Ektopia

Another site dedicated to odd musical instruments.

If you’re going to go to the trouble of making a DJ car you may as well make something that resembles a Tokyoplastic animation.

Matryomin - Russian doll Theremin goodness. “Matryomin is the unique, original erectronic musical instrument invented by Masami Takeuchi in 1999. It is a type of theremin - oldest electro-musical instrument invented in Russia - shaped Russian traditional wooden doll, Matrioshka.”

Younnat creates some great music using some very interesting gear including the Genius Speed Wheel 3MT, Logitech Joystick Attack 3, Logitech Gamepad Dual Action, Genius KB-06X, Socket sampler and the Bulb kit! His debut EP if free to download [via]

Bwack created a mega sampler, which Family Force 5 used on tour. It’s as impressive as it is ridiculous. [via]

The Aux Out 400amp, sub and speaker set looks great and is supposed to sound great too. It’s available in a number of finishes but costs about £500. [via]

The Sound Chaser is a little stylus carrying train that follows a vinyl track that is made up from old cut-up records so the pieces can be assembled to create an infinate amount of tunes with bad timing! I love it; genius. [via]

Playing the Building is “a 9,000-square-foot, interactive, site-specific installation by renowned artist David Byrne. The artist transforms the interior of the landmark Battery Maritime Building in Lower Manhattan into a massive sound sculpture that all visitors are invited to sit and “play.” The project consists of a retrofitted antique organ, placed in the centre of the building’s cavernous second-floor gallery, that controls a series of devices attached to its structural features—metal beams, plumbing, electrical conduits, and heating and water pipes. These machines vibrate, strike, and blow across the building’s elements, triggering unique harmonics and producing finely tuned sounds”. Check out Boing Boings TV segment. [via]

The Trons are a robot band. They are as inspiring as anything else that I’ve heard lately! “The Trons are a completely self playing robotic junk band! They are made mostly from old computer and mechanical parts and play original songs using an array of old amps and instruments.” [via]

Larry Cotton’s Screechophone is an interesting little piece of music kit. A spinning toothed wheel races along a turntable’s mat and flicks the edge of a playing card to make a particular note. It’s moved from side-to-side to alter the wheel’s speed, and therefore it’s pitch, and syncked with a Commodore 64 programmed in the mighty Basic to play a tune. Probably best to get clicky and just watch the video of it in action.