to share some of the things outside of music that inspire him. Since entering the scene in 2017, Farrago has quickly established himself as one of the leading figures in contemporary Belgian techno. Known for crafting fast, trippy sounds alongside his equally energetic DJ sets, Farrago is helping carry the torch for a new generation of Belgian artists.
Easily Extract Stems From Any Song With LALAL.AI
LALAL.AI’s Vocal Remover allows you to extract stems or clean up vocals from any audio source for free in your internet browser. As AI models continue to make rapid progress and dominate headlines, more utilitarian purposes are sometimes left behind by the hype. While making an artificial Drake rap about the Easter Bunny may be fun for a quick (if legally dubious) laugh, a more helpful implementation of machine learning for producers is automatic stem extraction.
"Image is Now Taking Way Too Much Importance"
French DJ, producer, and co-founder of Frappe Records Ten Fingerz has just released a brand new French house-infused EP titled ‘Fingerz Work’. Find out what makes him click as he takes on Attack’s rapid-fire QnA. Why music? You don’t really decide this, do you? If you weren’t making music what would you be doing? I’ve tried other things before, now it’s music or nothing. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Listen to the silence in the tracks (Thank Art Of Tones for this one). What inspires you?
"This EP Pays Homage To The Place I Love The Most"
We recently caught up with NYC-based Mike Nasty and asked him to talk us through the production of his new EP ‘Journey From Memphis’. Following the recent success of his debut album ‘Deep Into The Sun,’ Mike Nasty is back with a new EP titled ‘Journey from Memphis.’ The project is designed to depict his musical journey from his hometown Memphis, Tennessee to the present day in NYC.
"The Worst Thing...Is To Be Stuck Making One Genre"
Jengi has just released a brand new genre-bending, rave-ready EP titled ‘Nothing is Easy’. We asked him to walk us through the production track by track. Since his debut in 2017, Jengi has released a string of well-received singles and EPs, showcasing his unique blend of house, R&B, and hip-hop influences. In late 2022 he released ‘Bel Mercy’ a techno and house-infused track which samples Super Beagles ‘Dust a Sound Boy’ (the same sample Kanye West used for his track ‘Mercy’).
Use Hive 2 & Diva To Learn How To Make Synth Patches In The Style Of Maceo Plex
This time on Synth Secrets, we’ll be walking you through how to create an FM bell sound and an aggressive analogue bass in the style of Maceo Plex’s ‘Destination Mars’. In today’s Synth Secrets, we’ll be cooking up two patches using u-he’s fantastic suite of synthesizers. We want to heavily emulate the feel and sound of Maceo Plex’s ‘Destination Mars’, a 2019 release on Adam Beyer’s Drumcode label that features contributions from legend Josh Wink.
Baby Audio Unveil Their First Ever Soft Synth The 'BA-1'
Esteemed plugin developer Baby Audio has just released their first-ever synth, BA-1, modelled after the iconic Yamaha CS01. Los Angeles-based music software developer Baby Audio, well known for Crystalline, Spaced Out, and Super VHS has just announced their first soft synth the BA-1. The synth is a modern reimagining of the cultish 1982 Yamaha CS01, which similar to many Baby Audio products, has a deceptive toy-like appearance but a gritty and powerful sound.
5 Underrated Artists Right Now
In a first for Attack, the in-house team choose five artists we believe are underrated. At least for now... In the age of unlistened to music, you’d be forgiven for not noticing the amazing wealth of good music out there. We all know Spotify favours the majors, but we’re here to favour those lesser-known artists. And for good reason too, as there is a plethora of good talent right now. If musicians are going to keep AI at bay, then they’re going to have to push the envelope beyond the generic.
Introducing Cmpsr: A Gaming-Inspired Joystick MIDI Controller
Cmpsr allows users to trigger MIDI on their DAW or any MIDI-compatible device through the joystick’s movements. And now for something completely different… Digit Music is a new UK-based company and their first hardware release, Cmpsr (pronounced composer), is a MIDI controller with a difference. Originally developed for audio creators with accessibility needs, it is the first-ever MIDI controller to be awarded a Tech4Good Accessibility Award.
'Dismantled Into Juice'
British DJ and producer Blawan has just announced his return to XL Recordings with a brand new 5-track EP titled ‘Dismantled into Juice’. Stream the first single ‘Toast‘ now. Blawan has just announced a brand new EP titled ‘Dismantled into Juice’ set for release on Wednesday the 17th of May 2023. The five-track EP will be Blawan’s second release on XL Recordings, following the massive success of his last project on the imprint, ‘Woke Up Right Handed’.
