The Roland MKS-50: a grittier-sounding version of the Alpha Juno series that first hit stores in the mid-80s. Three decades later, and it remains revered by producers for its timeless features and unique sound. With his latest EP, Steve Conner (a.k.a. Adapta) pays tribute to the machine.

Fans of old-school UK electro may be familiar with Conner for his work alongside brother Dave during the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, under their Bitstream alias. The duo put out a handful of sought-after records on Modern Love and Signal Recordings, which still sound fresh today. His solo output as Adapta (which was up until now confined to a tripartite series on Brutalist Sunset) is reminiscent of their later collaborations—bass-heavy, rough-around-the-edges acidic electro numbers.

With its roots in that one synthesizer, MKS-50 Tracks sounds like the product of a jamming session, comprised of four variations on a techno theme. Awash with choppy, fidgety basslines and arcade machine-type samples, the record is an exercise in no-holds-barred electronics.

“MKS-50_01” is the most conventional of the bunch—brimming with energy, it pops and buzzes along, with just the right amount of juice. “MKS-50_04” takes a similar four-to-the-floor approach, broken with loud, invasive hoover sounds (a feature that the synth was traditionally associated with, and a key component of the clunky “MKS-50_02”). Likely to be a bit much for some ears is the noisy “MKS-50_03,” a punchy and aggressive breaks workout that is the least restrained of the lot.

MKS-50 Tracks is out now via Frustrated Funk. Pick it up at Clone.nl.