One of the more unusual introductions at Superbooth 2025 was the FRAKnoise Melancholytron – a new instrument designed to let you explore melancholic sounds.
“Can you build a synthesizer that always sounds melancholic?” asks developer A//ard Krijger. “Yes. I did it. Even a happy melody can still sound melancholic on this one.”
Here’s what FRAKnoise shared about the Melancholytron:
“The Melancholytron is a book with illustrated melancholic stories. When you buy the book it comes with a synthesizer developed by A//ard Krijger, Joran Jessurun and Edwin van den Oetelaar.
This instrument produces melancholic sounds, that fit the stories, or any melancholic music you want to make with it. Suitable for film-, game- or any kind of music that needs a touch of melancholy.”
Pricing and Availability:
The Melancholytron is expected to be available June 28, 2025. Details on pricing and availability are to be announced.
It’s great that the synth market is now big enough to support cheap clones of old designs and a wide range of interesting new stuff.
The most interesting gear for me, though, is the stuff getting introduced at the edges of the market – this, the Osmose, anything from SOMA, the Emobdme ERAI, Crum 2, Echon 6, drumDING, etc.
There are so many interesting options available. I envy people that live close to one of the great synth stores like Schneidersladen or Perfect Circuit so they can try this stuff out in person. We’ve got a Guitar Center, and they’ve got Roland, Yamaha and Casio.
The book looks awesome and I love the synthesizer gift!
So nice when an art concept ‘creates’ an engineering piece. I guess we reach that point in humanity were they need to sell us ‘inspiration’..which imho it is vastly needed nowadays…thanks for such lovely post. Sid
The book and synth are great. The presentation is beyond brilliant!
This is really nice. Sign me up.
sounds wonderful
I would love to purchase the book with meloncholytron.
I love this. I also love his bio description: “anti-coach”
Two reasons why melancholy does not apply to bullshit:
First: “- Every bullshit that has been – did it come?
It came.
– And if it came, will it not come again?
It will definitely come again.”
Second: “No one longs for it, it is never lost and it is really there!”
Imaginative and whimsical. Highly underrated qualities on these pages. Thanks for this cool idea.
This is art: Take a feeling (melancholy), translate it to a tangible medium (sound), and wrap it in a story (the sentient atom bomb who maybe doesn’t want to be repaired). Imagine an ensemble of these synths played by equally colorful characters — anger, bliss, fear, wonder, and more. What patch parameters would evoke those feelings? Thanks for sharing!