![Aphex Twin - Music From The Merch Desk (2016 - 2023) LP [2025]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0389c0020b9b483cd2de67/1736193907726-EG9SS0SIRNOLLNT73P0D/Aphex_Twin_Music_From_The_Merch_Desk_V1.jpg)
Aphex Twin - Music From The Merch Desk (2016 - 2023) LP [2025]
Honestly, you wait nine years for a new Aphex Twin album, then he surprises everyone by dropping a new 38 track LP, Music From The Merch Desk (2016 - 2023) overnight.
Honestly, you wait nine years for a new Aphex Twin album, then he surprises everyone by dropping a new 38 track LP, Music From The Merch Desk (2016 - 2023) overnight.
Music From The Merch Desk (2016 - 2023) collects rare 12” records sold exclusively at Aphex Twin gigs on the merchandise stall - the only problem was that they sold out before most people could buy one. The compilation is a treasure trove of 38 playful tracks and experiments, classic AFX acid, idiosyncratic beats, and unexpected highlights. My favourite so far is “01-015-Aphex Twin-T165 MADMA with nastya [London 030617]” which echoes classic Selected Ambient Works riffing over Analord beats.
The album has been officially compiled with a truly terrible album cover that pays homage to a meme of an unofficial Aphex Twin t-shirt sold by an enterprising rascal on Bubble or Etsy.
Music From The Merch Desk (2016 - 2023) is available on Warp Records and digital download now.
Free Audio Plugins - Soundstoys PhaseMistress
Good news for fans of Soundtoys audio plugins, the developers of professional and fun analogue sounding DAW effects, who this month are giving away their Phasemistress effects unit for free.
Good news for fans of Soundtoys audio plugins, the developers of professional and fun analogue sounding DAW effects, who this month are giving away their Phasemistress effects unit for free.
But act fast because this limited offer is only available until November 15th.
“From funk-laced guitars, to swooshing disco drums, to jazz-fusion keys and bombastic rock vocals, phase shifting is a wildly diverse effect that’s at the heart of countless records from the 60s to today. PhaseMistress captures the sounds of legendary phasers and packs them into one plug-in that takes this creative effect to the next level.”
Download the Phasemistress plugin now:
Doctor Who 60th Anniversary - Freudstein Doctor Who Theme Tune (Unreleased)
Wait. Rewind. Freudstein covered the Dr Who theme tune? Yes, believe it or not, even these horror afficiandos were captivated by daleks growing up in the United Kingdom. So join us one more time hiding behind the sofa from daleks for a rare Freudstein cover version of the Dr Who theme tune - circa 2005.
Celebrating The 60th Anniversary Of Dr WHO 1963 - 2023
In tribute to the 60th Anniversary of Doctor Who we’ve decided to dig out the last remaining MP3 of Freudstein’s Dr Who theme tune cover version circa 2005 for your listening pleasure. God knows where we misplaced the WAV file or how we came to lose it? If we could go back in time and save a high quality version somewhere clever, then that would make me us Time Lords.
Wait. Rewind. Freudstein covered the Dr Who theme tune?
Yes, believe it or not, even these horror afficiandos were captivated by daleks growing up in the United Kingdom. In 2004, I found myself working out the notes for the Dr Who theme tune, just for fun, years before it was possible to find the musical tablature or MIDI on the internet. I was just genuinely excited to make my own modern version and got so excited that I added a drum and bass loop and even wrote a new middle 8 section with a new riff - sacrilege I know - but at no point did I sample any of the original audio. Everything musical was recreated, right down to the distorted main riff using a basic DAW called Cakewalk. Once it was finished, we worked it into Freudstein’s early eclectic live performances and it became a staple of our live shows. We had a lot of fun with it and even shared the stage with 6 foot cardboard daleks at one point.
