Oli Freke
Oli Freke is a musician, journalist, artist and author specialising in electronic music, synthesizers and culture.
By day I work at the BBC; here I document the history, technology and culture of electronic instruments – synthesizers, drum machines, and samplers - through writing, archival research and performance.
You’ll find my books, journalism and music here. It all began with hand-drawn art posters of vintage synths, tracing their family trees – and has grown (and continues to grow) into a wider record of how these machines shaped the sound of modern music.
COMING SOON: BEAT GEMS
New from Bjooks - the definitive book exploring the rise of the drum machine
An in depth look at their sound, technology, design and impact on modern music culture.
Drum machines began as polite accompanists. They ended up helping drive pop, hip-hop, house, techno, post-punk, electro, and countless other forms of music.
BEAT GEMS is a premium hardcover book from Bjooks that explores this remarkable history through rare and iconic machines, vivid photography, artist stories, technical insight, and the people who turned boxes of circuits into culture. The book explores more than six decades of electronic music history through the drum machines that changed the way music is made, recorded, and performed.
Order now through Kickstarter - in shops Autumn 2026 worldwide
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bjooks/beat-gems-drum-machines-in-modern-music
SYNTH EVOLUTION
The original book - a directory of every vintage synth of the 20th century. Each entry is hand-illustrated and accompanied by the key facts and figures of each synth.
JOURNALISM
Check out the Journalism section for articles published by
Sound On Sound, MixMag, The Quietus, and more.
POSTERS
I have created a range of posters covering Synth Evolution, the History of Dance Music, and produced commissions for the Design Museum and The ARP Foundation.
Check out the current range on sale at Synth Evolution.
Contact Me
For commissions of music, articles about music, interviews/podcast invites on any subject from synth history to electronic music culture - drop me a line!