Who is the next Aphex Twin? Meet the producers warping the future of electronic music“Even from my very first tracks, I had a desire to get really into the machines, to make a different world inside one of the boxes, live inside there instead,” Aphex Twin said in 2014.

READ MORE: Zeds Dead sampled a century of sound to create their new sci-fi bass odyssey

The trickster producer exploded electronic music in the early 90s with strange rhythms and visuals, endless sonic detours and a hearty dose of tomfoolery. His cutting-edge music is rarely one genre, exploring dreamy ambient textures, hard and fast techno, trippy breakbeats and jolting sounds in unexpected song structures and layers. He was a part of Warp Records’ ever-influential IDM-labelled founding class alongside Autechre, Boards of Canada and Squarepusher, influencing a wide range of acts from Radiohead to Daft Punk.
Many have pondered the question we’re going to try to answer: Who will be the next producer to shape electronic music as Aphex Twin did?
Why Aphex Twin is considered the GOAT in electronic music
The Cornwall-bred producer, born Richard D James, popularised the album format in electronic music, and has released six studio albums under his main alias since his famed first in 1992, Selected Ambient Works 85-92, whose title claims he made the earliest tracks at age 15.
While his catalogue is staggeringly winding and nearly impossible to dissect — although plenty of fans have painstakingly tried — his biggest songs give a taste of his range: 1999’s weird and propulsive Windowlicker, and the soothing piano ballad Avril 14 from his divisive fifth studio album, 2001’s Drukqs. His music remains strange, his acclaim is truly widespread, with his 2014 album Syro even winning a Grammy (a ceremony that James, naturally, did not attend).

Given all the twists and turns James has taken throughout his career and his rather singular nature, it feels almost impossible that someone could follow a formula to become the “next Aphex Twin” or to even consistently sound like him. So, instead, MusicTech is looking to the next generation of innovative and exciting electronic DJ/producers who are reshaping dance music with layered, trippy production, a distinct yet evolving sound and a unique overall artist package. Producers bringing both ambient and sharp sounds with playful visuals and track titles are the Aphex-ness we’re looking for here.
Skee Mask
Munich-born Bryan Müller is often compared to Aphex Twin for his layered, IDM-reminiscent take on electronic music and evasive public persona. He’s also often labelled as techno, but his music is as diverse and meticulous as his patron saint, with smoother corners and dreamy soundscapes for enhanced enjoyment. He put his first track out over a decade ago on his hometown’s Ilian Tape, back when he was a teenager holed up in his bedroom. He’s followed the Aphex format, if there is one, of releasing albums along with compilations of archival tracks.

His latest music— his fourth studio album Resort — is a hypnotic dose of what Müller does best: layered, lush, deep soundscapes. It also showcases his malleability, with the tracks progressing from fully ambient to beachside groovers.
“Skee Mask is one of dance music’s greatest crossover stories of the past decade, with new albums greeted with the attention usually reserved for an Aphex Twin or a Caribou,” Resident Advisor wrote in 2023 on SoundCloud, where his RA mix has clocked over 138,000 plays. “It’s not hard to understand why: [on] albums like Compro, he blends well-worn dance music tropes with incredible, detailed soundscapes and spine-tingling melodies.”
Müller has an anti-establishment streak, à la Aphex, yet despite his guardedness, there’s something very earnest about his public persona. He regularly shares tracks he likes on Twitter, along with enthusiasm for his gigs, which include recently earning a residency at Tresor. He, along with his label home Ilian Tape, pulled his catalogue from Spotify after the news that its CEO, Daniel Ek, had invested in AI weapons company Helsing. He takes his role as a musical tastemaker seriously, seeing his festival sets as a “chance to change minds about how good music should sound.”
Loraine James
Loraine James is one of the most exciting electronic artists today, blending glitchy beats and warped vocals with IDM and DIY sensibilities. There’s darkness, beauty, vulnerability, kinetic energy and angular beats across her catalogue, sometimes all in one track. She’s collaborated with and remixed a range of fellow cutting-edge, genre-blending acts including Jessy Lanza, Yaeji, keiyaA and Kelela.

