Roland Articles

As a child in Tokyo, Keigo Oyamada watched Yellow Magic Orchestra turn avant-garde electronics into a national obsession. It was a lesson in the coexistence of experimental music and pop that would shape and in...

Hybrid drumming fuses the traditional acoustic drum set with the latest digital percussion technology, enabling players to perform with the electronic sounds and processed textures that drive modern music styles. Since 2003, Roland sampling pads and acoustic triggers have revolutionized this style, and they’re regularly used everywhe...

Positioned between Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zambia in Southeast Africa, the Republic of Malawi is one of the world’s least-developed nations, mired by a rural economy and landlocked location. It’s also a place of immense natural beauty and artistry. To musician and activist Chmba, Malawi’s well-being is the cause to which she’s dedi...

Gym Class Heroes are back, and they’re wasting no time reminding fans why they were one of the defining bands of the 2000s. Two weeks after releasing “Universal Language,” their first new song in 15 years, the group brought a wave of excitement to Warped Tour in Long Beach, CA. Travie McCoy led a hit-filled, high-energy set that kep...

Daramola is emotional.  Every aspect of the Nigerian music producer’s music is informed by emotion—from sound selection to the drum sounds in specific sections of the song. Legends like Marc Anthony and Shakira, rising chart-toppers like Anitta and Elena Rose, and his own solo music career have benefited from his machine manipulation...