Issue 104

This month’s Electronic Sound lifts the lid on the secret world of MODULAR SYNTHESIS and we’re bundling the issue with a double CD featuring 31 modular tracks, many of which have never been available on a physical release before. 

Our cover feature is a pick ’n‘ mix of modular goodness, including an interview with 1960s pioneer Morton Subotnick, who created his legendary ‘Silver Apples Of The Moon’ on a Buchla. We talk to contemporary talents Loula Yorke, Andrew Ostler, Philippe Petit and Vicky Clarke too, while music tech guru Robin Vincent explains his addiction to oddball boxes and brightly-coloured leads. We also select 10 Landmark Modular Albums – from Beaver & Krause to Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith – and profile 50 Key Modular Artists, with both instantly recognisable names and largely unknown newcomers making the cut.    

We have plenty of other thrills elsewhere in the magazine, including our in-depth review of Bluedot 2023, which takes in Grace Jones, The Radiophonic Workshop, Róisín Murphy, Creep Show, Young Fathers, Max Richter, Gwenno and lots more. We have interviews with Arthur Baker, African Head Charge, Veryan, Co-Pilot and Decisive Pink as well, plus Flowered Up keyboardist Tim Dorney on the making of ‘Weekender’ and Simian Mobile Disco man James Ellis Ford on his influences. Now that's what we call a bumper issue!

To accompany the issue we also have an superb double CD , ‘A PLAN FOR MODULAR LIVING’, which brings together some of the best modular tracks of the last 50-odd years. The first disc has been compiled by the Electronic Sound editorial team, while the second has material from the incredible archive of sessions to be found at Modulisme, the online global hub for all things modular. 

Some CDs have slight visual imperfection on the discs caused by a slightly over enthusiastic machine at the pressing plant, but this does not affect playback.

The full tracklist is:

CD1

Mort Garson – 'Moon Journey'    
Morton Subotnick – 'Cloudless Sulphur Dance (Excerpt)' 
Suki Sou – 'Rotating Currents' 
MICROCORPS – 'VEQ' 
Quinquis – 'Adkrog' 
Chris Carter – 'Noise Floor' 
Andrew Ostler – 'Crossing The Line Part One (Excerpt)' 
Martin Gore – 'Europa Hymn'
JakoJako – 'Nexus' 
Loula Yorke – 'Skim' 
Russell Haswell – 'Pegasus' 
Yann Tiersen – '1 18. 13 1 14 5 18. 11 15 26 8'
Sunroof  – 'Chapter 2 Live At Strongroom Studios, April 2023'

CD2

Suzanne Ciani – 'Session 074'
Midori Hirano – 'Session 072'
Benge – 'Session 057' 
Klaatu – 'Session 075' 
Warren Burt – 'Session 034'
Plucking The Spectrum – 'Session 089' 
Finlay Shakespeare – 'Session 066'
Michael J Schumacher – 'Session 086' 
UnicaZürn – 'Session 073' 
Michael White – 'Session 044'
Philippe Petit – 'Session 051'
Julien Palomo – 'Session 030'
Rachel Aiello – 'Session 021'
Mat Watson – 'Session 063'
Sion Orgon – 'Session 065'
Todd Barton – 'Session 083'
Gabriel Prokofiev – 'Session 077'
Sarah Belle Reid – 'Session 021'

As with all of our music releases, this CD is strictly limited and is only available to readers of Electronic Sound, so be sure to get your copy straight away.