She first showcased her hard but dreamy soundscapes on 2017’s Detail. For You and I followed in 2019 — her debut on Kode9’s London imprint Hyperdub — and marked her as a widely touted one-to-watch. The latter’s opener, Glitch Bitch, a sparkly, skittering, moody trip could serve as her artist thesis, while the subsequent two tracks bang with heavy, abrasive doses of in-your-face beats. She explodes the snobbery and white maleness of IDM, bringing improvisation and her queer Black femme identity playfully into the mix while working mostly in-the-box, without cost-prohibitive gear.
James is truly expansive and unbounded in her musical output, recently exploring her love of math rock and ambient music with a side project entitled Whatever The Weather, currently spanning two albums on Ghostly International. On her third Loraine James album, Gentle Confrontation, she leaned into a more down-tempo rhythms and centred her voice with introspective lyrics. Her latest release, an atmospheric, smoky collab EP with Anysia Kim, continues in that vein to enticing effect. We can’t wait to hear what sonic textures and themes she explores and expands next.
Vegyn
Vegyn, born Joe Thornalley in London, makes moody, layered, fuzzy electronic music that dances from liquid drum and bass to ambient and far beyond. The prolific producer broke out in 2016 after working with fellow boundary pusher — and Aphex Twin fan — Frank Ocean on Blonde. He earned early support from James Blake and has worked with Travis Scott and JPEGMAFIA. He’s also an in-demand remixer, recently getting tapped by Air to add a lightly trippy touch to their beloved 1998 album Moon Safari.

He’s put out two studio albums, alongside 70-plus-track brain dump mixtapes, a very Aphex thing to do. His self-designed album art and titles feel like a modern internet rendering of his British electronic brethren: Text While Driving If You Want To Meet God! shows a crashed car above the words: “Honk if you love Vegyn,” while The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions boasts a minimalist collage of lo-fi “spiritual” computer graphics.
Thornalley is both prolific and uncensored in his music releases, but reticent to give interviews and talk about his music. While he’s done an Aphex Twin tribute on his NTS Radio show, he avoided telling Rolling Stone what his favourite song of his is, instead questioning the breathless awe given to the Xtal producer: “There’s a lot of good stuff there. I’m not going to go on record and say that he’s overrated. I think I would be crucified for that. But I think it’s just techie drums. People could just program drums on a computer for the first time.”
Marie Davidson
French-Canadian musician and producer Marie Davidson serves cutting commentary on rave culture, capitalism, big tech and more atop industrial, Soulwax-approved beats for a coy take on club music. She’s the trickster of this bunch. While Aphex Twin avoided making political statements with his art beyond poking fun at pop culture, Davidson takes our dystopian reality to task with pointed sarcasm and dark synths that cut through the noise. Just as James pushed against the bounds of what dance music could sound like, Davidson continually questions its purpose, bringing it back to radical roots, with all the weight of the 21st century wrapped up in it.
Davidson has been putting out heady, campy and all-around sharp electronic music since 2015’s Un Autre Voyage but it was her Polaris Prize-nominated Ninja Tune debut Working Class Woman in 2018 and the propulsive Soulwax edit of Work It that made her a dance music heavyweight.

Her latest album, City Of Clowns, her first for Soulwax’s DeeWee (the Dewaele brothers also co-produced the album) sees her embracing technology like no one else today, wearing its shiny costume for a campy dark comedy that’s all too resonant. She found inspiration in scholar Shoshana Zuboff’s 700-page manifesto about tech companies’ control over our lives, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism — intellectual dance music anyone? — yet had fun with it, reminding us of the clownery that is late-stage capitalism. On Demolition she embodies the hungry ghost we can’t seem to ever truly opt out of: “By the way, I don’t want your cash, no / What I want is you / I want your data, data, baby.”
Authentically Plastic
Authentically Plastic is the answer to “What if we queered Aphex Twin?” The non-binary Ugandan artist is making some of the hardest, most inventive dance music out there, incorporating African genres like Tanzanian singeli and South African gqom with industrial techno. They are reuniting techno with its Afrofuturist roots, centering it in Africa, for queer, gender-expansive beings. Community is essential to their artistry.

