Be it battling over the office Sonos system or sharing our favorite tracks every day, music holds an important position in our lives. Beyond searching for new artists and discovering interesting or obscure tunes, we also seek out equipment to make the listening (and music-making) experience even better—from speakers to headphones, synths and more. Of course, as music lovers with curious minds, our interest doesn’t end with a song—frequently it stretches to books, anthologies and beyond. Find it all here—in our guide for makers, listeners and lovers of music.
Playing Johannes Brahms’ “Wiegenlied” (better known as Brahms’ Lullaby or “The Cradle Song”) this strange and sweet octopus has been made to help babies get to sleep. Produced with 100% cotton chambray, it’s easily wiped clean. The 11.8-inch tall creature is also soft—in case a young one gets a hold of it.
The legendary Marshall Stanmore II speaker gets a 21st-century addition: Amazon Alexa-controlled operations. This incredibly versatile speaker, from the brand’s classic roster, is renowned for crisp audio—thanks to its two 15 Watt class D amplifiers—and its heritage-inspired look (fit with an “EST. 1962” etched into its front). Listeners can now ask Alexa to change the song, adjust the volume or even provide information for upcoming shows from the track’s maker—all from across the room.
Working with Prince during the late 1970s and early ’80s, photographer Allen Beaulieu documented a wildly significant time for the multi-disciplined artist—from emerging talent to household name. Prince: Before the Rain is filled with behind-the-scenes, candid, live performance and never-seen-before images—all offering insight on the remarkable artist, and the significant era in which he became an internationally beloved superstar.
Covered with that familiar, friendly ghost character, Ghostly’s V2 swim shorts are a stylish way to rep the Brooklyn-based music and art brand. Made in Canada from 100% quick-dry polyester and with reinforced pockets, they’re super-functional and can go from beach to backyard BBQ with ease. Available from small to extra-large, the elasticized waistband and drawstring also means sizing is easy.
This two-book feature, DEVO: The Brand / DEVO: Unmasked, follows the immeasurably influential and oddball band. Tracking the new-wave outfit’s inception to the present day, both books track founding members Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale. Insight is offered through interviews with both British and American publications in The Brand and first-hand recounts in Unmasked. The set is the perfect gift for music historians and DEVO fans alike.
Native Instruments’ Maschine Mikro is a compact, travel-friendly beat-making station. You can use it to create melodies, “jot down” ideas, or build beats from the base up—all for an incredibly reasonable price. The Mikro can stand on its own as a production tool but it’s also compatible as a plug-in for a number of other audio production programs (like Ableton Live, Logic Pro or FL Studio).
Empress Of‘s widely acclaimed album Us, released on Terrible Records, gets a tie-dye-like limited edition vinyl pressing of 500. The hues on the record obviously nod the album’s cover—with shades of white, maroon and pink—and give the already excellent album an added touch. Exclusive to Vinyl Me, Please, the record is foil stamped and comes with an album poster.
Recommended for ages 14+, this kit, designed by Little Bits and KORG, lets young music-lovers build their own modular synth. Featuring a delay, filter, micro-sequencer, oscillator, synth speaker and much more, the builder has limitless options as far as sound and execution go. Learning how to build a synth is only the first step; playing it is second—and both are equally educational and enjoyable.
40 years after the release of The Sex Pistols’ 1977 album Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, comes a book that documents that wild year. With photographs, gig posters and album art (much of which has never been published before), there are also plenty of stories about secret shows, media events, recording sessions—and, of course, fights.
Geotic’s upcoming album Traversa, out on Ghostly on 19 October, will be pressed on limited edition translucent vinyl. The record promises to be beautiful (like all the ambient pop outfit’s music) and the vinyl accompaniment is packaged beautifully too—adorned with iridescent cover art and a geometric sleeve-liner.
Unique thanks to Stephen “ESPO” Powers’ hand-drawn embellishments (aka all those little notes and sketches covering the piece), this print will resonate with art and music enthusiasts alike. With pencil-drawn cassettes, microphones and ESPO’s familiar sweet and sometimes sarcastic lettering, this four-color screen-print measures 24 by 24 inches.
A super-fun audio-recording device, Player One boasts a looping feature, playback button and pitch-shifter. Handmade in Dallas, it’s easy to use, with two arcade-style buttons on top—pink for record and yellow for play. Playful, user-friendly and heavy on DIY spirit, this is a sweet gift for children (aged four and up) and kids at heart.
An antique ceramic plate adorned with a hand-placed decal of Freddie Mercury, this creation is one of a kind—and exudes just the right amount of kitsch. Made for decoration only, it’s not safe for the dishwasher but it’s ideal for display. Depending on your musical taste, there are also versions with Grace Jones, Prince, Bowie and others available.
Phony Ppl‘s newest album, mō’zā-ik.—out now on 300 Entertainment—has been pressed on dark purple vinyl. Including CH favorite “somethinG about your love.” and plenty others, the record perfectly encompasses the Brooklyn-based band’s wildly satisfying blend of neo-soul, hip-hop, funk, bossa nova, pop and beyond. Included are two 12-inch records and a digital download.
Made in both upstate New York and Brooklyn, from super-soft Shibori indigo-dyed cotton, each of these T-shirts looks a little different. Every one, however, is adorned with a bright orange version of the familiar DFA Records lightning bolt logo. They’re available in adult and kid sizes.
This vintage-style map is a geographically accurate guide to songs that reference cities, landmarks, rivers, mountains and more across the United States. With 1,000+ songs in total, it’s easy to become a little entranced by the print—from “Under the Bridge” (an undisclosed location in downtown LA) to “Harlem Shuffle” to “Space Oddity” which name-checks Cape Canaveral. Measuring 60cm by 80cm, it’s printed on 120gsm uncoated art paper. Price in British Pounds.
