Handle With Care

Systems composer Philip Glass is still high technology's best-known 'serious music' champion. But how good have the performances of his latest opera, 'Akhnaten' really been? Annabel Stott again.

Contrary to popular belief Canadian electro-poppers Trans X have a bizarre and fascinating history that takes in cosmic electronic music. Annabel Scott reports.

Emulator SP12

What happens when you give a drum machine the sound-sampling capabilities of an Emulator keyboard? Little short of a miracle, according to reporters Paul Wiffen and Annabel Scott.

Annabel Scott talks to one of the synth world's younger composers about a new album of raunchier, dynamic music, the result of his first sessions in Jive Electro's equipment-laden studio, Battery.

Annabel Scott sits in on 'Donnerstag aus Licht’, the latest concert excursion from a name dropped more often than milk bottles. It’s four hours long, but it’s only a fraction of the finished article.

Annabel Scott takes a look at what a reduction in price and an increase in facilities has done for the first budget sampling keyboard...

MDB Window Recorder

A specialised sampler for specialised tasks — but will the arrival of cheaper sampling keyboards diminish this rack-mount unit’s appeal? Annabel Scott finds out.

In an exclusive interview, this longstanding keyboard hero and Miami Vice music maestro discusses keyboard technique, and what it’s like to achieve mass recognition after years of obscurity. Annabel Scott takes note.

Sophie and Peter Johnston

If the major labels let you down and you're writing sophisticated electro-pop, forming your own record company is one way of getting your message across. Annabel Scott meets a remarkable brother-and-sister duo.

After over a decade at the forefront of instrumental music, Mike Oldfield is branching out into video and film. Annabel Scott visits the man's new audiovisual studio, and pops a few pertinent questions.

What the ghetto blaster is to hi-fi, the CZ230S is to synthesisers. Annabel Scott takes a spin in Casio's streetwise preset synth.

...while Annabel Scott listens to words of wisdom from a Transatlantic keyboardist of a very different kind - Saga's Jim Gilmour.

The world's best-known electronic music band have reached a crossroads, with a line-up change, a lengthy concert tour and an uncertain recording future. Annabel Scott talks to them.

Roland MPS & MUSE

Roland's first serious venture into software takes the form of composing packages for Commodore, Apple and IBM computers. Annabel Scott checks them out.

You may remember the Minimoog and the ARP Odyssey, but when was the first time you saw an EMS VCS3? Annabel Scott travels back to the days of VCAs, VCFs and non-programmability.

MSX Software

Is the Japanese computer standard a dead duck, or will the latest music and video software from Toshiba and Pioneer save the day? Annabel Scott has the answers.

Long-distance MIDI transmission is no longer a dream, now that Quark have developed a system that converts it into a more durable format. Annabel Scott reports.