The Anti-Fun producer launched a queer artist collective and party, ANTI-MASS, in their hometown of Kampala in 2018, a vital and transgressive space in a country where homosexuality is punishable by death. They put out their first release alongside ANTI-MASS residents Nsasi and Turkana in 2021, dropped their anticipated debut album on Kampala’s Hakuna Kulala in 2022, and put out the banging Soul Clench EP last October. While Authentically Plastic’s catalogue is slimmer than the others on this list, it perhaps packs the most punch and colours the furthest outside the lines.
“I produce because the things I want to hear, I don’t really find anywhere else — at least not on most record labels,” Authentically Plastic recently said. “Four-on-the-floor techno has become dominant, and because it’s so powerful and widespread, it has tended to suppress other possible forms of techno. What I’m trying to do with Raw Space is create space for other potential forms of techno to emerge. Mostly, I do this by engaging with traditional rhythms and scales that are very different. It’s inspired by Kadodi, a form of ritualistic music from Eastern Uganda, as well as some music from Northern Uganda.”
This is mind-bending music representing the anxiety of oppression, of a vital need to shake off its weight in community, until a new future is born. We sure need it.
The post Who is the next Aphex Twin? Meet the producers warping the future of electronic music appeared first on MusicTech.

AIR Music Tech Multiband Filterbank is FREE Again for a Limited Time
AIR Music Technology offers the Multiband Filterbank as a free plugin once again, this time available for a limited time as part of the Force Plugin Giveaway. AIR Multiband Filterbank was originally launched in November 2024 (you can read BPB’s news article here). It is a powerful multiband filter plugin for desktop DAWs and MPC/Force [...]
View post: AIR Music Tech Multiband Filterbank is FREE Again for a Limited Time

Korg’s multi/poly plugin is a virtual analogue powerhouse$199 ($149 intro pricing until March 31)
$49 crossgrade license for hardware owners
korg.com
Korg has expanded its range of softsynths with multi/poly native, a plugin version of the recently-released virtual analogue synthesizer, which is available in keyboard and rack versions.

READ MORE: Scaler 3 is packed with music theory power, but is it still too niche?

Its design draws inspiration from a Korg fan favourite, the paraphonic Mono/Poly synth from 1981. Although not as well known as the Moog Prodigy or the Sequential Circuits Pro One, the Mono/Poly was certainly ahead of its time, with four oscillators, two LFOs, and innovative additions like oscillator sync and cross modulation. With the multi/poly, however, Korg has branched out from this framework to create a powerful virtual analogue synth engine.

While its interface seems immense at first, multi/poly native is actually intuitive and simple to navigate. The layout design is impressive, immediately giving a complete overview of all four synth layers from the home Play screen. While the depth of features may overwhelm beginners, perseverance will be rewarded as you proceed to get your head around the Edit section.

As you’ll swiftly find out, multi/poly native is designed to create an endless range of multifaceted, expressive sounds. Whether you’re a skilled keyboard player, or you prefer to build evolving loops with a step sequencer, multi/poly offers a platform to explore sound creation on your terms.
Using the Korg multi/poly native
Running as a plugin in your DAW, or in standalone mode, there isn’t a single right way to dive into multi/poly native. Connect your favourite MIDI keyboard controller and treat it like a hardware instrument, or slot it straight into your usual in-the-box music production workflow, layering elements to build soundscapes.
Although it may not be the most glamorous or exciting move, the fastest way to explore the capabilities for the multi/poly native is to dive headlong into the patch library. As you explore, you discover a wealth of well-crafted sounds that instantly spark inspiration. The Librarian differentiates between Performances that can contain multi-layer presets with per-layer keyboard zone data and Programs that are specific to each layer. This distinction is fundamental in learning to use the multi/poly native, as the Modulation List, Main Effects, Kaoss Physics, and Arpeggiator settings all work globally across every layer. Meanwhile, each of the four individual layers has its own sequencer and effects section allowing you to get the most from every crafted sound.

