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It was a great year for synthesizers and drum machines. Here are my picks for the best gear and software of 2025. Another year come and gone. As a music technology journalist, I got to spend every day of it steeped in new releases. Synthesizers, both hard and soft, drum machines, effects units. You name it, I covered it. And while there were many, many good releases this year, some especially stood out. These are the ones that quickened my pulse, put a smile on my face, and made me happy to have the job that I do. This is my list of the best gear and software of 2025, presented in no particular order... The post The Best Gear and Software of 2025: My 7 Highlights of the Year appeared first on gearnews.com. View the full article

Finding the best music production software usually starts with one simple question: what part of your process needs the most support right now? If you are scoring a film, you might need a sampler for expressive, realistic instruments. If your mix needs more breathing room, a dedicated piece of mixing software can speed up tough decisions. You might even want one full suite that covers songwriting, sound design, and final mix in a single place. Native Instruments (which includes iZotope and Plugin Alliance) offers a huge ecosystem of plugins that supports every stage of production. These plugins can move you from early ideation all the way to a polished master. This guide brings the best options together so you can find the right music production software for any workflow. If you want to work faster, sound more polished, or jumpstart the songwriting process, you will find plenty of useful VST plugins right here. Let’s take a look at the best music production software from Native Instruments, including iZotope and Plugin Alliance... The post The best music production software from Native Instruments first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

About AloreyaAloreya transforms electronic energy into something soft and emotional. Her sound blends melodic trance, warmth and light – music about awakening, strength, and the moment you truly feel yourself again. Every song begins with emotion – to feel, to dance, to connect. A sound that moves – between depth, energy and pure emotion. Aloreya 💜 | where trance meets emotion Out of the SunFeel the light, shine inside 🌅 Now streaming everywhere 💜 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/OutOfTheSun 📷 Instagram: @aloreya.official 🎥 TikTok: @aloreya.official

About AloreyaAloreya transforms electronic energy into something soft and emotional. Her sound blends melodic trance, warmth and light – music about awakening, strength, and the moment you truly feel yourself again. Every song begins with emotion – to feel, to dance, to connect. A sound that moves – between depth, energy and pure emotion. Falling Light✨ Falling Light is out now. A quiet winter light — soft, warm, full of hope. Thank you for being here 💜 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://bit.ly/FallingLight_Aloreya

The holidays are fast approaching – and finding the perfect present for the DJ in your life can feel overwhelming. Don’t worry, we’ve compiled a list of the best gifts for DJs in 2025, so you can choose a memorable gift that they’ll actually use. Whether the creator on your list is an aspiring DJ just learning the ropes or a seasoned professional playing gigs and live streaming, this list of Native Instruments gifts for DJs has you covered... The post The best gifts for DJs in 2025 first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

Finding the right gift for someone creative can be surprisingly tough. You want to give something that feels meaningful and inspiring, but with so many options out there, it’s easy to get stuck. And if you’re shopping for a music producer or beatmaker, it can be even harder to know what they’ll actually love or use in their setup. That’s why we’ve put together this gift guide for music producers – a collection of presents that would balance creativity, practicality, and a bit of fun. These are the best gifts for music producers in 2025, from affordable music gifts under $50 to studio gear that can make them feel like maestros. And yes, they will actually use these... The post The best gifts for music producers in 2025 first appeared on Native Instruments Blog. View the full article

With just 5 days to go, the Party of Summer ’05 is on the brink of selling out. There are now fewer than 100 advance tickets left for Frantic’s 8th Birthday, this Saturday 13th August at Camden Palace. Tickets are disappearing fast — by the time you finish reading this, another one will be gone. We fully expect all advance tickets to sell out by Wednesday. A very limited number of tickets will be available on the door from 9pm. What’s just been added to the heaviest Hard House party in town:A brand new XTRA Funktion-One sound system in the Main Arena Brand new industrial fans in the Top Arena Hundreds of FREE CDs from Alex Kidd, Cally Gage and Andy Whitby for early arrivals Not one, not two, but FOUR massive balloon drops Three enormous lasers The entire stage draped in white, with exclusive Frantic visuals projected throughout the night From 9pm, every serious Hard House fan will be in full effect at our beloved Camden Palace. Clubbers are travelling in from across the UK, Europe, and even the USA to celebrate properly. Steve Hill is flying 12,000 miles from Sydney to tear the Main Room apart in true Frantic style. One of the Royal Boxes overlooking the Main Arena will be opened to the public for the first time ever at a Frantic event. The second Royal Box is up for grabs in a competition at harderfaster.net. View the eFlyer: www.franticuk.net/eflyers/frantic8th/ Last remaining advance tickets:Ticketweb – 08700 600 100 | ticketweb.co.uk Clubtickets – 0870 246 1840 | clubtickets.co.uk (Clubtickets offer 1 FREE ticket for every 5 purchased) Early arrival is strongly recommended — this is one you won’t want to miss a single second of. Massive thanks for the support over the last 8 incredible years. For last-minute ticket availability or queries: Frantic HQ – 07949 618 035 Email: amanda@franticuk.com

Nookie - Give a Little Love Origin Unknown - Valley of the Shadows I really used to love me Hardcore and Jungle!

Tuuuuuuuuuuuuune!!! And Zero B - Lock Up!!