Music Education For Young People In Central London
Niall Lavelle, co-founder of Progression Sessions, talks to Attack about the charity, its mission, and the role of music production in young people’s lives. London-based Progression Sessions has just launched their brand new studio space Studio 36. Conceived over a seven-year period, the two founders, Niall Lavelle and Tobias Silvester, have recently left their teaching jobs to pursue the cause full-time.
How To Make An Electro Beat Inspired By Cybotron's 'Clear'
Today on Beat Dissected we’ll be showing you how to create an electro beat inspired by Cybotron’s timeless classic ‘Clear’, using only Ableton’s 808 Core Kit and stock plugins. Founded in Detroit in 1981 by Juan Atkins and Richard “3070” Davis, Cybotron were among the very first pioneers of Detroit electro. Their wildly experimental sound and unique Afro-futurist ethos, drawing heavy inspiration from science fiction, helped lay the groundwork for what would become Detroit techno.
Top 7 Features of Ableton's New Drift Synthesizer
Ableton’s surprised us all last week with a brand-new synthesizer “Drift“. We take a little look under the hood at some of Drift’s best features and how to use them. Last week Ableton released the Beta version of Live 11.3 available to any Live 11 user. For us, and many others the most exciting inclusion in the update is Drift, Ableton’s brand-new soft synth. A first glance at the synth may leave some feeling a bit underwhelmed.
"I don’t think focusing on social media is the main answer"
Paris-based DJ and producer Berzingue has recently returned to Point Neuf for his latest EP ‘Architectures’. We asked him to join us for our rapid-fire QnA. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Don’t mix red and white wine. What’s the next big thing? I just released an EP on Pont Neuf and another one is coming soon on Shall Not Fade. Best club experience? Sisyphos Berlin with the Pont Neuf Crew. What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
Learn How To Make Noisia-Inspired Synths With Ableton's Operator
In this Synth Secrets, we’ll be showing you how to make an explosive FM lead sound inspired by Noisia’s remix of ‘Hold Your Colour’. Pendulum’s 2005 track ‘Hold Your Colour’ is a favourite of many drum & bass die-hards. It only stands to reason that Noisia’s 2018 remix of the same tune would be a dance floor devastator, and Noisia surely didn’t disappoint. In today’s Synth Secrets, we’re going to make a lead sound heavily inspired by Noisia’s work on the track.
Make A Beat Inspired By Alexander Robotnick's 'Problèmes D'Amour'.
This time on Beat Dissected we’ll be showing you how to create groovy electro drums in the style of Alexander Robotnick’s iconic ‘Problèmes D’Amour’ using only Ableton’s stock samples and effects. ‘Problèmes D’Amour’ may be a legendary song nowadays but that certainly wasn’t always the case. The track, Italian musician Maurizio Dami’s first single under the name Alexander Robotnick, sold 10,000 copies upon its initial release in 1983.
Win A NVIDIA Graphics Card From GPU Audio Worth £649!
Attack Magazine will select one lucky participant at random to receive a brand new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card (valued at £649.00) courtesy of GPU Audio. Read on to find out how to enter. GPU Audio’s software harnesses the power of your computer’s GPU (graphics card) for the processing of audio, resulting in ultra-low latencies and parallel processing – surpassing what is possible on CPUs alone.
Announcing The Winner Of The ABL3 303-Day Competition
It’s time to announce the winner of the Attack x Audiorealism 303-day competition. Read on to find out if it’s you! Earlier this week Attack choose what we thought were the 10 best entries to the 303-day competition and then released a poll so that you, the readers, could decide who the winner is. After a very close contest, we’re excited to be able to announce that the winners are now in. Thank you to everyone who took part, and to everyone who didn’t win, don’t give up.
MasterSounds and Union Audio Release New MK2 Version Of Their Flagship Valve-Driven Rotary Mixer
The Valve MK2 is available now in two and four-channel options with each unit hand-crafted in Cornwall, England. To celebrate its 15th birthday, English Hi-Fi firm MasterSounds have unveiled a brand new MK2 version of their highly praised Valve DJ mixer in partnership with Union Audio.