Once you understand the basics of the global Performance and per-layer Program features, you start to get a picture of how balanced the multi/poly is as an instrument. When focusing on sound creation, the possibilities are endless, starting with a choice of either classic oscillator waveforms, digital wavetables, or Korg’s unique West-Coast style waveshapers for creating unique, animated harmonic sounds with wavefolding capabilities.
As with most virtual analogue synths, the workflow within the multi/poly’s Synthesis section moves along from the sound source to a filter section. Here, the versatile dual filter has a wide range of filter models including classics like the MS-20, Prophet-5 and Minimoog, while the mixer section lets you pan and balance the oscillators, ring modulator, and noise across the stereo mix. Just like the original Mono/Poly, there are Sync and X-Mod functions for creating classic phasing leads and lush wide pads. Also, special analogue modeling features provide a range of VCA models and the Drift & Voice Variation section gives you detailed controls for adjusting analogue drift in different areas. This allows you to simulate an out-of-the-box analogue synth, or one that is slightly wonky and in need of a service.
Advanced sound creation with the Korg multi/poly plugin
There are areas where the multi/poly truly shines in comparison to similar synth plugins. For one thing, its modulation capabilities are extensive, as each layer has a modulation section (the darker area below the Synthesis part of the interface). Using drag and drop you can access the Kaoss Physics section, the envelopes, LFOs, keyboard tracking, modulation processors, and the sequencer to control almost any parameter.

But things really get interesting when you discover multi/poly’s sequencer. With Korg’s Motion Sequencing 2.0, the timing, pitch, shape, and four sets of step sequence values are all separated into independent ‘lanes’. Each lane can have a different number of steps, and can be randomised and modulated to create unique results every time they play. While the learning curve is somewhat steeper here, the creative possibilities and potential for happy mistakes make it all worthwhile. Even once you’re comfortable with the sequencer and modulation options, there are still four layers to expand your ideas across and a range of dynamics, modulation, and delay effects per layer.
Is Korg multi/poly native worth buying?
The multi/poly native is a complex, highly expressive virtual analogue beast that stands out vividly in a sea of other options. With its well-designed interface, you are always in control, even when using all four of the synthesis layers. If you’ve used other legendary virtual analogue synths like the Virus TI or the Nord Lead, you’ll be astonished how well multi/poly measures up, especially if you’re using both the plugin and the hardware version. The way the plugin lets you easily set up performances and customise keyboard splits makes it the perfect companion for live musicians using the multi/poly keyboard or module in their rigs.
Meanwhile, new users will enjoy the fact that you can do anything from recreating classic synths to building intricate digital morphing soundscapes. Once you’ve got your head around the interface, sound design workflow is a breeze, which makes multi/poly native an inspiring and engaging instrument to use.
It outshines its closest rival, Pigments, in many areas. For example, the sequencer is more advanced, and the fact that it exists as a hardware instrument gives the multi/poly native appeal to live musicians, rather than being exclusively a sound design platform.
Although the sequencer and deeper modulation features are trickier to master, multi/poly native is actually incredibly straightforward. It allows you to get under the hood of most sounds without reaching for the manual.
Key features

Plugin version of multi/poly hardware
Detailed modelling of classic analogue synths
VST3, AU, AAX and standalone app
4-layer multitimbrality
Wide range of wavetable and waveshaper oscillators
Motion Sequencing 2.0
Per-layer and global effects sections
Keyboard split editing

The post Korg’s multi/poly plugin is a virtual analogue powerhouse appeared first on MusicTech.

Universal Audio releases A-Type Multiband Dynamic Enhancer for Apollo and UAD hardware
Universal Audio has released the A-Type Multiband Dynamic Enhancer, a new UAD-exclusive plugin for Apollo interfaces and UAD hardware that brings vintage vocal processing magic into modern mixes. If you’ve ever wondered how classic rock vocals from artists like Queen, Fleetwood Mac, and Journey managed to leap out of the mix with clarity and presence, [...]
View post: Universal Audio releases A-Type Multiband Dynamic Enhancer for Apollo and UAD hardware

PSPaudioware introduce PSP DRC plug-in PSP DRC promises to provide users with an essential tool for modern music production, and boasts some advanced processing capabilities that are seldom found in contemporary hardware or software.

