Welcome to Mixmag’s round-up of the best recent tech releases and announcements
Arturia release “next evolution” compact controller, KeyStep mk2
Electronics company Arturia have released the “next evolution” of their compact controller and sequencer, the KeyStep mk2, a 32-note Slimkey keyboard that features “generative sequencing tools”, an OLED display, and a newly redesigned sequencer and arpeggiator.
The new instrument allows for hybrid setups, letting you connect via CV/Gate, MIDI DIN, and USB-C where you can then lay down ideas in your DAW and patch modular. Billed as a “one-of-a-kind” instrument, the KeyStep mk2 works without the help of a computer or online software.
Price: £129. Buy it here
Whimsical Raps release new analogue synthesiser, Atrium
Whimsical Raps have released a new portable analogue synthesiser, Atrium, allowing for polytimbral control and modulation. Complete with five voices, gesture control, and USB, MIDI, and CV connectivity, the instrument draws from “a decade of ideas” by the US electronics company.
“Atrium is deeply learnable, and for those moments of quick change, instantly recallable,” Whimsical Raps explain. “We’ve taken ideas from our decade of modular exploration, and rethought how we reach into polyphony.”
Price: $1,600 (£1,215). Buy it here
AIR Music Tech unveils recreation of SH-101 synthesizer, IONA
AIR Music Tech has revealed a new virtual instrument, recreating Roland’s iconic SH-101 synthesizer with a “new take on a cult classic”, IONA.
Featuring “authentic analog tones made for modern production workflows”, IONA is modelled from the famed ‘80s synth by delivering “timeless basses, leads, and sequences in a powerful new form”.
The customisable synth features a 128-step pattern sequencer and graphical editor, which can be integrated for standalone MPC, MPC Desktop, and DAW users, and allows for experimentation with over 100 factory presets and effects section featuring lo-fi, delay, reverb, EQ controls, and more.
Price: £59. Buy it here
AlphaTheta team up with Elijah for limited edition OMNIS-DUO all-in-one unit
Manufacturer AlphaTheta has launched a limited edtion yellow version of its OMNIS-DUO all-in-one unit, in collaboration with DJ, label head and writer Elijah.
To match the Butterz co-founders signature yellow Instagram tiles, the portable two-deck mixer features his mantra: ““If you love music, you should learn how to DJ”, across its sides, alongside other directions on the unit in the same font.
“The OMNIS-DUO has been one of the central devices in that development, and being able to embody my ideas in hardware with AlphaTheta is an honour,” says Elijah.
Price: £1,399. Buy it here.