Beach Boys creative leader and pop music pioneer Brian Wilson dies at 82Brian Wilson, bandleader of iconic California pop band the Beach Boys, has died aged 82.
His passing was confirmed by his family in an Instagram post made on Wednesday (11 June).
“We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved father Brian Wilson has passed away,” the post reads. “We are at a loss for words right now. Please respect our privacy at this time as our family is grieving. We realize that we are sharing our grief with the world.”

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Born in Inglewood, California in 1942, Wilson founded the Beach Boys alongside his brothers Dennis and Carl, their cousin Mike Love and friend Al Jardine. Brian was the creative brains behind many of the band’s biggest hits.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential bands in pop music history, the Beach Boys had hits with the likes of Wouldn’t It Be Nice, God Only Knows and Surfin’ U.S.A.
The band have released 29 studio albums over the course of their over-60-year career, perhaps none more significant, though, than 1966’s Pet Sounds. Produced almost entirely by Brian Wilson, it’s regarded by many as one of the greatest records of all time, featuring the likes of Wouldn’t It Be Nice and God Only Knows.

This is a breaking story and is being updated.
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Teenage Engineering gives its TX-6, TP-7 and CM-15 a matte-black makeoverBack in May at Superbooth, Teenage Engineering revealed that three products in its Field System range would be undergoing a dark makeover.
A month on, the brand new matte-black versions of the TP-7 recorder, TX-6 mixer and CM-15 microphone are finally available to purchase. The Field System range has previously only been available in aluminium silver, with the exception of the OP-XY sequencer.

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Regardless of what aesthetic you’re going for, the gear is pretty powerful. The TX-6 is a 6-channel stereo mixer, with a 32-bit/48kHz USB audio interface. It’s got built-in EQ, compressor, and digital effects too, as well as a synth, sequencer and even had a DJ mixer mode. Both black and aluminium silver versions cost £1,049.
The CM-15 microphone sits at the exact same price point, costing £1,049. The mic is a battery-powered condenser microphone with a built-in preamp and AD converter, boasting mini XLR, 3.5mm and USB-C outputs. The TP-7 field recorder is a bit pricier at £1,299, with of 128GB multitrack recording space that can capture 96kHz/48-bit audio.

While the sleek design will pair perfectly with an all-black studio, the Field System range prides itself in being ultra-portable. So, even if you’re not so fussy on the colour of your kit, the Field Range is worth considering if you’re regularly working on the go.
The new look was perhaps foreshadowed back in November, when the OP-XY sequencer was revealed with a black body and black/aluminium silver gradient buttons.
“We dare to say it’s probably the most complete, portable sequencer ever built,” Teenage Engineering claimed at the time. “It’s here, it’s real, it’s black. And it’s got so much more than you’ve wished for.”
As it stands, now only one piece of the Field System range is not available in black. Nothing has been confirmed, but its possible that the OP–1 all-in-one synth could follow suit and get its own dark look in future.
That being said, the OP-1 may receive its makeover after Teenage Engineering completes its ‘set your own price’ sales campaign. As it stands, you can use a slider to pick a price anywhere between £1,399 and £9,999 for the synth. Though, why you’d go for the higher end, we’re not so sure.
To find out more information, head to Teenage Engineering.
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“I’ve always thought of it as a tapestry. A visual puzzle”: Luxxury needs to visualise music to nurture creativity – here’s whyDespite music being an audio art form first and foremost, Luxxury has long relied on visual elements for creativity.
“The way I was built was – even though it’s music – I had to see on the page what all the ideas were so I could allocate them properly. I’ve always thought of it as a tapestry. A visual puzzle,” Luxxury, real name Blake Robin, says in the new episode of MusicTech‘s My Forever Studio podcast, made in partnership with Audient.