Reverse reverb: What it is and how to use it
Learn about what reverse reverb is and see how you can apply it to your own vocals (or any other sound of your choice).

From dorm room to Splice: How music production became my superpower
Andrea LeClerc shares her journey in music and discusses how Splice helped her take control of her creativity.

Honey, I Blew Up The Line Follower RobotSome readers may recall building a line-following robot during their school days. Involving some IR LEDs, perhaps a bit of LEGO, and plenty of trial-and-error, it was fun on a tiny scale. Now imagine that—but rideable. That’s exactly what [Austin Blake] did, scaling up a classroom robotics staple into a full-size vehicle you can actually sit on.
The robot uses a whopping 32 IR sensors to follow a black line across a concrete workshop floor, adjusting its path using a steering motor salvaged from a power wheelchair. An Arduino Mega Pro Mini handles the logic, sending PWM signals to a DIY servo. The chassis consists of a modified Crazy Cart, selected for its absurdly tight turning radius. With each prototype iteration, [Blake] improved sensor precision and motor control, turning a bumpy ride into a smooth glide.
The IR sensor array, which on the palm-sized vehicle consisted of just a handful of components, evolved into a PCB-backed bar nearly 0.5 meters wide. Potentiometer tuning was a fiddly affair, but worth it. Crashes? Sure. But the kind that makes you grin like your teenage self. If it looks like fun, you could either build one yourself, or upgrade a similar LEGO project.

Spotify says support for external payments on iOS has already boosted subscriptionsSpotify says its ability to direct its customers to external payment links in its iOS app has already had a positive impact on sales. In a newly filed amicus brief in support of Epic Games in its ongoing legal battle with Apple over external payments on the App Store, Spotify claims its internal data indicates […]

New Spotify Upcoming Releases hub powered by Countdown PagesThe new Spotify Upcoming Releases hub is dedicated to highlighting soon-to-be-released albums. It's powered by Countdown Pages and is designed to build new release discovery and momentum.
The post New Spotify Upcoming Releases hub powered by Countdown Pages appeared first on Hypebot.

Royalties generated by German artists on Spotify reached $520m in 2024, up 17%Germany is among the leading countries in Europe in the popularity of local-language music
Source

Lutefish’s New Device Aims to Solve the Biggest Problem in Remote Music CollaborationMinnesota-based music tech company Lutefish aims to make online music collaboration easier, better, and more musical. Founded by musicians who know the pain of laggy jam sessions and clunky digital tools, the company has just launched the Lutefish Stream, a new device designed to tackle one of the biggest challenges in the world of remote music-making: latency.Unlike traditional software-based solutions, the Lutefish Stream is a plug-and-play hardware device that connects directly to your router via Ethernet. It streams ultra-low-latency 48K audio in real time, offering musicians the ability to rehearse, write, or jam together from hundreds of miles apart—as if they were in the same room. With latency as low as 30–35 milliseconds, it’s fast enough to make tight, real-time collaboration possible.A statement from the company notes that the device was “created by musicians, for musicians,” and is designed to “make it easier than ever to rehearse, jam, and create music together across distances (up to 500 miles apart).”But Lutefish didn’t stop at just solving the latency problem. This week, the company introduced a new feature for the Stream: the In-Session Metronome, designed to help musicians stay in sync, without stepping on anyone’s creative toes.A statement from the company discloses that the metronome allows users to “stay perfectly in time while jamming remotely,” with customizable tempo, volume, and sound options. Importantly, only the user who activates it hears it, preserving the organic flow of a live session without introducing a distracting global click.“Rhythm is critical when you’re making music,” said Patrick Finn, business manager at Lutefish. “With the Stream, and now the in-session metronome, we’re giving musicians tools that make online collaboration not just possible, but musical, connected, and fun.”The metronome supports a range of features typically found in professional studio tools: adjustable tempo from 30 to 252 BPM, multiple sound types (including click, wood block, and cowbell), and on-the-fly activation. Whether you're locking in a groove or working through a complex time signature, the feature is built to give musicians more control without disrupting the group’s vibe.The Lutefish Stream also supports professional audio gear, including microphones, instruments, and mixers. Its design skips the need for complicated software installs or unreliable wireless connections, making it a practical solution for musicians at any level who want to collaborate more often and more effectively.Lutefish describes itself as “more than a company—we’re a community of musicians driven by a shared passion for creativity, innovation, and the power of music.” That ethos is embedded in its mission to break down the barriers that prevent musicians from making music together—whether they live across the street or across the state.If remote collaboration has felt frustrating, impersonal, or just plain impossible, Lutefish’s Stream might be a game-changer. It’s not just about playing together; it’s about making the experience feel authentic again.More information is available at www.lutefish.com.The post Lutefish’s New Device Aims to Solve the Biggest Problem in Remote Music Collaboration first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