This all changed when we attended the Glastonbury festival around 2004 -2005 and watched a performance by one of our favourite bands, Orbital. I remember half way through their live set a friend turned to me when we both instantly recognised the Dr Who theme bassline intro. And in that moment we knew Orbital had beaten us to the punch with their similarly inspired rendition of the Dr Who theme tune. After that concert, I was convinced that anyone who heard our version would just assume we had copied Orbital so we shelved it, and forgot about it. Until now.
Fast forward 19 years and we’ve dug out Freudstein’s rare unofficial cover version and put together a simple video to accompany the track, retro fitting video footage from the original Tom Baker ‘Armageddon Factor’ episode. It’s unmastered, imperfect and likely to be banned by You Tube for using BBC Dr Who video footage.
So join us one more time hiding behind the sofa from daleks for a rare Freudstein cover version of the Dr Who theme tune - circa 2005. Now, whatever did happen to that Blakes 7 theme tune cover version…?
![Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f - Official Video [2023]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0389c0020b9b483cd2de67/1691185831962-E2NQ96WWVNRM3ZSUEP9U/Aphex_Twin_2023.jpg)
Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f - Official Video [2023]
Aphex Twin returns with a new official video for Blackbox Life Recorder 21f by VFX collaborator Weirdcore.
Aphex Twin returns with a new official video for Blackbox Life Recorder 21f by VFX collaborator Weirdcore.
EP available on Warp Records on LP and digital download now.
![Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f EP [2023]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0389c0020b9b483cd2de67/1687384177273-2SG8E9GYDE4G2D9I3QBC/Aphex_Twin_Blackbox_v1.jpg)
Aphex Twin - Blackbox Life Recorder 21f EP [2023]
Aphex Twin returns after a 5 year break with a brand new EP for 2023.
Aphex Twin returns after a 5 year break with a brand new EP for 2023.
Open your ears to Richard D James’s latest eclectic ambient electronica ravecore which ditches the AFX, The Truss and Caustic Window pseudonyms and returns to his most famous moniker, Aphex Twin, for further exceptional music and sometimes commercial baiting purposes.
Full audio for the opening track can be heard in the Youtube video link below.
Tracklisting:
1 Blackbox Life Recorder 21f
2 zin2 test5
3 in a room7 F760
4 Blackbox Life Recorder 22 [Parallax Mix]
Available on Warp Records on LP and digital download from July 28th 2023.
Free Soft Synths - Roland JX-8P and TR-909 Clones
Good news for fans of Roland’s original JX-8P synthesizer and TR 909 drum machine with free homebrew soft synth emulations for your DAW or your browser.
Good news for fans of Roland’s original JX-8P synthesizer and TR 909 drum machine with these free homebrew soft synth emulations for your DAW or your browser.
First up is a great clone of the infamous Roland TR-909 drum machine, the ER-99 from Extralife Instruments, with their open source, virtual analog drum synthesizer modeled on the classic 80s Japanese original. The instrument can be played live anywhere simply using your browser.
Play the ER-99 now:
Next up is Roland’s JX-8P synthesizer beast reborn as the incredible PG-8X plugin emulation, a work of genius and labour of love from enthusiast Martin Luders. I can’t begin to explain how good this free plugin sounds, especially considering the JX-8P emulation has been combined with its rare sister PG-800 module to allow for maximum interactivity and creativity.
The soft synth operates in your DAW with up to 12 voice polyphony and uses the original synth’s preset JX-8P Sysex data, which means you can import and export the orginal JX-8P presets. The plugin and its famous stereo chorus effect can be downloaded as .DLL files and copied into your DAW’s plug folder.
Download the PG-8X plugin and its manual now:
https://sites.google.com/site/mlvst0/
You can download the original JX-8P preset patch Sysex data collection here:
Oberheim OB-8 / OB-X Series Synth Reborn In 2022
Oberheim are back in production after a 35 year haitus with legendary synth designer Tom Oberheim returning to helm the company. Their first synth? A faithful recreation of the OB-X, OB-8 and OB-xa series in one incredible instrument. Prepare to check your bank balance.
