The SYNTHI AKS is a legendary machine. Manufactured by Electronic Music Studios in 1971, this portable modular synthesizer was extremely flexible. Not a keyboard synth like what Moog was doing at the time, this was a generative music machine with a matrix patch panel. Think Max/MSP in analog terms. Except that being analog, it wasn't entirely stable and, thus, had an organic quality that is still valued today.

Music from the SYNTHI is a new endeavour for Yoshio Machida, a consistently surprising sound and visual artist who, among other feats, has released an acclaimed series of sound collage albums (Hypernatural), albums of improvisations on steelpan drums, and records with the bands miimo and Ohanami. This new solo album arrives almost four years after his previous one The Spirit of Beauty (a slow-evolving piece combining instruments, field recordings and electronics), and six years after his Baskaru debut Hypernatural #3.

Music from the SYNTHI consists in 13 pieces. Most of them are quirky and playful. "SYNTHI n° 30" has a longing quality you would never expect from a synthesizer. And all of them are 100% SYNTHI. "I simply recorded the repeating patterns and mixed 3 to 5 patterns per piece, without any editing or effects," explains Machida. I wanted to record rich obscure improvisations as performed by the SYNTHI. Every modulation, reverb, effect like delay, and glitch sound is produced inside the SYNTHI."

Yoshio Machida - SYNTHI n°23

Tristan Héau is behind musikgear.com
——————————–
Tristan is a sound craftsman. He listens to anything, always.
There’s nothing he likes more than experimenting with surfaces, techniques, and encounters…
The way he sees it, every moment, every place is conducive to experimenting, gathering sounds.
Tristan goes back & forth between playing acoustic instruments (the guitar, the hurdy-gurdy, the piano) and using rare or customized electronic instruments.
His house is one big sound lab, where there’s an opportunity in every nook & cranny to create, to make new sound matter, noise.
For the last 10 years, Tristan has chosen one tool (in particular) for all his experimenting: Ableton Live. This user-friendly virtual studio allows him to work at a quick pace and focus on do, not how-to.
Tristan also explores the relationship between audio & visuals perception and the mind states it’ll induce, but that’s another story…
Recently, Tristan has decided to sort & label his work and now offers hand-picked samples which come in a pack directly with Ableton Live in an effort to offer others sound matters & techniques. Beyond than these recorded sounds, he gives them identity & character. Those should encourage sound producers and music makers discovering and using unique sounds for their production.
Tristan also likes to jam & sing & perform with his mates, and that’s alright !
Contact : theau@yahoo.com
website : www.musikgear.com

Baskaru is a French record label dealing with experimental electronic music and sound art.