Copenhagen-based publisher Bjooks has announced BEAT GEMS, an upcoming book by Oli Freke covering the sounds, circuits and cultural impact of over 60 drum machines, launching on Kickstarter at Superbooth in Berlin.
Bjooks have built a reputation for books that go deep on synthesisers and music technology. BEAT GEMS: Drum Machines in Modern Music is the upcoming book by Oli Freke that covers more than 60 drum machines, from the most well-known to very niche, and traces how they helped shape the music we listen to today.
Catch up on all the latest news here.
Freke is a musician, illustrator and historian of electronic instruments. Freke can get into the technical weeds without losing the reader, and BEAT GEMS reflects that. Each machine gets high-resolution photography alongside commentary on its origins, interface design and musical significance. The Roland TR-808, Linn LM-1, Oberheim DMX and Akai MPC60 are all in there, but so are lesser-known machines that often get skipped over in the standard histories.
The book isn’t just a catalogue, but follows the broader story of how drum machines evolved from basic preset rhythm boxes into the programmable studio tools that gave birth to hip-hop, house, techno and plenty in between. If you’ve ever been curious about how these pieces of hardware end up reshaping entire genres, this is a book that answers that question.
BEAT GEMS launches on Kickstarter at Superbooth in Berlin. Early bird tiers and backer rewards will be available through the campaign.
Sign up to be notified when the campaign goes live here, or follow the Kickstarter pre-launch page directly here.
