Japanese manufacturer Roland has announced the S-1 Tweak Synth, the latest member of the Aira Compact family.
The small, ultra-light S-1 is described as a “potent micro polysynth inspired by the legendary Roland SH-101”:
Roland says their “Analog Circuit Behavior,” or ACB tech, “provides the authentic tone and response of the SH-101,” a sound that’s smeared all over music from the ’80s and ’90s. The SH-101 sound is maybe most identifiable to listeners from tracks like A Guy Called Gerald’s “Voodoo Ray,” Aphex Twin’s “Polynomial C” and Madonna’s “Ray of Light.” Robert Hood’s landmark Minimal Nation album prominently featured the SH-101 and even named a track after it.
Here is a bank of sound demos:
And Roland’s intro video:
Following the release of their minified “boutique” line of instruments, Roland has been creating these tiny, lightweight and low-priced machines as part of their Aira Compact line. In addition to the S-1, Aira Compact features the T-8 (a combination of the TR-808 and TB-303), the E-4 “Voice Tweaker” and the regrettably named J-6 Chord Synth, based on the Juno-60.
As with the others, the S-1 Tweak Synth is priced to move, with a MSRP of $199.99.
