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.
Made in collaboration with Kvadrat and Raf Simons, B&O’s new headphone case is made from Ria 0281 fabric—new worsted-spun wool with just a little nylon and viscose. The organic-looking pattern reflects the sustainable nature of the material, and the fabric-covered inner helps to protect your headphones. With a simple zip closure, this case is a super-practical but sophisticated accessory.
For fans of electronic music, design or all things retro, Beyond Heaven: Chicago House Party Flyers from 1983-1989 will deliver the goods. Collected by Mario “Liv It Up” Luna (who DJed in the city during the ’80s), these flyers, posters and various other house-related artifacts create a personal but comprehensive perspective on the wildly creative and exciting scene.
Recorded at the famed Electric Lady Studios (built by Jimi Hendrix and designed by architect and acoustician John Storyk), Electric Lady Sessions includes live versions of several LCD Soundsystem tracks, as well as a few covers. With tracks like Heaven 17’s “We Don’t Need This Fascist Groove Thang” and The Human League’s “Seconds,” the record offers extra insight into the band’s new wave and synthpop influences. An essential for LCD fans, this two-vinyl set comes with a DFA lightning bolt sticker.
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.
