Tape Fiasco is a brand-new plugin from Jonas Eriksson that combines three distinct time-based effects: Stretch, Stutter, and Varispeed. I haven’t had much time with Tape Fiasco since installing the plugin, but I have to say right off the bat, it’s a lot of fun! Whether you’re using all three effects simultaneously or one at…
Developer Riot Audio has released Industry Lite, a free cinematic synth/sampler for Kontakt Player. Industry Lite is the little brother of the premium Industry instrument (£119), and it runs in the free Kontakt Player v8.7 or higher. Industry Lite is listed at £3 (a donation to help the developer with bandwidth costs), but you can…
Sync Audio has released Fractiv, a granular effect and sampler instrument for macOS, Windows, and Linux. It is designed for intuitive and repeatable granular processing rather than randomness, which is the main focus of many other granular tools. Fractiv works by continuously capturing incoming audio into a rolling buffer (up to 10 seconds) and then…
Developer Decadebridge has offered several free instruments, which includes BalterLITE for macOS and Windows. We’ve featured a few Decadebridge releases over the years, with the most recent being Shallow Grave in September, 2025. If you haven’t checked it out already, Shallow Grave is a cascading filter plugin for macOS and Windows. This time, we’re looking…
Akai Professional has released the MPC XL, a new flagship MPC featuring an upgraded processor, advanced pad technology, and extended connectivity for studio and DAWless workflows. Akai Professional has introduced the MPC XL, a new flagship standalone music production unit positioned as the most powerful model in the historically significant MPC line. Designed to be…
Welcome to our coverage of the 2026 NAMM show. As of day one, they’ve already announced plenty of interesting DJ tech, and we’re rounding everything up here with the info you need. Keep checking back as we’ll be updating throughout the show with new announcements, and do let us know your thoughts below. NAMM: New…
Akai Professional has announced the release of the MPC XL, a new flagship standalone music production center running on the MPC3 operating system. This release introduces a significant hardware update to the MPC line, featuring a new Gen 2 processor, expanded memory, and 3D-sensing pad technology. The MPC XL is built around a Gen 2…
RANE has announced the release of the SYSTEM ONE, a standalone DJ system featuring motorized platters and the Engine DJ operating system. This is the first RANE hardware product to utilize the embedded Engine DJ platform, allowing for laptop-free performance with the tactile feel of traditional vinyl. The unit is built around two 7.2-inch high-torque…