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Robin has been producing music since the earliest days of Pro Tools, but before he got his hands on his first DAW and started producing his summery, feel-good dance music, he was recording ideas on his guitar into a four-track recorder. After a while, he had audio of 30 tapes with 50 riffs each, but he had no concept of what to do with them.
“I didn’t know how to take these ideas and string them together and make something complete out of them,” Robin says.
Soon after that, he spent $1000 on a Digi001, Digidesign’s first consumer-grade Pro Tools system, even though he didn’t know how to use it. “I looked at Pro Tools and I looked at the tapes and I was like, ‘How does this become that?’”
Robin found an ad on Craigslist from someone offering to help set up home studios. Her name was Patty Boss, and she digitally arranged Robin’s tapes into an audio file within Pro Tools. This allowed Robin to visualise each idea.
“My first batch of material came from the computer enabling my brain to find songs in all these ideas floating around,” Robin says. He then took his favourites and made them into one tape entitled BBTALL, for Best Bits Together At Long Last. He drove around listening to that tape, and from there he pieced together different ideas into his first productions.
Listen to the full episode of My Forever Studio with Luxxury below:

The post “I’ve always thought of it as a tapestry. A visual puzzle”: Luxxury needs to visualise music to nurture creativity – here’s why appeared first on MusicTech.

Ultra Caro talks self-producing ethereal pop with vintage synths, and life after PC MusicPC Music fans might know Ultra Caro for her dreamy and wispy lead vocals with the neo-shoegaze band, Planet 1999, and for her collaborations with Charli XCX and Hannah Diamond. But even before PC Music was archived, the French-born, London-based artist had ventured on a self-produced solo project that’s poised to continue reshaping alt-pop. On her new double-single counting sheep — and in a string of upcoming releases — Ultra Caro blends ethereal synths, booming 808s, hyperpop vocals and shoegaze guitars, made mostly from the comfort of her bedroom.
In this edition of Studio Files, Ultra Caro waxes poetic on DIY music-making, explains why she’s trading plugins for vintage hardware, and shares the career-defining lesson she’s carried with her since her teens.

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Ultra Caro, you just released counting sheep — what was your general approach to the production of this EP and your upcoming album?
I focused less on the production in this body of work; it felt complete with a minimalistic set of elements. That minimalism is the production stance, I’d say.
I was more into capturing a vibe and less concerned with making things sound slick. I love DIY of any kind — even in terms of mixing, it’s becoming harder for me to get stuff mixed by someone else, even if I appreciate hearing what another set of ears makes of one of my tracks. But I’ve realised that I’m more into tracks which are mixed surprisingly, like some elements being too loud or upfront for no reason, or chaotic walls of sound.

