Four years on from the successes of The Flat Earth, Thomas Dolby has moved to LA for his follow-up LP, Aliens Ate My Buick. Tim Goodyer discovers that aliens have a lot to say.

Chas de Whalley records the thoughts of David Bowie's young, gifted and black producer, Derek Bramble

Building his career on productions of Jennifer Warnes, Malcolm McLaren and the Communards, Stephen Hague has found his greatest success with The Pet Shop Boys. David Bradwell talks shop.

Digital drum machines may rule the waves in the R&D labs, but one obsolete analogue device is still the record producers' first choice. Tim Goodyer dissects the appeal of Roland's classic TR808.

From the chart success of 'Bass (How Low Can You Go)' to an album and a 24-track studio in his lounge - Simon Harris talks sounds and samples with Tim Goodyer.

From Sheffield's tradition as the home of industrial funk, come the Fon Force. David Bradwell talks to the men behind the cream of modern northern dance music.

Through a career that has encompassed the controversy of the Bollock Brothers and the serenity of new age, Phil Thornton has drawn the best from technology. David Bradwell listens in.

They were once a six-piece band playing "systems jazz". Now they are seven, and the music has become even more difficult to classify. Tim Goodyer tries to solve the puzzle.

Part 10 of this rhythm programming series covers a selection of fascinating rhythms indigenous to the exotic countries of South America. Nigel Lord gets a studio tan.

Resident 'DJ' Wilf Smarties gives a new batch of CDs a spin.

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.

Riding the ambient house wave, The Orb have released a concept album that mixes dance beats with new age textures. Tim Goodyer tunes in to Alex Paterson and Thrash as they chill out with technology.

Information Society's combination of funk, hip hop, sampling and Star Trek give them a particular perspective on modern music making. Society spokesperson: Deborah Parisi.

Dance music should be about more than 'moaning samples and ecstasy' claims producer Arthur Baker. Simon Trask talks to the man behind 'Planet Rock'.

Rhythm Sound Module

Fascinating rhythm

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it's a MIDI Performance System. Simon Trask investigates the truth behind the intriguing advertising campaign.

Wilf Smarties gives a new batch of CDs a spin.

On completion of a new solo album and the soundtrack to the latest screen version of Wuthering Heights, Ryuichi Sakamoto finds himself centre stage yet again. Paul Tingen talks to the Renaissance Man of modern music.

Are record producers losing their touch now they've regained their influence? Are DJs better-equipped to make music that moves? Simon Trask gets the answers from an objective source - one of Britain's top remix DJs.

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.

As the sequencer comes of age, the role of the drum machine is brought into question: why have a sequencer in your drum box if there's already one in your computer? Simon Trask investigates what may be the next step for the beat box.

Rhythm Sound Module

Sydney Music Conservatorium

Music technology Australian style. To prove that there's more to the Australian music scene than the Fairlight, Jonathan Puckeridge pays a visit to the Sydney Music Conservatorium.

In his career as disc jockey, audio engineer and pop star Tim Simenon has called upon musical influences as diverse as Rick James and Kraftwerk. Tim Goodyer talks tech with a DJ who intends to take cut-up records on the road.

...Is one of Britain's most inventive jazz keyboard players, with a myriad of different strings to his performing bow, and an unusually open-minded approach to new technology. Simon Trask listens to what he has to say.