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gear giveaway

Featured Artists – Synths

Humeysha’s creative process, instruments and recording gear

For those who think NYC is getting a little too complacent in its imperishable reverence for grunge, surf, and doo-wop, quartet Humeysha should help clear the decks. Their self-titled debut integrates Indian influences and western pop in ways that would make George Harrison proud. Opener “For Love, from the Law”…... Click for more

Humeysha’s creative process, instruments and recording gear

Odonis Odonis’ pedals and synths in ‘Post Plague’

Started in 2010 as the solo project of multi-instrumentalist/filmaker Dean Tzenos, Toronto's Odonis Odonis have quickly become a staple of the industrial scene, thanks to a series of records that, although featuring in full display the genre's signature, clangy noisiness, never lack in the production department, often offering also a melodic component inherited from drone…... Click for more

Odonis Odonis’ pedals and synths in ‘Post Plague’

J.Views’ creative process and gear on the “401 Days” album

J.VIEWS' CRUCIAL GEAR: --------------------------------------- Cubase 8.5 Shure Level-Loc Limiter --------------------------------------- In any creative field, there is really no way to stick around for long without some level or self-reinvention. Interestingly, NYC electronic musician J.Views (previously known as J.Viewz) found a way to make this process less about "self" and more about others: his new full length…... Click for more

J.Views’ creative process and gear on the “401 Days” album

Violet Sands’ creative process and gear

Featuring the mellow vocals of former Savoir Adore lead singer Deidre Muro, the atmospheric guitar work of MGMT collaborator Derek Muro (her brother), and the virtuoso electronic programming of French Horn Rebellion's David Perlick-Molinari (her husband), Violet Sands sounds like a musical experiment aimed at demonstrating that quirky arrangements and intense vocals can coexist, and that…... Click for more

Violet Sands’ creative process and gear

Corbu’s Synths and Live Setup

Heavily inspired by a life of vivid dreaming, Brooklyn's Corbu take the concept of "Dream Pop" to the extreme, by expressing their interpreted realities of the 'sleep-world' through their music . The band just released single 'Polygon Forest' off of their soon to be released studio album, 'Crayon Soul'. The track incorporates solid percussion…... Click for more

Corbu’s Synths and Live Setup

Kevin Garrett’s Gear and Creative Process

KEVIN GARRETT'S CRUCIAL GEAR: --------------------------------------- Roland SPD-SX Moog SubPhatty --------------------------------------- Kevin Garrett has emerged in 2015 as one of NYC's most prominent young songwriters. Unapologetically moody, soulful at heart, incurably ballad-prone, Kevin's songs have the aura of old time classics, but their production process is as modern as it gets, centered - as…... Click for more

Kevin Garrett’s Gear and Creative Process

Nola Wren’s gear and creative process

NOLA WREN'S CRUCIAL GEAR: --------------------------------------- Omnisphere [caption id="attachment_10280" align="aligncenter" width="250"] Omnishpere by Spectrasonic[/caption] Digitech JamMan --------------------------------------- Brooklyn songwriter Nola Wren is a perfect case to exemplify how electronic music is tempting more and more musicians through fun, increasingly user friendly products capable of inspiring young artists and unleashing new creative energy.…... Click for more

Nola Wren’s gear and creative process

Salt Cathedral and the creative process

SALT CATHEDRAL'S CRUCIAL GEAR: --------------------------------------- Ableton Live 9 Lexicon Reverbs --------------------------------------- If you like the idea of parallel worlds, you should immerse yourself in the music of Brooklyn's (via Colombia) duo Salt Cathedral. Their gently impressionistic arrangements and celestial atmospheres, combined with Juliana Ronderos' angelic voice and melodies, might transport you to the closest thing to the…... Click for more

Salt Cathedral and the creative process

The Mast’s Gear and Creative Process

WILD ONES' CRUCIAL GEAR: --------------------------------------- Balafon [caption id="attachment_9907" align="aligncenter" width="278"] " Currently in our setup, I’ve been using balafon (African marimba), and clay udu drums. It’s always nice to have physical instruments to play in a track. The balafon was an important part of the last record. "[/caption] Korg MS-2000…... Click for more

The Mast’s Gear and Creative Process

Strange Names’ gear and creative process

STRANGE NAMES' CRUCIAL GEAR: Roland RE-20 Space Echo Delay Stompbox [caption id="attachment_9631" align="aligncenter" width="239"] " I use a Boss RE-20 Space Echo Delay to create atmosphere and complexity. I like it because I can tap with my foot to adjust the tempo, so I never have to worry about my…... Click for more

Strange Names’ gear and creative process

Empress Of’s Gear and Creative Process

The two preview singles from Empress Of's upcoming album 'Me' ('Kitty Kat' and 'Water Water') reveal how the project of Brooklyn's songwriter and producer Lorely Rodriguez is evolving from its dream pop beginnings towards a more experimental sound, closer to the avant-electro sensibility of artists like Bjork and Gang Gang…... Click for more

Empress Of’s Gear and Creative Process

Holy Ghost!’s Synths, Gear and Creative Process

HOLY GHOST!'S CRUCIAL GEAR Yamaha CS15 [caption id="attachment_9513" align="alignright" width="250"] "My trusty old Yamaha CS15 is wildly versatile and super fun to use. It can do anything from mean and scary to super funky, poor-man’s Minimoog sort of stuff."[/caption] Dave Smith Instrument Mopho and Prophet 08 [caption id="attachment_9551" align="aligncenter" width="250"]…... Click for more

Holy Ghost!’s Synths, Gear and Creative Process