Arturia Announce 'Next-Gen' Software, Drop Prices

Last week, Arturia announced that it would be releasing updated versions of their current line of soft synths with 64-bit compatibility.  In addition to this, the software has dropped in price dramatically (for some of the synths, anyway) to $99 USD, or 99 euros.  If you haven't tried any of this software, it's all pretty stellar and has had rave reviews for a while, in some cases considered some of the best analog emulation-- in fact, when I upgrade my computer in the near future, some of these will be on the list of things to get.

Press release is as follows:

"Arturia announces ‘Next Generation’ Analog Classic software 

GRENOBLE, FRANCE: music software and hardware company Arturia is proud to announce availability of ‘Next Generation’ versions of its Analog Classic software instruments as of July 6... 

 Ten of Arturia’s most popular Mac (OS X 10.5 or higher) and Windows (7/Vista/XP) software instruments have had a complete makeover. Slick new packaging coincides with 64-bit compatibility for all, together with MIDI assignment improvements and better performance.

But best of all... all ten titles are now €99.00 EURO/$99.00 USD, a dramatic drop to half their previous street pricing (in most cases). Titles included are the Oberheim SEM V, Jupiter-8V, Prophet-V, ARP 2600V, Mini V (formerly Minimoog-V), CS-80V, and Modular V (formerly Moog Modular V) soft synths; Wurlitzer-V EP 200A electric piano software emulation; Analog Laboratory software synthesizer workstation; and SPARK Vintage Drum Machines.

 Quite simply, there has never been a better time than now to step into Arturia’s True Analogue Emulation (TAE®) world of those high-end synthesizers and drum machines favoured by a wide range of acclaimed artists like Ritchie Hawtin, deadmau5, Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), The Crystal Method, Junkie XL, Herbie Hancock, Howard Jones, Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Hans Zimmer, Jean-Michel Jarre, Geoff Downes (Asia), and many more besides. So why wait to join them? Reach out to the Next Generation... today!

 Oberheim SEM V, Jupiter-8V, Prophet-V, ARP 2600V, Mini V, CS-80V, Modular V, Wurlitzer-V, Analog Laboratory, and SPARK Vintage Drum Machines can each be purchased as software downloads for €99.00 EURO/$99.00 USD or boxed versions for €119.00 EURO/$129.00 USD from Arturia’s Online Shop: http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/buy/online-shop.html 


 As always, updates are free for all registered users from here: http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/downloads/updates.html"

Anoraak posts live video of new song "Made-up", preps for the Drive tour

Anoraak has unveiled an unreleased track on YouTube called "Made-up" which looks to have been filmed on one of his last tours.  The track is part synth, part rock, and all Anoraak-- almost exactly as he implied it would be in our interview last year.  This release comes just before the Drive tour featuring Anoraak, College, and Electric Youth.  I've literally just grabbed my tickets to this tour (and oddly enough, watched "Drive" a couple days ago), and I'm about as excited as I can be.  If there's a tour to see this summer, this is it.  Check out the dates below!

The Drive Tour

07/20 Brooklyn @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg 

07/21 Washington @ DC 9 

07/22 Boston @ Brighton Music Hall 

07/23 Philadelphia @ Union Transfer 

07/25 Montreal @ Corona Theater 

07/26 Toronto @ Wrong Bar 

07/27 Detroit @ Pike Room 

07/28 Chicago @ Lincoln Hall 

07/29 Minneapolis @ Triple Rock Social Club 

08/01 Vancouver @ Electric Owl 

08/02 Seattle @ Chop Suey 

08/03 Portland @ Branx 

08/04 San Francisco @ Rickshaw Stop 

08/05 Los Angeles @ Echoplex 

08/06 San Diego @ Casbah 

08/07 Tucson @ Club Congress 

08/09 El Paso @ Garden Bar 

08/10 Dallas @ Prophet Bar 

08/11 Austin @ Red 7 

08/12 New Orleans @ One Eyed Jacks 

08/14 Miami @ Grand Central 

08/15 Orlando @ Social 

08/16 Atlanta @ Terminal West 

08/17 Chapel Hill @ Local 506

Skeleton Lipstick - Glow Then Melts

Here's something new for a Monday morning.  Skeleton Lipstick is a "existential hypnagogic pop" band out of Philadelphia.  They've got a new LP entitled Glow Then Melts coming out on July 4th on Airlines Tapes.  It's also being released on limited edition casette tapes (feels like my childhood).  SL reminds me a bit of Kavinsky meets... something more lo-fi?  This is totally a textured and dirty affair but retro all at once.  There's a ton of synth goodness and a pumping beat at the heart of it.  Don't let the bizarre name and haunting artwork fool you...

The Arturia/Moog Partnership ends; Does this mean Moog Plugins are on the way?

While Arturia releases the MiniMoog Original for free, the two companies seem to part ways

Last week, Arturia released a free version of their legendary MiniMoog plugin on Facebook and through their site.  I've been thoroughly enjoying it, but it begs the question: why release one of your products in its almost complete form for free?  The 'occasion' for this seems to have been World Music Day, but also the ending of a partnership between Moog and Arturia.  Arturia has said that they will release the same plugin in the future but with a changed name, which likely means that Moog didn't want to keep their partnership going.  Why not?

