Bandcamp was never going to be at the center of AI music slop, but this does look like a stand worth taking. Now the questions I have are -- how do you define this? How do you enforce it? And I suspect that'll apply to independent platforms and fediverse, too.

One subscription for both Mac and iPad, including a new iPad version of Pixelmator Pro. But still want your one-time Mac purchases (Logic, Final Cut, Pixelmator, etc.)? They're keeping those, and delivering the same features as a free update.

The free production arsenal continues to grow -- but this one won't last forever. (Plus some history/explanation of the different versions UA has done...)

See you on the radio at 13:00 Berlin/CET (14:00 Kyiv, 07:00 NYC), leftfield B2B with Dmytro Fedorenko (aka Kotra of Prostir and I Shall Sing Until My Land is Free fame). Listen here: refugeworldwide.com (and scroll down to chat or join their Discord)

Full review: why would you want a patcher inside your patcher? Sequenceable, glitchy FM goodness, that's why. This thing is incredibly deep and fun (some tips in here, too, as the docs aren't quite there) -- and ten bucks, c'mon!:

Well THAT can certainly be COMPLETELY INSANE! @jeremywentworth.com + voxglitch + @vcvrack.com patchseq first mess-about (and randomization)

Digging into this as we speak...

Keep electronic music weird. Endless rabbit hole here from a Belgian netlabel and extra from Syntax Erika:

The regime in Iran has severed effectively all internet communications as well as phone and mobile phone service. GPS and satellites are jammed nationwide, but there is some sporadic access to Starlink. Here's a decent explanation. It's an excruciating moment for people outside the country.

More than just a gimmick, this telephone drum machine integrates the keypad into sequencer functions and sports a 4-voice analog architecture. Amazing work by simple_but_nerdy:

One of the best plug-ins of 2025 is back with a big 1.1 update -- a ton of (user-requested!) tweaks, a really nice sequencer, and an iOS AUv3 version, too! Oh I have used the hell out of this, including the presets I made for it. (yep, want to hear those in your tracks, ha!)

It's so funny to me to contrast the first GUIs with the first AI UIs. That Macintosh UI was elegant, charming. It was a thrill to use it the first time. You reached out to explore. AI is intrusive, clunky, wrong. It's appearing when you don't want it. As it evolves, it gets creepier.

What really happened at MTV on New Year's Eve, why the demise of MTV started in 1992, what we gained and lost -- and how to get switch on 33,000 videos worth of MTV right now. (h/t @eyesack.bsky.social !)

And there's this, too... two lovely people.

Workshop workshops, ensembles, free and open cards doing all kinds of stuff (mungling! granular!), Workshop System in a browser, and a whole lot more. @tomwhitwell.bsky.social was generous in summing up all the goodness from the world of his creation, and I cribbed his notes:

Updated this list of some of what's happening in game music -- including at the edges/experiments. Always more to say on this topic. Now with links to the devs, Epic's store, and more. (Plus Steam codes are still available from the sale at various sites...) Still bullish on game music.

And thanks to @newnumbertwo.bsky.social for reminding me that GSX dropped in November -- "Granular synthesis module based on Barry Truax's GSX system (1985-86), with real-time control over temporal, spectral, and spatial parameters." Does it comb? Yes, it does: (ok, now I go sleep)

This is coming, too!

Grains by @jeremywentworth.com (and Buffer) add to his all-bangers module lineup. Free modules, free @vcvrack.com - genius. More on that, plus other granular module picks: cdm.link/grains-buffe...

First acquisition of the year, won't be the last... Context: LANDR was the first big name in AI music tech; Reason was the company that once ran an ad telling you to bin your hardware synths.

From one hour to many, many hours -- from rhythm games to soundtracks -- games again provide one of the best environments to discover new music. The Steam sale has a few hours left (plus codes arriving elsewhere right after that); Epic's sale is going -- let's do this.

This one hit a lot of friends really hard. So much of both traditional and social media reduces things to dehumanized, flattened stories. But this is why Ukrainian friends are struggling -- they're losing people they know. And the spread of more state violence worldwide isn't making it stop.

Checking this one today! Benn is on fire...