"Success Is A Journey, Not A Destination"
Techno powerhouse Klaudia Gawlas has just launched her own label Illusion Recordings with her brand new single, ‘YDK’. To celebrate the launch, we asked her to join us for our rapid-fire Q&A. Why music? Cause music is my first love. If you weren’t making music what would you be doing? I don’t know, in the end it was the one and only thing that I really wanted to do. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Believe in yourself. What inspires you? Nature, people, parties and travelling.
Cast Your Vote For The Winner Of The ABL3 303 Day Competition!
Attack has chosen what we think are the 10 best entries. Now it’s up to you to determine who the winner of the Audiorealism ABL3 competition is. Ten days ago Attack announced that we would be partnering with Audiorealism to host a competition to see who can create the best ‘303 inspired banger’ using Audiorealism’s ABL3. The winner, as selected by you, will receive Audiorealism’s Complete Bundle 2, including ABL3, ADM, ABL Pro and ReDominator (valued at £236.00).
Beatport & Polkadot Announce 'Beatport.IO' A New Web3 Electronic Music Platform
The platform, dubbed Beatport.io, will bring electronic music culture to Web3, giving fans access to exclusive collectables and interactive experiences with artists and labels. Electronic music titan Beatport has announced they will be joining forces with Polkadot, a next-generation blockchain network, to launch Beatport.io, a marketplace for digital collectables.
Close Counters: Sawtooths & Spikey Plant Infused Disco
Following the recent release of their album ‘Soulacoustica II’, we asked Close Counters to show us their studio. Australian duo Finn Rees and Allan McConnell create a fusion of jazz, disco, and house under the name Close Counters. Their productions have been supported by some of the most well-respected names in the industry including Gilles Peterson (BBC Radio 6), Jaguar (BBC Radio 1), and Folamour.
How To Synthesize A Bassline Inspired By Camo & Krooked With U-He's Zebra
This time on Synth Secrets we'll be walking you through how to create a bassline inspired by Camo & Krooked's 'Good Times Bad Times', using u-he's Zebra. There are few artists in the drum & bass scene with such an unmistakable sound as Camo & Krooked.
SOHMI:- "There's No Easy Way To Make It In The Industry"
SOHMI blends techno and minimal house with a dash of pop-inspired vocals. Sound good? Find out what makes her click as she takes on Attack’s QnA. Why music? It’s just in my blood or something, I love it so much. If you weren’t making music what would you be doing? Acting in movies or teaching high school English. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? Be yourself, love yourself. What inspires you? Film, beautifully done tv shows, and stories. What’s the next big thing? ChatGPT. Best club experience?
Azzecca
Chicago-based DJ and producer Azzecca creates dance-floor-ready tracks that effortlessly blend the boundaries of techno and house. After the recent release of her remix of TIBASKO’s ‘Still Rushing’, we asked her to share some of the tracks that have shaped her musical journey. What’s the first record you ever bought? The Doors – ‘Strange Days’. The first time you remember hearing electronic music?
Make A 303 Inspired Bassline & Win A Bundle Of Plugins Worth £236!
To celebrate 303 day, it’s time to see who has the best acid house chops! For this year’s 303 day, Attack has partnered with AudioRealism to host a competition and see who can create the best acid bassline using ABL3. The winner will be chosen by YOU! There will be three winners for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Read on to find out how you can enter the competition and what’s up for grabs. How to Enter? Step 1: Download a free trial version of ABL 3.
'Cluster Delay'.
Minimal Audio’s Cluster Delay allows you to shape delay sequences in time by ramping, spacing, and scattering up to eight processed delay taps. Based out of Minneapolis, Minimal Audio create software and sample libraries for musicians, producers, and sound designers.
Pioneer DJ Announce New Four Channel Mixer 'DJM-A9'
Pioneer DJ’s latest hardware mixer features improved sound quality, a refreshed layout, two headphone outputs, the ability to connect to Pioneer’s new Stagehand app, and much more. After releasing a cryptic photo teasing a new four-channel mixer last week, Pioneer DJ has officially announced the release of their new DJM-A9 mixer. The four-channel mixer takes what Pioneer DJ has become so well known for and builds upon it, resulting in what might very well be the new industry standard.
