Latest articles by Matt Mullen
“There was no middle eight, and ‘sail away’ was after every line – it drove me crazy, but there was something there”: The making of Enya's Orinoco Flow, the unexpected No. 1 hit that created a New Age superstar
In memory of Enya's longtime producer Nicky Ryan, we take a backwards glance at the ethereal earworm that launched her career
Audio Hertz's Mk.pre emulates the Tascam Portastudio preamp that colours Mk.gee's sought-after guitar tone
Mk.pre is currently on offer at $19
“I’ve never fully gelled with Logic and Pro Tools – they kind of feel like Microsoft Excel to me”: Jacques Greene and Nosaj Thing on the making of their new collaborative project, Verses GT
As two mainstays of modern electronica unite as Verses GT, we hear about the Sequential synths, $20 plugins and Eurorack gems behind their debut full-length project
"The wait is finally over": Spotify finally offers lossless streaming to its Premium subscribers
Premium subscribers in select markets can now stream tracks in up to 24-bit/44.1 kHz FLAC
The classic synth heard on the Barbie OST was picked up on Reverb, says Mark Ronson
As the gear marketplace relaunches in the UK with reduced seller fees, Ronson reflects on how Reverb played a part in the making of 2023's biggest movie soundtrack
Minimal Audio drops Formant, a free formant-shifting plugin for creative vocal production
Formant promises "real-time formant-shifting with musical, transparent results"
“I’m a big preset guy. If a preset’s called Fat Bass, there’s a 90% chance it’s actually a fat bass”: Rico Nasty and Benson Boone producer Imad Royal on saving time and staying focused in the studio
In the next episode of Universal Audio's Apollo Creators series, the Grammy-nominated producer/songwriter unpacks his instinct-driven creative process
IK Multimedia upgrades iLoud Precision studio monitors with redesigned hardware and enhanced room correction
The new ARC X software is a free upgrade for all registered owners of iLoud Precision, iLoud Micro Monitor Pro, iLoud MTM MKII, ARC Studio, and ARC 4
"This is really scary": PinkPantheress almost pulled out of Tiny Desk concert after learning she couldn't use Auto-Tune
The NPR show marked the artist's first ever performance without vocal pitch-correction
Warm Audio promises studio-quality sound without the price tag with three new vintage-inspired condenser mics
The WA-87jr, WA-87jr SE and WA-47jr SE feature the same professional capsules as their flagship studio counterparts, at a price that's within reach of bedroom producers
WAVS launches "first-of-its-kind" AI-powered sample discovery tool, AI Sample Finder
Drag and drop sounds from your DAW timeline into WAVS' plugin and search for similar sounds to use in your project
"Just clip on to a leaf and play": Instruo's Pocket Scion is a handheld biofeedback synthesizer that makes music from nature
Designed in partnership with Modern Biology, the device translates biofeedback data from living organisms into evolving generative soundscapes
"This is every last plugin we've ever made": Purafied Audio puts $473 plugin bundle up for $2.38 in response to Guitar Center pricing error
That's a 99% discount
"There is no one better to turn real humans on to new music than other real humans": Bandcamp launches subscribe-to-own music discovery service Clubs
Subscribers will receive a new album each month chosen by notable tastemakers, along with access to exclusive artist interviews and live listening parties
"I look forward to hearing everyone’s interpretation - don’t hold back”: Remix Madonna's Ray of Light and win $12,000 of music gear
Beatport's Global Remix Challenge invites producers to put a spin on the title track of Madonna's Grammy-winning 1998 album
Bitwig takes its flagship DAW to "another level" with Bitwig Studio 6
Giving users "fresh and faster ways to work that will feel familiar", Bitwig Studio 6 focuses on core DAW functionality, making arrangement and composition more efficient and intuitive
"We asked ourselves, what if we could rebuild the legendary K2000 V.A.S.T. synthesizer, but using today’s technology?": Kurzweil's K2061 and K2088 synths are now shipping
Kurzweil's K2061 and K2088, a modern update to the classic K2000 synth, are now available to order
Loopcloud's Flip Sample feature transforms any sample from its library with a single click
The sample platform says the new tool "bridges the gap between browsing and producing", allowing users to slice, sequence, and reimagine samples on-the-fly
"It is not a polite instrument – nor is it clean, safe, or obvious": Cherry Audio revives the cult classic Crumar Spirit in its latest plugin
That's the Spirit
Breakout producer Silva Bumpa on the secret to creating sub bass and UKG rhythms
The fast rising producer reveals his top tools and techniques in our new video interview
"This can't be serious": Billboard reveals the top producers of the 21st century so far – and people aren't happy
Max Martin unsurprisingly snags the top spot, but the absence of greats such as Pharrell Williams – and the inclusion of artists such as Beyoncé and Taylor Swift – has sparked debate
"No strings attached": The Crow Hill Company releases Lo-Fi Strings, a free tape-treated string library with a warm and nostalgic sound
Another instalment in Crow Hill's ongoing Vaults series, Lo-Fi Strings brings the beloved sonic imperfections of tape recording into the orchestral world
"It's one of my favourite synths": Rudimental reveal their favourite plugins for drum 'n' bass production
Rudimental's Piers Aggett and Kesi Dryden appear on the Tape Notes podcast to discuss the software that's shaped their soulful, radio-friendly DnB