File this under "pure speculation", but my guess is that Moog is not far away from their own digital plugins of their popular synths.  The Animoog and Filtatron have been hits on the iPad and iPhone, so they obviously have an incentive to take it further.  They have the programming abilities in house to take care of programming sound apps, and they've released a plugin controller (no sound, however) for the Little Phatty so it can be used easily with a DAW.  The user interfaces of the Moog apps are outstanding, which is a huge selling point.  There's also a market of musicians who want authentic, "from Moog" sound, but don't have the pocket change to buy a MiniTaur or Slim Phatty.  Furthermore, Arturia has stepped into Moog's territory by creating the MiniBrute, which no doubt is in direct competition with at least three of Moog's synths.  The last big factor is that Moog is a synth company whose hardware isn't cheap, but they can easily hit a whole new spectrum of buyers in the sub-$200 range with software.

I know that seems vague, but I would put money on a Moog plugin for your Mac or PC coming down the pipeline-- perhaps very close to the MiniMoog in terms of style.  Maybe we'll even see some digital versions of the massive collection of MoogerFoogers that exist (because I can't quite see myself dropping $700 on a delay pedal any time soon).  What would you like to see from Moog in terms of plugins?

New Moogerfooger Delay is just around the corner...

A couple days ago, Moog Music put up a new YouTube video showing off a mysterious new Moogerfooger.  Fortunately, it's not hard to figure out what they're hinting at; the riddle in the video seems to be quoted from Tolkien, to which the answer is "Time".  A new Moogerfooger based on time?  Well, if you recall, Moog stopped production on the old delay MF not long ago, which is usually a sign that a newer, better version is coming down the pipeline.  It seems to be more fully featured-- somewhere on the net I've heard there's a leaked magazine insert that shows off this MF has MIDI capabilities.  Looks pretty exciting!

Arturia to release free-for-1-day-only MiniMoog Original Plugin

Arturia, who's quickly becoming one of my new favorite companies, is releasing a free plugin this Thursday, June 21st for World Music Day.  The MiniMoog plugin is not identical to their normal plugin, but a slightly stripped down version designed to work just like the original MiniMoog.  If you're any fan of plugins, you know that the Arturia emulations are outstanding, and some of the best in terms of recreating those vintage warm tones.  The MiniMoog is a great emulation of the original, so I absolutely wouldn't miss this chance to get your hands on such a high quality product for free.  This will also be a nice distraction for those of you waiting for the new MiniBrute, which is supposedly just around the corner in terms of shipping.  For the time being, everyone can get a little Moog in their sounds without emptying their wallet.  Dr. Moog would be proud.  Don't forget though, this is a one day only offer, so make sure you don't miss it!

From the press release:

"Get Arturia Minimoog-V Original for free on June 21!

GRENOBLE, FRANCE: music software and hardware company Arturia announces the end of an agreement with Moog Music that will see its Moog Modular V and Minimoog V soft synths soon remerging as the updated and renamed Modular V and Mini-V, and is marking the occasion by giving away a one-off ‘commemorative’ edition of the Minimoog-V on World Music Day... 


 On June 21 only, musicians everywhere can download Minimoog-V Original from the Arturia website (http://www.arturia.com/minimoogv-original) — for free! Minimoog-V Original includes all the sounds (more than 1,000 presets created by talented artists and renowned sound designers) and features (32-voice polyphony, plus much more besides) from the latest Minimoog- V update (Version 2.5), but without the additional functionality accessible behind the ‘hinged’ front panel — just like the original Minimoog.

Minimoog by name. Minimoog by nature. It’s been several successful years since Arturia announced the release of its much-admired Minimoog-V soft synth — meticulously modelling the distinctive tones and analogue nuances of the legendary Seventies-vintage Minimoog Model D monosynth — in an agreement with Moog Music initiated by Bob Moog himself. Moog changed the musical world with the Minimoog and Arturia helped change the music software world with the Minimoog-V, so what better way to toast the passing of that productive partnership and end the arrangement between the two companies on a high note than with a generous giveaway on World Music Day?


Don’t miss out: go get Minimoog-V Original for free on June 21! Save the ‘download date’ in your calendar..."

Jupiter's new record 'Juicy Lucy' is Fantastic

If you dig 80s style funk dance music, a new record by Jupiter was just released yesterday, called Juicy Lucy.  I first got word of this record through Electronic Rumors, and boy does it deliver.  Every track by the French duo is incredibly danceable and upbeat.  The most exciting part for me, however, is the fact that it's an entire album of these gems.  This isn't one track that you'll listen to for a couple weeks and get burn out; there's heavy rotation to be had here because there's such a good selection of sounds.  It's hard to pick highlights because so many tracks are spot on, but "Saké" above is pretty awesome, as well as "Oh I".  Head on over to iTunes to buy Juicy Lucy, or listen to the set of previews if you're not convinced yet.