Three pins, and nearly every signal in this business passes through them.

The magazine is named after the cable: the microphone in the booth, the line to the desk, the DMX run that fires the lights. Studio, stage and rig share the same cable. Most magazines pick one of the three. This one covers all of it, because the people we read do too — the engineer mixing a record on Tuesday is on front of house by Saturday.

Around a hundred and sixty sources, in English, Japanese, Spanish, German, French, Chinese and Italian: makers and their release notes, reviewers who put a hand on the thing, studios and touring crews, the producers and collectives surfacing this month and the scenes they came out of. Synths and modular, plugins and DAWs, guitars and drums, microphones, monitors, PA and lighting. What the trade is talking about is counted and plotted. The editor's letter has just started; it will find its rhythm.

For each story: a headline, a short excerpt, one picture and the link out. We never reprint the article, and the picture belongs to the maker or the photographer. A German review appears in German and a Japanese one in Japanese, as the writer published it; the link goes to the original.

Nothing is sold on this site. When a link leads to a shop, it is the maker's shop, not ours.

← XLR MAG Archive

Rolling Stone MusicScenes

Watch Brandon Flowers Showcase ‘An American Dream’ on ‘Fallon’

September 23

The Killers frontman recently released a country-inspired solo album, Thrasher

Read at Rolling Stone Music ↗

Also covered by: NME

One letter a week, in your inbox.

Latest

Watch Brandon Flowers Showcase ‘An American Dream’ on ‘Fallon’

More from Rolling Stone Music on XLR MAG

ScenesDolly Parton’s Estate Faces Crisis After Nephew Is Fired, Accused of Threats Rolling Stone Music

ScenesRed Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Grohl, Vince Staples Lead Silverlake Conservatory of Music’s 25th Anniversary Show Rolling Stone Music

ScenesOutkast Sue Rapper Ovrkast for Allegedly Hijacking Its ‘Famous, Extremely Valuable’ Name Rolling Stone Music

ScenesNiko Rubio Will Dive Into Heartbreak and Self-Discovery on Debut Album ‘Late Night Swim’ Rolling Stone Music

ScenesTezzus and Diamond* Are Bringing Everybody With Them Rolling Stone Music