Hurdy gurdist Rory Scammell shared this intro to the Balfolk Boombox, a custom hurdy gurdy synthesizer that he created in collaboration with Sam Palmer.
The hurdy gurdy is a traditional string instrument that produces sound using a crank, which rubs a rosined wheel against the strings.
Scammell & Palmer’s version features a variety of Eurorack modules, allowing the instrument to play percussion, bass, leads and more.
Here’s a performance video of the Balforlk Boombox in action:
Pioneering electronic rock band Depeche Mode has announced Depeche Mode: M, a new live concert film, scheduled to be released in Fall of 2025.
Directed by acclaimed Mexican filmmaker Fernando Frias, best known for his Oscar-nominated drama I’m No Longer Here, the film captures the band’s three sold-out performances at the Foro Sol Stadium in Mexico City during their 2023-2024 Memento Mori world tour.
Depeche Mode: M blends live performance footage with archival material, offering an immersive journey into the band’s monumental Memento Mori tour, which spanned 112 concerts across Europe and North America, drawing over three million fans.
The film goes beyond a traditional concert documentary, exploring the deep connection between the themes of Depeche Mode’s 15th studio album, Memento Mori and the Mexican cultural perspectives on death and mortality. Frias’ creative vision highlights the passionate bond between the band and their Mexican fans, while paying homage to the universal power of music, tradition, and the human spirit.
Depeche Mode: M will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on June 5, 2025.
Synthesist Starsky Carr shared this hands-on review of the new Behringer 2-XM synthesizer, a knockoff of the classic Oberheim 2 Voice in Eurorack format.
Like the original, the 2-XM features two Synthesizer Expander Modules, each an all-in-one synth voice.
Topics covered:
0:00 intro demo
2:18 Some Background
6:40 Oscillators – 4 VCOs
12:11 Sync – sounds smooth
13:52 Filter.. it’s SEM style!
21:27 VCA Modes
22:00 Control Section
25:26 Split + Duo Modes
The Behringer 2-XM is available to pre-order, priced at $399.
