The line between man and machine is blurred; today there exists an entity whose purpose is to make music. Simon Trask discovers that its sights are locked on the dance charts and it absolutely will not stop.

An interview with Ralf Hutter

An interview with Rusty Egan

Dan Goldstein tracks down another drummer-turned-musical technofreak, Rusty Egan, and finds out about the past, present, and the future of the electro-dance band he helped found, Visage.

Ralf Hutter: This year's model

SPK began by hammering away at anything from the scrapyard but now generate their metal beat on the Fairlight. We investigate the method in the mayhem.

Former Kraftwerk member Karl Bartos is back and fully charged. Phil Ward plugs in

Time And Space - Zero-G Datafile One

As more sample CDs appear on the market, it becomes harder to produce something that stands out from the crowd. Tim Goodyer discovers a collection of dance samples that could become seminal.

A collection of CDs which should be the sampler's delight are the stars of this month's Patchwork. If your music needs a boost from Ed Stratton, Coldcut or Pascal Gabriel, check out these disks.

Sample CDs

First they were sampling off other peoples' records, now they're selling records to sample off. Tim Goodyer listens while Simon Harris, Pascal Gabriel, Norman Cook, Ed Stratton and Coldcut put the case for sampling CDs.

A long-awaited replacement for Roland's discontinued M-64C RAM cartridge joins the Dangerous CD Company's Danger 1 sampling CD on the spot in this month's Patchwork.

The final disc in the Zero-G Datafile series joins Coldcut's Kleptomania in the growing library of sample CDs - Tim Goodyer checks them out, while Andy Neve loads The Sound Foundation's programming efforts into his Roland MKS70 in this month's Patchwork.

European electronic music including Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder.

The European Scene

Headphone Amp

Yet another selection of recently announced new products to whet your appetite!

Zero G Datafile Sample CDs

Paul Ireson listens into two dance-oriented sample CDs.

Vintage technology strikes back

Inside the vintage vault

Graeme Revell

SPK pick tracks

Wilf Smarties kicks off our regular look at new sample CD releases.

Groove guru Wilf Smarties reports on the sample CD scene.

Wilf Smarties gives a new batch of CDs a spin.

A straightforward guide to producing Dance Mixes using budget equipment.