Tech
Explore Obscure Synths And Hardware With This EB.TV Playlist
From Soviet Russia’s Moog, to rare disco rhythm machines, step into techno legend Thomas P. Heckmann’s Devil’s Kitchen of obscure electronic instruments.
The modern day synth market caters to all kinds of musical needs: from Boutique reboots of drum machine classics, to twisted Eurorack modules and acousmatic electronic controllers. But when you start digging into the history of synthesis, it soon becomes obvious that synth engineers from around the world have been making crazy instruments from electrical currents for decades now. In fact, it’s rare that a modern instrument can match the character and ambition of these obscure machines.
Thomas P. Heckmann has been an avid collector of these instruments for years. Since the early ’90s, the German underground techno producer has proved his synth mastery for esteemed labels like Mille Plateaux, Force Inc. and Wavescape. Put simply: there aren’t many people in the world who can also boast a collection like Heckmann’s. The mammoth collection ranges from rhythm machines used by the Bee Gees, a classic synth used by disco legend Patrick Cowley, to a Suzuki Omnichord OM27 used to produce some of the most beloved video game soundtracks.
And while you’ll be lucky to see one of these beautiful machines in the flesh, Heckmann has been willing to share some of his most prized possessions from his personal museum. He brought EB.tv into his Devil’s Kitchen of synth oddities to show just what these machines can cook up. To see the full 12-part series, just scroll below!
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