Neatly sidestepping the monotonous beats and cliched melodies that typify too many dance acts, this Swiss-American collaboration are making refreshing music. Simon Trask and Heinrich Zwahlen share a technical obsession.

Level 42 keyboardsman Mike Lindup takes a break from recording of the next album to talk to Tim Goodyer about Fairlights and Synclaviers, among other things.

The Chieftains In China

Janet Angus reports on what happened when Irish folk group The Chieftains took up an offer to do a concert tour of China and decided to record the event.

Software and Hardware

Newer, cheaper models have brought the Apple Macintosh within the reach of an increasing number of musicians. Tim Tully presents an overview of hardware and software products for the computer that pioneered the Graphical User Interface.

and Frankfurt firsts

Our regular round-up of whats new in the world of hi-tech music and recording.

After spending four years recording The Seeds of Love, Tears for Fears are back and touring the world. Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal talk tears and technology with Dan Rue and Tim Goodyer.

A Preview

A guide to some of the new gear to be released at this year's APRS show.

You may not find a 24-track recorder in this London studio, but you will find two synchronised Fostex E16s and a veritable Aladdin's cave of hi-tech paraphernalia being put to some very interesting uses. Read on and discover how...

Our colourful round-up of whats new in hi-tech music and recording.

Paul White talks to Tony Visconti about his career, his production methods and his plans for the future.

D'Cuckoo are hardly your average MIDI band: they build their own instruments; they're all women, and they play "post-industrial cyber-tribal world-funk". Paul Tingen investigates.

The MT guide to CD-ROM

Entertainment format of the future, or simply a handy digital storage medium? Ian Waugh writes the (Yellow) book on CD-ROM.

All the new stuff, including a special feature on the soon-come Stepp digital guitar.

Multitrack Disk Recorder

Roland's S750 and S770 amply demonstrated their pro digital expertise; now the DM80 offers four or eight tracks of truly cost-effective hard disk recording. Wilf Smarties welcomes Roland's newest techno tool.

Courses, dealer information, bulletin board

Digidesign SampleCell II

Mac-driven sampling re-defined

Confronting the "difficult third album" syndrome has presented fewer problems for Inner City mentor Kevin Saunderson than the "more of the same" second album syndrome. Simon Trask discusses musical ideologies, pop trends and advancing technology.

This month's glimpse over the horizon

Software for Commodore 64

Ian Waugh examines a new starter sequencer package designed to lure Commodore 64 users into the MIDI software habit. Is it friendly enough?

The ADS sampler has the look and feel of a German sports car - expensive, no-nonsense, and high performance. Craig Anderton takes it for a test drive.

The The's Matt Johnson talks about production, outwitting the lawyers... and hillbilly blues

E-mu Emulator IV

State-of-the-art sampling

"It's Cruel To Make A Computer Work This Hard..."

Digidesign, pioneers of low-cost professional digital audio tools, have broken the multitrack barrier, pushing the Macintosh to its limits to offer four to 16 tracks of (relatively) affordable hard disk recording. Paul D. Lehrman can hardly believe his eyes...