Build Your Own ARP Odyssey With Korg's New FS- Kit
Korg has recently unveiled the ARP Odyssey FS Kit, allowing you to create your own unique version of the iconic synth. The ARP Odyssey has been a mainstay in studios since its release in 1972. It can be found in iconic recordings from the likes of Kraftwerk, George Duke and Jean-Michele Jarre. As well as plenty of modern productions including much of Tom VR’s music. In 2015 Korg released the ARP Odyssey FS. A fully analogue reissue of the ARP Odyssey MK III, which was originally released in 1978.
Make A Beat In The Style Of KiNK’s 'Perth'
Build a beat inspired by Bulgarian producer KiNK’s dancefloor-filling track ‘Perth‘. Bulgarian DJ and producer KiNK is known for his high-energy live shows and high-energy dance floor tools. Working in the realms of house, techno, acid and more KiNK has been on the scene since the mid-2000s. In 2017 he released his Playground LP on Gerd Jansons Running Back Records, featuring the ever-popular ‘Perth’. ‘Perth’ is a prime example of KiNK’s feel-good, dancefloor-filling production style.
Burial Soundtracks Burberry Autumn/Winter 2023 Runway Show
‘Shell of Light’, ‘Homeless,’ and ‘Traunt’ were among the songs accompanying Burberry’s AW23 runway show. Daniel Lee, Burberry’s newly appointed chief creative officer, chose to feature five songs from Burial in his first show for the British fashion house. This marks the first time the legendary producer and creator of one of electronic music’s most heralded albums ‘Untrue’ has had his music used in a major fashion event. The show took place on Monday (February 20th) at London’s Kennington Park.
Roland Unveil New Addition To SH Line: SH-4d
Roland’s SH-4d is a multi-timbral virtual analogue desktop synth as well as a groove box with dedicated sequencer tracks for synths and drums. In recent years Roland has seemed to develop a bit of a fixation on releasing emulations of their classic synths. Currently, you have the option to purchase not one, not two, but eight different Roland products that market themselves as emulations of the legendary TR-808. In steps the SH-4d, a brand new desktop synth and groove box.
What To See At AVA London Conference 2023
Belfast’s preeminent music festival, AVA, returns to Printworks for its London conference. We run down a few of the not to be missed highlights. AVA Printworks returns this Friday (February 24th). The conference will see industry leaders, artists and game-changers come together to share ideas and exchange knowledge around the event’s four key themes: Innovation Diversity Sustainability The future With a full program spanning a whole day, it’s hard to know what to catch.
TikTok Clashes With Major Labels
Recent actions from TikTok have stoked tensions between the social media giant and major record labels. Could this be good news for independent labels and artists? Death Row Records Reach Agreement With TikTok Earlier this week TikTok announced a deal with Snoop Dogg to bring the entire Death Row catalogue exclusively to TikTok a week before its wider release on streaming platforms.
Win A Free Arturia Minilab MK II
Some may not have noticed but it was Valentine’s day this week As a gesture of love from us here at Attack, we’re giving away one Arturia MiniLab MK II. To celebrate Valentine’s day, we’re giving one lucky person a free Arturia Minilab Mk II. Read on to find out how you can enter the competition. How To Enter? It’s VERY simple. Make sure you are following Attack on Instagram and Facebook. Go to our Instagram, like the post and tag two friends who you like to make music with.
Love Injection Founders Launch Kickstarter For New Paul Klipsch Book
The book, titled ‘Dope For Hope’, contains a collection of newsletters, draft papers, sketches, captions and indices from Hi-Fi pioneer Paul W. Klipsch. Paul Klipsch created the first prototypes of his now famous corner horn speaker design during his service with the US Army in World War Two. Klipsch received a patent for the design, dubbed the Klipschorn, in 1945 and then founded Klipsch & Associates in 1946.
Fabfilter Release New Flagship Softsynth Twin 3
Fabfilter’s follow-up to the award-winning Twin 2 features a sleek new UI, redesigned oscillators and filters, a brand-new FX section and much more. Over the years Fabfilter has established itself as an industry leader in sound processing software. Plugins such as Pro-Q 3, Pro-L, and Saturn 2 are widely touted as some of if not the best money can buy. However, Fabfilter has yet to release a synth that has been as widely adopted as many of its effects plugins.
Since 2020, Almost 30% Of UK Clubs Have Closed Down
A first-of-its-kind report from the Night Time Industry Association (NTIA) has revealed the impacts of COVID-19 and the cost of living crisis on the UK’s club scene. The COVID-19 pandemic was an extremely tumultuous time for the nightlife industry. Clubs and companies were left facing difficult decisions to stay open. Many, including Secretsundaze, Village Underground, and even overseas establishments like Tresor ended up having to turn to crowdfunding just to keep afloat.