There have been so many era-defining female artists and producers in the hyper-pop space, such as Indigo De Souza, SOPHIE and Charli XCX. How do you work to ensure your sound remains explicitly yours?
Yes, there are a lot of influential women out there, and that’s great. There’s still a long way to go — women music producers represent a tiny, tiny minority. I don’t think it’s necessarily a conscious choice for me to self-produce for that reason, but I do think about this extra layer of motivation at times. I’ve always admired people who produced their own work, because that’s how you get to the singular stuff; that’s how you make something unexpected, when you trust your instinct.
It’s important that women get to express themselves because music production is such a fun thing to do. But also because it offers such a rich set of tools to convey a point of view, an atmosphere, an emotional, intimate world…And I want to know what women think, feel and imagine.
Image: Press
Tell us a bit about your studio.
My studio is in Hackney Wick, London. But I still work a lot from my bedroom, honestly.
My vintage hardware is at home, but it’s nice to have two different environments to work on music in. I often get inspired in my bedroom at night still, and I use the studio more as a time to focus on mixing, or cleaning tracks, my samples — more for the ‘rational layer’ of it. I also use the studio for collaborations, it feels less heavy than being at home when I don’t know someone too well or when I want to explore another type of vibe. My home studio is my nest; it’s where I get into my little bubble, so I’m conscious of what I let in.
What’s your latest gear or plugin purchase?
I bought the plugin Permut8 because it’s been recommended to me by two producers I worked with recently. I haven’t gotten around to using it much yet, so most of what I do with it is very random still, but I like plugins which are creative and surprising; you don’t know what you’re going to get, but they transform whatever audio into something exciting that gives you more ideas.
I’ve had a similar plugin to Permut8, which is Sinevibes’ Fraction. I often run audio through it, bounce and then chop away little elements that I store in a bank of samples to use in different stuff. It’s a super sleek sound, and it can also be interesting for transitions or inspiring rhythmic patterns. I’ve run entire songs into it and it’s given me great soundscapes to build upon to make something else.
Fraction plugin. Image: Press
Ethereal textures are very prominent throughout your music, especially in tracks like moonrise. How are you building these sonic textures?
In moonrise, I tweaked a preset from Synapse Audio’s Dune. I also used three Moog filters by Universal Audio to create the phasing, EQ and distortion effects. When I choose a main sound to start a track with, I don’t consciously make a choice; I go for what I find soothing.
For my recent stuff, I use a Roland JV-2080 rack. There are so many gorgeous presets, and I’m very attached to the chorus within it. I also appreciate being ‘limited’ like that and having that strong sonic identity from this machine on my current songs. There are so many VSTs out there, a lot of good ones, but recently I’ve stopped being so inspired by them, and switched to vintage synths, or using my voice a lot, as chops or textures. It also brings a lot of shininess/noisiness, and I like that a lot.
Roland JV-2080. Image: Press
Much of your work aims to encapsulate landscapes or fantasies from your childhood. How challenging is it to turn these physical places into sounds?
My first impulse when I make music is never really intellectual. I naturally converge towards this kind of scenery, musically. Sometimes I think that it’s also inspiring that I don’t live in the south of France anymore. I love London so much, but I guess I will always fantasise about the still haven that has been frozen in my brain when I think about that place. I don’t go back that regularly physically, but mentally I go often. It’s a sort of longing, but also maybe it comes from a desire to experience all of this in a different dimension, which is properly mine. Because in reality, I’m not nostalgic, and I don’t aspire to the stillness of the environment I grew up in. If anything, I’m running away from it, but I guess it haunts me also.
Image: Press
What’s a music production myth you think needs debunking?
Like a lot of producers nowadays, I’m self-taught, so I don’t know that much about ‘industry standards’. I know that I like imperfect mixes and gritty sounding things — I’d say that I get quite bored by things which are too ‘clean’. It’s good to try to randomise productions or give them more grit by purposefully deteriorating or tweaking some elements. I keep finding these super compressed/distorted tracks on Spotify, mostly cloud rap leaning sort of stuff, and I can’t explain how much I love that.
SP-404SX. Image: Press
Who gave you the biggest lesson in your career? Can you tell us about how it impacted you?
I remember doing a singing audition when I was a teenager, and at the end, the examiner said to me, “You look nice, you sing well, but you’re standing there like you want us to love you. And that’s not what an artist does. An artist doesn’t expect to receive; an artist is here to give.”
I’ve always remembered that — it works for everything, because it talks about generosity but also self-confidence, doing things that you self-validate and stand by, and accepting that what you do might not bring you what you expect, but you should respect and offer your talent anyway. And if it’s not, it shouldn’t affect your performance or whatever you’re crafting. You do it with a different intention in mind. And I think about that for everything, including music production.
I always wonder, “Am I trying to show off? Am I trying to be accepted into whatever scene I like by making something similar to what the people I admire are doing? Or am I doing this because that’s what I really want to do and because it’s an honest representation of who I am, what I truly like and what I stand for?”.
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26 new Live Music Society grants to small venues top $765,000Live Music Society has announced a new round of grants to 26 small performance venues. Recipients of these Music in Action Live Music Society grants will cumulatively receive $765,500 to support innovative li programming.
The post 26 new Live Music Society grants to small venues top $765,000 appeared first on Hypebot.

ZAK Sound Nebula KeysNebula Keys is built from a warm, characterful German upright piano. Recorded close and softly, it includes two layers—Core and Drift—along with 44 expressive presets that explore acoustic, lo-fi, cinematic, and ambient textures. Content: 2 piano layers: Core & Drift. 44 handcrafted presets. 870MB installation size. Requires Raizes Player (included). Read More

Acrobatics updates the FREE EGO Pad Groove Operator instrument for Windows
The EGO Pad Groove Operator instrument by Acrobatics is a free groove operator instrument for Windows that has been around for several years and is now in version 2.5.2. Acrobatics is the developer behind releases like the Alieno virtual synth and the Forbice stereo auto-filter plugin. (BPB covered Forbice way back in 2012). BPB was [...]
View post: Acrobatics updates the FREE EGO Pad Groove Operator instrument for Windows

TikTok for Artists Guide: Features, Benefits and Why It MattersTikTok just launched a free new tool that helps artists track their music and grow faster. From song stats to fan insights, here's the rundown on How TikTok For Artists can boost your career.
The post TikTok for Artists Guide: Features, Benefits and Why It Matters appeared first on Hypebot.