Oberheim are back in production after a 35 year haitus with legendary synth designer Tom Oberheim returning to helm the company. The company have marked their return to synth manufacture with their first synthesiser in over 40 years - a faithful recreation of their classic Oberheim OB-X, OB-Xa, and OB-8 in one incredible instrument. The OB-X8 comes fully fitted with 400-plus factory programs, including the full set of factory sounds for the OB-X, OB-SX, OB-Xa, and OB-8.
2021 was the year Roland recreated the JX-8P with the Boutique Series JX-08.
2022 belongs to the year Oberheim recreated the OB-8 and OB-X with the OB-X8.
Available now.
![Caterina Barbieri - Spirit Exit LP [2022]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0389c0020b9b483cd2de67/1657552666150-0JZKG1U0391HYLEJCMEW/Caterina_Barbieri_Spirit_Exit_2022.jpg)
Caterina Barbieri - Spirit Exit LP [2022]
Caterina Barbieri is back with a new album, Spirit Exit, which loses itself inside the depths of her electronic studio with a wider sound palette, and unexpected introspection.
Caterina Barbieri is back with a new album, Spirit Exit, which loses itself inside the depths of her electronic studio with a wider sound palette, and unexpected introspection.
I’ve been a fan of Caterina Barbieri’s music since her Ecstatic Computation LP hynotised me with its unfolding dark electronic ambient sequences that unexpectedly explode into melody. So its been a three year wait, and we’re in a very different world since we last heard from this Italian synthesist, but it’s been worth the wait.
According to recent press releases, Caterina was forced to adopt a new song writing approach to Spirit Exit when the pandemic struck. She could no longer evolve tracks on the gig circuit, and was forced into the isolation of her studio during lockdown. This probably explains some of the new interesting soulful choral directions reminiscent of Holly Herndon’s vocal experimentation, but it’s the Wendy Carlos inspired melodic moments of modular synthesis work that truly make this an extraordinary album worth listening to.
Spirit Exit showcases a fiercesome artist on an inward electronic journey, unafraid to experiment, and you shouldn’t be afraid to join her.
Official Website: https://caterinabarbieri.com/
Buy at Bleep: https://bleep.com/release/292861-caterina-barbieri-spirit-exit
Check out Exit Spirit’s opening track, ‘At Your Gamut’ below :
Check out the full Ecstatic Computation album stream below:
Vangelis R.I.P 1943 - 2022
Legendary soundtrack composer, Vangelis, aka Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, has died at the age of 79.
Legendary soundtrack composer, Vangelis, aka Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou, has died at the age of 79.
Vangelis wrote over 40 albums in his lifetime, but will no doubt be remembered for his contributions to popularising electronic music with Hollywood classics Blade Runner (1982), Chariots Of Fire (1981). But I will always fondly remember his low key classic album, L'Apocalypse Des Animaux (1973) which accompanied a tv documentary series of the same title. This mesmerising piece of work lovingly combined acoustic and electronic instruments with a light, deft touch, and a haunting melancholy that permeates the classic track ‘La Petite Fille De La Mer.’
You can hear the album below:
Vangelis enjoyed a long career, but in later years, he rejected his own overblown orchestral Hollywood scores and returned to his first love, electronic music, composing the wonderful ambient album, Rosetta (2016). The album celebrated the European Space Agency mission, Rosetta, which successfully landed a probe on a moving comet for the first time in history.
You can hear the album below:
R.I.P Vangelis.
FREE Roland Studio 50 - Play The TB-303 and SH-101 In Your Browser
In celebration of Roland’s 50th Anniversary, the company have released the FREE Roland 50 Studio, a mini online browser-based studio featuring their legendary SH-101, TB-303, and TR-808 instruments.
Good news for fans of Roland synthesisers and music equipment. In celebration of Roland’s 50th Anniversary the company have released the FREE Roland 50 Studio, a mini online browser-based studio featuring their legendary SH-101, TB-303, and TR-808 instruments.