What's New To The Attack Store
We run through the latest gifts for music producers and DJs in the Attack Store. Whether you’re a producer looking to liven up your studio or someone trying to find the perfect gift for an electronic music lover the Attack Store is a great place to find dance music-related products. Not to mention it’s one of the best ways you can directly support Attack in bringing you even more great content. This article will highlight a few of our favourite recent entries to the Attack Store.
Underground Resistance 'The Final Frontier'
In this instalment of Beat Dissected, we’re going to be building a hard-hitting techno beat inspired by Underground Resistance’s ‘The Final Frontier’. First formed in Detroit in 1989 by “Mad” Mike Banks, Jeff Mills, and Robert Hood, Underground Resistance played a pivotal role in the second wave of Detroit techno. Known for its militant political and anti-corporate ethos, the group consistently crafted dark and introspective hits for over 20 years before they stopped releasing new music in 2010.
Electronic Music At The Grammys 2023
Beyonce takes home ‘Best Dance/Electronic Album’ while Purple Disco Machine secures his first win for ‘Best Remixed Recording’. Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’ stole the show in electronic music categories at this year’s Grammys. The album won the top prize, ‘Best Dance/Electronic Recording’, beating out Bonobo, Odesza, Rüfüs Du Sol, and Diplo. ‘Break my Soul’, the lead single from ‘Renaissance’ was also awarded ‘Best/Dance Electronic Recording’.
"How I Made 'Where I End'"
Following the release of ‘Ted’ in 2019 and ‘Ambition’ in 2021 Baltra continues to evolve his sound with new mixtape ‘Where I End’. Philadelphia-born now New York-based DJ and producer Baltra first exploded onto the scene during the lo-fi house boom of the mid-2010s. Hits such as “Never let go of me,” and “Fade Away.” have racked up millions of plays on YouTube and other streaming services.
East and West Coast Collide In Taiga
Pittsburgh Modular has released Taiga, a semi-modular paraphonic synthesizer taking inspiration from both East and West coast synthesis styles. Taiga is able to function as a powerful stand-alone instrument or with its 60+ patch points can easily fit into a larger euro-rack setup. As a semi-modular synth, Taiga is able to be played without any patching, however, you can use the patch bay to create entirely new signal paths.
GPU Audio Announce Competiton With $6K+ Prizes To Be Won
Entrants are invited to create their own impulse response. Prizes will be awarded to the most creative and innovative uses of IRs. GPU audio is a digital sound processing platform that is able to enhance the performance of its plugins by offloading processing from a computer’s CPU to its GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). In doing so GPU Audio is able to virtually eliminate latency for all of its plugins.
Universal Push New Streaming Royalty Payout Models
Sir Lucien Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group believes it’s time for a change in the way streaming services pay labels and artists. In a memo to Universal staff, Grainge writes.
Building A Tech House Beat Inspired By Classmatic’s 'Catuca'
This time in Beat Dissected we’re writing a tech house beat inspired by Brazilian DJ and producer Classmatic’s latest single, ‘Catuca’. Released back in September 2022 on Cuttin’ Headz, ‘Catuca’ by Classmatic is tech house done right. Anchored by a hypnotic percussion workout and an excellent vocal performance from Mc Th, ‘Catuca’s’ sparse, rhythmic, and hard-hitting arrangement can’t help but make dancefloors move.
Google Created a Music AI So Strong They Are Afraid To Release It
Google recently revealed a brand new AI dubbed MusicLM, which is able to generate songs from any text description. Google researchers unveiled the system in a recent paper along with examples of music it had generated. The company, fearing the ramifications, has yet to detail any plans for its release. AI has recently been a massive topic of discussion in the music industry and beyond. ChatGPT in particular has taken the world by storm.
Splice Now Allows Users To Download A Certified Licence For All Samples
Splice has finally unveiled a long-sought-after feature allowing users to auto-generate a document with a certified licence for any Splice sample. All of the samples on Splice are 100% royalty-free. This means subscribers are able to use any sound they download in perpetuity. However, problems can arise when multiple artists use the same sample in different songs. This particular issue came to head recently in an animated Reddit discussion.
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