Into the future with RSS, and looking back to programming 'Say A Little Prayer', Bomb The Bass talk technical to Mike Collins.

One day you're a keyboard player writing songs with an unknown Bradford singer. The next - one of those songs goes to Number One. Phil Ward goes on the road with John Beck, for whom exactly that happened with Tasmin Archer, and experiences the fulfilment of some great expectations.

Depeche Mode: Songs Of Faith And Devotion

The boys in black talk technical in this UK exclusive interview.

Paul Ward

Paul is a key figure in the Surreal to Real independent record company and has achieved success with his instrumental compositions. RM visits his home studio.

The original hurdy-gurdy man takes Tim Barr on an ambient perambulation through his current project, System 7

808 Statement

A New Reverb Standard

Hot on the heels of their impressive DPS-D7 digital delay comes the latest single effects unit from Sony. As the DPS-R7 reverberates, David Mellor adjudicates.

Digital Quality — Analogue Feel

Roland's acclaimed S770 sampler has been quietly growing in popularity, and the release of version 2.0 software and the floppy drive-only S750 should ensure that Roland samplers become still more popular. Wilf Smarties explains why.

Luca of Snap chats about all things multimedia

Recording Peter Gabriel's Us

Alchemea

A visit to one of the leading recording colleges

Greg Phillinganes: The keys to Jacksonville

Michel Huygen/Neuronium

This Spanish synthesist explains the working methods and motivation behind his psychotronic musical landscapes.

Hip-hop beats, anarchic industrial noise and the odd jazz lick are the hallmarks of The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy’s debut album Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury. Kean Wong drops in on San Francisco’s uncompromising renegades and discovers which are the sharpest tools at the cutting edge of rap

Live Music For The Hi-Tech Musician

Pioneer of the sampling revolution, Tim Simenon, is back with a new album, a new studio and a refreshing update on what technology has to offer music. Tim Goodyer charts Unknown Territory.

Meat Beat Manifesto are to music what Andy Warhol was to art - but they've already been famous for longer than 15 minutes. Phil Ward follows them to a Peel session and to their studio in Swindon, and finds that Meat is not, in fact, necessarily murder.

Instrumental music doesn't sell, the UK dance scene is totally bereft of life, and dance bands never produce decent albums. Wrong, wrong, wrong — and 808 State are back with proof. Nigel Humberstone talked to Manchester's finest during the recording of Gorgeous, their third album.

Ultravox: New improved formula

All the latest hi-tech goodies, brought to you in glorious technicolour.

808 State - Absolutely Gorgeous

Jon and Helena Marsh in their natural habitat

Thoughts on MIDI's Next Decade