Created in collaboration with sound designer Yuri Suzuki, these legendary instruments can be sequenced and controlled via your browser in real time. Admittedly, the audio fidelity is somewhat rudimentary in comparison to the original instruments, but it’s a whole world of acid fun!
More instruments are rumoured to be released on April 4th, 2022.
You can access the Roland 50 Studio here (no downloads required) :
Join Roland’s 50th Anniversary celebrations here:
Roland JX-8P Synth Reborn IN 2021
Good news for fans of the original 1985 JX-8P synth with Roland’s latest announcement of its introduction into the excellent Boutique series, and reborn as the JX-08 Synthesizer.
Good news for fans of the original 1985 JX-8P synth with Roland’s latest announcement of its introduction into the excellent Boutique series, and reborn as the compact JX-08 Synthesizer. Not only is this a new iteration of a huge analogue digital hybrid beast, but it also includes the rare PG 800 hardware controller in-built, complete with original presets and a step sequencer.
Read an original 1980’s advert for the now very rare Roland JX-8P below.
Having once owned the original huge Roland JX-8P and been a fan of its excellent Blade Runner Vangelis pad sounds, I cant believe this thing actual exists and is now small enough to fit in my pocket. Well, almost...
Available from January 2022.
Mondo Freudo 20th Anniversary Outtake
Join us in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Freudstein’s debut LP, Mondo Freudo with an original outtake.
Celebrating The 20th Anniversary Of Mondo Freudo [2001 - 2021]
Join us in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Freudstein’s debut LP, Mondo Freudo, with an original outtake.
‘Skull Axis’ was originally penned as the final track on the album but never officially released.
Listen to Skull Axis below:
Sisters With Transistors Documentary
Sisters With Transistors is a powerful and thrilling documentary about the female pioneers of electronic music who changed how we listen to music today.
Sisters With Transistors is a powerful and thrilling documentary about the female pioneers of electronic music who changed how we listen to music today. Archive footage of artists such as Clara Rockmore, Daphne Oram, Bebe Barron, Pauline Oliveros, Delia Derbyshire, Maryanne Amacher, Eliane Radigue, Suzanne Ciani, and Laurie Spiegel, reveal their untold story.
Visit the official website:
https://sisterswithtransistors.com/
Watch the full documentary here:
Lockdown 3 Part 7 : Delia Derbyshire - The Myths & Legendary Tapes
Pioneering electronic artist, Delia Derbyshire is the focus of a lovingly directed feature length docu-drama called ‘ Delia Derbyshire - The Myths & Legendary Tapes’ from BBC Four.
Pioneering electronic artist, Delia Derbyshire is the focus of a lovingly directed feature length docu-drama called ‘ Delia Derbyshire - The Myths & Legendary Tapes’ from BBC Four.
Starring and directed by Caroline Catz, the film recreates the non conformist life of Delia Derbyshire in her unwaivering pursuit of electronic music as a a serious artform from the 1950’s onward, long before it was accepted by popular culture. The dramatisation is accompanied by narration from Delia herself in the form of original interviews, alongside interviews from fellow BBC Radiophonic Workshop members, while Cosey Fanni Tutti reworks 267 newly discovered unheard tapes into the soundtrack.
According to the Press Release : “This is a life story told through sound, using both Delia’s own pieces of music alongside a soundtrack constructed from samples chosen with musician and performance artist Cosey Fanni Tutti from Delia’s attic tapes. It explores the fantasy of a collaboration, an exchange of ideas across eras between two fascinating musicians. It celebrates independence and imagination and looks at how, when that energy is evoked by women and creates a spark, the pattern seen throughout history is that it is often dismissed, ridiculed or downplayed. A cinematic exploration of a legendary musical figure, written and directed by Caroline Catz, who also plays Delia.”
Available To Watch on BBC Four now :