Tilr releases REEV-R, a FREE convolution reverb plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux
Tilr is a name we’ve heard multiple times this year, and it seems that one of 2025’s busiest plugin developers isn’t slowing down as they have just released REEV-R, a free convolution reverb plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Since February, Tilr has given us Time1 and Gate1, Time-12 and Gate-12, and the very impressive [...]
View post: Tilr releases REEV-R, a FREE convolution reverb plugin for macOS, Windows, and Linux

Majetone release Dream Kit: Zenith Majetone have recently announced the launch of a new virtual instrument that offers a new take on drums, reimagining the drum kit as a fully chromatic, synthesizer-style sound source.

The TAPEoPLEX is Heritage Audio’s plugin version of the iconic Echoplex tape delay Heritage Audio has unveiled its latest vintage plugin emulation, the TAPEoPLEX. It seeks to mimic the sound of the legendary Maestro Echoplex EP-1, which was originally released in 1961 and used by Brian May, Jimmy Page, and other music icons. The model went over so well that two ensuing versions, the EP-2 and EP-3, were also released.

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The plugin’s interface has been designed to reflect the original hardware, with controls for Echo Time, Echo Repeats, and Echo Volume. There is also an overall input level and two-band EQ for greater frequency control. With this extensive functionality, the plugin hopes to offer users the wide-ranging sound expansions that made the original model so universally adored.
However, in the new digital format, TAPEoPLEX also offers features that the original machine doesn’t. This version’s delay operates in stereo rather than just mono, with individual delay time controls for each side of the mix. Plus, the plugin can simulate wear on the tape to get that authentic analog sound in the exact desired levels via distortion and colour levels.
“We are proud to announce the availability in native form of the Heritage TAPEoPLEX tape delay plugin. Based on the beloved vintage tape delay used by everyone from Eddie Van Halen to Brian May, Jimmy Page, Neil Young, and many others, the Heritage TAPEoPLEX just nails the sound of the most famous tape echo unit of all time,” Heritage Audio writes on Instagram. “Ranging from soft and clean delays to distorted repeats that lead to self-oscillation, the warmth and space that the TAPEoPLEX adds to your tracks is unmatched by any tape delay plugin in the market.”

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TAPEoPLEX is available for €99.00/$99.00 and is free for owners of any of Heritage Audio’s i73 PRO audio interfaces. Far cheaper than paying $1750 for buying a used original version.
In other news, Heritage Audio recently unveiled the P.LANE Type 436, reviving a classic compressor used by The Beatles.
Learn more at Heritage Audio.
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Wu-Tang Clan are releasing their own video game – and it looks very, very funLegendary rap outfit Wu-Tang Clan are releasing their own video game: Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver.
According to a description in the game’s official teaser trailer, the premise is as follows: “You’ve been called to battle back the forces of an invading, corrupting force – the Deceiver. You and your friends will fight alongside the Wu-Tang Clan, calling on their powerful skills and timeless wisdom to restore Shaolin to a beacon of hope, community, and prosperity.”

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The game will see Wu-Tang MC Ghostface Killah sending players on their mission, in which they’ll also rescue other MCs while customising their fighting style and earning outfits inspired by the group’s trendsetting taste. Check out the teaser trailer below:

 
As players engage in this adventure, they will listen to classic songs from Wu-Tang Clan in addition to a brand new soundtrack curated by the celebrated hip-hop producer, Just Blaze.
“I’ve actually gotten to reimagine the catalog in a space that is larger than life. A lot of times, when it comes to trying to make a record, you’re stuck within a certain format. With this, you can really stretch out. And just really let the music take you on a journey,” Just Blaze tells Rolling Stone. “This project is very much a love letter to hip-hop culture and to Wu in general. I wanted to make sure that we featured some of the lesser-known songs for the hardcore fans, like Bizarre by U-God or Dexbeat or Elevation.”
Wu-Tang: Rise of the Deceiver is an accompaniment to Angel of Dust, an upcoming horror film produced by Ghostface Killah and directed and scored by RZA. At the end of the teaser trailer for the game, the title logo is struck by a lightning bolt and transmuted into a hooded figure with thick black wings, presented to look like the iconic Wu-Tang “W”.
“Creating Angel Of Dust has been an incredible journey,” Ghostface Killah says. “Bringing the story to life through film was just the beginning. Now, with the development of the video game, we are immersing fans even deeper into this supernatural thriller universe. It’s about blending music, storytelling, and interactive experience. I can’t wait for fans to step into the darkness and discover what lies beneath.”
Wu-Tang: Rise Of The Deceiver will be available on both console and PC, though no release date has been confirmed at the time of writing. For more info, head to the Steam Store.
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AI storage platform Vast Data aimed for $25B valuation in new round, sources sayThe AI-friendly data storage startup is raising capital at a giant leap in valuation.

Universal Audio's Apollo E Series is Now Shipping WorldwideUniversal Audio, a leader in music and audio production tools with over 60 years of innovation under its belt, has officially begun shipping the Apollo E Series worldwide. The new series includes the Apollo e1x Remote‑Controllable Unison Preamp and the Apollo e2m Stereo Headphone Amplifier and Line Interface, both designed to seamlessly integrate with Dante-networked systems.The company first announced the Apollo E Series in March 2025, positioning it as an extension of the Apollo x16D interface and a powerful addition to networked environments such as live sound, broadcast, and multi-room studios. A statement from Universal Audio explains that the E Series “expands the capabilities of Dante‑networked audio systems and the Apollo x16D audio interface, allowing engineers to seamlessly integrate Unison preamp emulation, personal monitoring and UAD plug-in processing.”Both new units are designed with flexibility and efficiency in mind. Built for mic stand mounting and powered via Power over Ethernet (PoE), they function as streamlined “network endpoints,” making deployment across various locations more convenient than ever.Apollo e1x Remote‑controllable Unison PreampAt a MAP of $399 USD, the Apollo e1x brings UA’s renowned Unison mic preamp emulations—including iconic sounds from API, Neve, Manley, and SSL—to the Dante ecosystem. According to the release, users can now “expand any Dante network with remote‑controlled mic/line preamps using Power over Ethernet (PoE).”Designed to work seamlessly with the Apollo x16D interface, the e1x allows users to access vintage preamp tone without needing to rack up physical hardware. “Combine with Apollo x16D interface to get the authentic Unison mic preamp sounds of API, Avalon, Manley, Neve, SSL, and more,” the company states.Universal Audio also highlights physical integration: “Link multiple Apollo e1x units with included coupling bracket and integrated mic-stand mount,” offering engineers a modular and scalable preamp solution for any Dante-connected environment.Apollo e2m Stereo Headphone Amp and Line InterfaceThe Apollo e2m, priced at $499 MAP, acts as a flexible personal monitoring station and stereo line interface. “Apollo e2m is the perfect companion to the Apollo x16D interface,” the release notes, calling it “a sleek ‘endpoint’ on any Dante audio network.”With the e2m, engineers and performers can easily connect headphones, IEMs, powered monitors or wedges, as well as external gear like analog mic preamps, synths, drum machines, and playback devices. UA emphasizes its flexibility: “Use Power over Ethernet (PoE) and built-in mic-stand mount to place Apollo e2m anywhere monitoring is needed.”When used alongside the e1x and Apollo x16D, the Apollo e2m rounds out a “complete I/O solution on Dante networks.”Learn more about Apollo E Series:uaudio.com/products/apollo-e1xuaudio.com/products/apollo-e2mThe post Universal Audio's Apollo E Series is Now Shipping Worldwide first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Tonograph EQ from Atomic Analog Atomic Analog have announced that the Tonograph 500-series EQ module they launched in Janurary 2025 is now available in the UK via Make Noise Pro Audio.