News at 11. Oh, it is 11. Okay, news now. (writing this up shortly!)

Breaking -- thanks to the Surge Synth Team, Mac, Windows, and Linux are all stable with downloadable installers. Fantastic. And some notes about why this matters:

Nature is healing

I mean, ORACLE is a great club name!

Still more fun with JE-8086, the JP-8000 emulator. Here's some help getting started. (updated the previous story to be clearer when I mean JP-8000 and JP-8080, the expanded rack-mount followup; many presets do play on both!)

Happy birthday to Ahmed Muin, whose music ranks among some of the most vital of the past year. He has a musical message for the New Year, too -- and there's a chance to give to his efforts. Also, it's worth noting: these productions you hear are finished *on phones*, in the tents.

"Don’t feel bad for enjoying art, for enjoying your family and friends. It’s no sin to put on a record." @dhla.me continues the annual tradition of year-in-review round-ups with some true gems. Put them on and stay strong. Thanks, David.

A few sales have today as their last day, so I say champagne and shopping. Ahem. A few stretch into January (or at least the first day or two) Plus added @qubitelectronix.bsky.social and their incredible sale. Module envy!

Now updated with still more details, the CCC talk on how they reverse engineered the chip, the Airwaves emulation (thanks @musicalentropy.bsky.social ), etc: h/t to @synthanatomy.bsky.socialfor all the coverage of The Usual Suspects' work! Plus @hackadayofficial.bsky.social gets in on this!

The beta drop of the JE8086 project from The Usual Suspects -- an open-source emulation of the JP-8080 -- is a perfect time to obsess over supersaws and the Roland original.

Breaking! New updates from Jeremy including this excellent Grains module!

Best of the last -- deals going through the end of December (and sometimes January). As usual, I didn't just do a big list -- this is peppered with some tips and videos and remains window-shopping friendly. From Max for Live to Eurorack:

More SuperSonic developments! SuperCollider (scsynth) in the browser progresses...

A perfect 5-second video condensing the entirety of the AI bubble and our current relationship with technology doesn't exi

On *adding* friction to music -- as @dhla.me writes about Clark in this probing interview, "whether he’s committing tracks quickly to stereo, routing sounds through hardware, or recording through walls with an iPhone." Plus EDO tunings and "naive" piano! Dive in:

Speak for yourself; I'm doing all my posts this way now. Will finally have some time to work on real music. Wait forgot to tell it to #CDM.

Got you covered for some days off. This has all my favorite things. Classic Casio and Atari ST. Stochastic synthesis. Max for Live. Satan. All free downloads -- and that means take some of the cash you can spare and give it to those in need.

This is so good, it'll make you want to find a norns (or DIY one). And it came from one dedicated designer/composer, releasing this as a GPLv3-licensed app for the open monome hardware. I mean, this is a "gear" post in a way, but honestly the live samples are just musically gorgeous.

A very VCV Christmas season!

Shocking news and a huge loss. @dhla.me digs into the mystery of Ken Downie and why he's mattered to us. A deep dive from Music for Adverts to "Mental Health Hotline"...

The FL Web drop created a splash. Here's some clarity from Image-Line about what their plans are, why they built this, who it's for -- and some hands-on impressions. (Plus yeah, South African amapiano producers)

Hand-drawn characters, indie film-style field recordings on location in Quito -- this is a triumphant reminder of what human-made media can be and how it can connect to memory and emotion. A case study in use of music, field recordings, and spatial sound. One of the best of 2025.

Must-read piece from Sami Shumays -- great to see him published in Hyperallergic like this. This could be the kind of community-driven support we're asking for everywhere. Yeah, Berlin, I'm looking at you, you *can* come back to that concept!

We are all Beverly. posting this publicly for @davidlublin.bsky.social basically...

Enter the world of live entertainment's biggest show, from $50 wastebaskets to afterhours trade secret theft to trendspotting. Oh, and why this *could* be a job path safe from AI rot, in case you like eating and health insurance.

Okay, to everyone using the excuse that they *have* to use genAI on their music video because they can't afford the production -- look, just adapt when the money runs out.

Let's hug and make IDM like it's 2005-2006.