NITO study of 20 shows found $6.2M in ticket reseller profitAn analysis of 20 concerts in Maryland showed $6.2M in ticket reseller profit above original face value. The study was conducted by NITO (National Independent Talent Association) at the request of Maryland State Attorney General's Office.
The post NITO study of 20 shows found $6.2M in ticket reseller profit appeared first on Hypebot.

Fracture Sounds release FREE Electric Strings for Kontakt Player
Developer Fracture Sounds has released Blueprint: Electric Strings, their latest free vintage string synth for Kontakt Player. In my last post, I incorrectly stated that the excellent cinematic library, Arrival, was compatible with the free Kontakt Player, and it’s not (I convinced myself that Pianobook libraries were always compatible). If any of you have read [...]
View post: Fracture Sounds release FREE Electric Strings for Kontakt Player

Engineer Michael B. Tretow – an “eternal part of the ABBA sound” – dies at 80Michael B. Tretow, an audio engineer who worked extensively with ABBA – and was often called the group’s ‘fifth member’ – has died aged 80.
In light of the news, all four members of the Swedish pop powerhouse have issued emotional tributes praising Tretow’s role in crafting the ABBA sound over the course of their career.

READ MORE: Zeds Dead sampled a century of sound to create their new sci-fi bass odyssey

In a collective post on the ABBA Facebook page, Björn Ulvaeus says Tretow’s “importance for ABBA cannot be overstated”, adding: “He was curious and always willing to try new paths. It could be anything from the latest tech to a sound he had heard somewhere.
“Without his thoroughness and talent, our songs would not be played as much as they are to this day.”
Benny Andersson adds: “You meant more to the four of us in ABBA than any other person. I hope and think that you felt that throughout the years when working (and laughing non-stop) in the studio.
“Our music lives on as it seems, and you are the one who made it sound timeless. You were a fantastic inspirer and bringer of happiness. And the finest sound engineer the world has ever seen.”
Meanwhile, Frida describes Tretow as an “eternal part of the ABBA sound”, while Agnetha Fältskog notes: “You were not in good shape at all, but your laughs and your sense of humour were still ever so present.
“So many wonderful memories are with us. Your encouraging words during the recordings meant a lot. We are sad now, such a unique and talented person has left us.
Michael B. Tretow worked on all but one of ABBA’s albums, 2021’s Voyage. He also worked on Chess, a musical with music from Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and created numerous jingles for Swedish radio television.
While Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus share production credits on ABBA’s albums, it’s widely thought that Tretow – always listed as an engineer – played a key role in creating the ‘ABBA sound‘.

In their own words. Michael B. Tretow, ABBA's sound engineer throughout their career, has left us. He will be fondly remembered.Photo credit: TT
Posted by ABBA on Wednesday, May 21, 2025

The post Engineer Michael B. Tretow – an “eternal part of the ABBA sound” – dies at 80 appeared first on MusicTech.