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German synthesist Hainbach – in his latest video – demos the Analog Sweden Swenigiser, a modern clone of the Orgon Systems Enigiser.

The Orgon Systems Enigiser is a rare monophonic synth design, created by Geoff Waterston in 1996, designed for experimental dance musicians. Under 150 units are thought to have been made.

After decades of the Enigiser being a collector’s item, it was reissued in 2022 by Waterston, who also introduced a more advanced model, the Enigiser X in 2023.

In addition, two companies offer clones of the original design. Hainbach’s video demos the Analog Sweden Swenigiser, which is based on the original Enigiser design.

The Analog Sweden Swenigiser, is available now for $1,798.00.

*Note: Waterston’s website says that “While it could be seen as a compliment that people have made huge efforts to clone the enigiser, it has to be stated that the cloned copies do not sound or function in the same way an original enigiser does.” The original Enigiser is available for £1495 (about $1,875 USD) plus shipping.

Today, Erica Synths announced that it stopping the manufacturing of their Perkons HD-01 Drum Synth in blue, and replacing it with a version with black finish.

What they say about the change:

“Due to a few considerations (including popular demand) we have decided on releasing a new edition of the PERKONS HD-01 now in an all-new sleek black finish!

We have decided to transform the beast by giving it a new demeanour – a timelessly black finish to match our other instruments and to visually complement the dark aesthetic that has become synonymous with Erica Synths modules and desktop instruments all over the world.

The original edition in jet fighter cockpit blue will remain a unique piece of music instrument history and hopefully cherished by the owners of these now discontinued units”.

The Perkons HD-01 Black is available to pre-order now for € 1700

Kim Bjørn, founder of Danish independent book publisher Bjooks, has officially announced their latest synth book, The Minimoog Book.

The comprehensive book – by author, journalist, and music historian Joe Silva– chronicles the Minimoog’s history, from its earliest prototypes and the very first Model D #1001, through the Minimoog Voyager models and into the present day.

Production of the book is being funded via a Kickstarter project, which will launch later this month.

“When I started digging into the history of the Minimoog back in 2010,” Silva noted, “I quickly realized how universal it was. I was continuously stumbling upon artist after artist or another famous piece of music that used it. It was pretty clear right away how important the instrument became once it came out…”

The book features a foreword from Rush frontman Geddy Lee, along with interviews and features with musicians like Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Chick Corea, Tony Visconti (David Bowie), George Duke, Anne Dudley (Art of Noise), Bernie Worrell, Devo, Kraftwerk, Air, J Dilla, Gary Numan, and others.

The book also features detailed photography, schematics, historical promotional materials, engineering interviews, illustrated sound patches, and over 70 artist features.

The Minimoog Book will be available for pre-order on Kickstarter later in April. Early supporters will get access to special perks and insider info like never-before-seen photos, behind-the-scenes content, a special edition of the book, and more.

For more information and to be notified when the book is officially available, visit the Bjooks website.