Inside Tokyo’s Boutique Music Hardware: Light Reft

video upload by Light Reft [Sasha DZA]

"We run a tiny hardware company in Tokyo and made this short film about why we’re obsessed with noise. We’re thinking about filming a longer documentary about Japan’s small independent instrument makers.

With this video, we want to open a door into the world of Japan’s independent music hardware scene, a world that usually remains outside the attention of a wider audience.

We are Light Reft, a small company founded by a group of enthusiasts in Tokyo. Over the past few years, we have developed and released two instruments of our own - monolit and concrete. You can learn about us on our web-site www.lightreft.jp

But we are far from alone.

In Tokyo and across Japan, there are many small independent companies, workshops, and individual makers creating unusual musical instruments, effects, and electronic devices. Many of them remain virtually unknown outside a small circle of musicians, even though this is where some genuinely interesting things are happening.

This video is only the beginning.

If you would like to see a full-length film about Japan’s independent music hardware scene, meet the people who design and build instruments themselves, visit their workshops, and find out why they do what they do - let us know in the comments.

And please share this video. If we see that people are genuinely interested in this world, we’ll continue and try to show this scene from the inside.

Video & Editing - Evgeny Joy
Sound - Sasha DZA (Light Reft)"

TUBE Emulation CONCRETE / tr-808, monolit, s4 /

video upload by Light Reft [Sasha DZA]

"Use headphones 🎧

MONOLIT and CONCRETE are now available through our retailers. Please ask your nearest store for availability.

In this video, the TR-808 runs through the S-4, using only delay and reverb. ／／／／／／／／／／
Then the signal goes into CONCRETE as the master effect.

MONOLIT controls the sequence, as well as the delay and reverb parameters.

#monolit #concrete setup with #tr808 and #torsos4"

MONOLIT : E01 - CHORDS

video upload by Light Reft [Sasha DZA]

0:00 How MONOLIT creates and plays chords in different ways
0:08 Assigning pre-programmed note sets to sliders
0:18 Controlling several voices from a single slider
0:30 Audio Example 01
1:08 Creating evolving chords across three sequencer tracks
1:36 Treating harmony as a flexible musical structure
1:47 Audio Example 02

TR-808 // MONOLIT SEQUENCER // CONCRETE :: pt.2

video upload by Light Reft [Sasha DZA]

TR-808 // MONOLIT SEQUENCER // CONCRETE

video upload by Light Reft [Sasha DZA]

MONOLIT // MULTI-CONTROL

video upload by Light Reft [Sasha DZA]

MONOLIT + TONVERK // TEXTURES

video upload by Sasha DZA

MONOLIT CONCRETE // ELEKTRON + TB-303

video upload by Sasha DZA

MONOLIT x CONCRETE x NORNS

video upload by Sasha DZA

"#DZA #ライトレフト #MONOME #AMBIENT #GLITCH"

LIGHT REFT + octatrack mk2

video upload by Sasha DZA

OP-1 + CONCRETE

video upload by Sasha DZA

"A quick jam building a track from scratch: layering bass, percussion, and a lead, shaping everything through the Concrete’s analog filter, and Drive engine then doing a fast DAW mix and running the full signal back through Concrete for final character."

LIGHTREFT x ELEKTRON [CONCRETE TEST]

video upload by Sasha DZA

"We are currently deep in the testing phase of Concrete, fine-tuning exact parameter values and exploring multiple configurations to achieve a balanced yet powerful sound. One of its primary roles is to act as a master device in a live setup.

In the current test routing, Monolit sequences tracks over MIDI in the Octatrack. The audio from the Octatrack goes directly into Concrete, and from there a second output feeds the main master signal to the speakers.

We will be sharing more test sessions soon, where you will be able to hear different drive engines we have been developing, as well as several additional features that were not part of the original announcement but emerged during the development process."

MONOLIT , JUNO-106, MAX/MSP

video upload by Sasha DZA

https://www.lightreft.jp

CYCLES [EARLY DEMO 3]

video upload by Sasha DZA

See the Lightrefr label below for more.

CONCRETE [ EARLY DEMO 2 ]

video upload by Sasha DZA

See the announcement post here for additional details.

CONCRETE [ EARLY DEMO ]

video upload by Sasha DZA

"PRE-ORDER OPEN FOR CONCRETE: https://www.lightreft.jp/product-page...
AVAILABLE AT A SPECIAL EARLY PRICE

In this video, we share the first real world tests of Concrete, without aiming for a polished or final demonstration.

We explore how the device works as the final stage in the signal chain, as a master effect, and within a mix on an individual instrument. Throughout the video, moments where bypass is engaged are clearly marked, so it’s easy to hear exactly when Concrete is affecting the signal.

Special attention is given to saturation. We’re exploring how different drive modes interact with dynamics, not as an obvious effect, but as an integral part of the signal path.

We also demonstrate sync mode and stereo operation. The filter reveals a particularly interesting character in stereo, where the interaction between channels adds depth, movement, and a sense of space that is difficult to achieve in mono.

Preorders for Concrete are now open on our website at a reduced price for the first drop. The price will increase for future batches.

https://www.lightreft.jp/"



"Concrete is a next generation compact effects processor that combines digital sound engines with a true analog filter. Each channel features its own analog high pass and low pass filters, designed for precise and musical sound shaping.

Several drive types come preloaded, while additional engines can be downloaded from our website and loaded into free slots, allowing users to build a truly personal sound.
Channels can be used independently or linked together for cohesive stereo processing.

Concrete supports full MIDI control and naturally pairs with Monolit as part of a unified studio and performance ecosystem.

During the preorder phase, Concrete is available at a reduced price for those who want to support the project from the start.
The price will increase at release.

The first Concrete drop is planned for the first half of 2026."

CLICK FOR MORE »

Monolit + Aelita //

video upload by Sasha DZA

"Aelita is a Soviet analog monophonic synthesizer from the late 1980s. Simple in architecture, it is known for its raw, unstable tone and distinctive analog drift, valued for character rather than precision.

Paired with Monolit, Aelita gains entirely new possibilities. Precise MIDI automation, sequencing, LFOs, and probability-based control extend far beyond its original interface, transforming a classic Soviet instrument into a flexible and contemporary sound source for studio and live performance."

Monolit ambient // octatrack

video upload by Sasha DZA

Sid Station Monolit and a PO12 afternoon jam freaking sounds #sidstation #monolit

video upload by HANJŌ

SP-303 - MPC style performance mode // monolit

video upload by Sasha DZA

"Your SP-303 is about to do something it was never built for
With Monolit v2.0 beta it finally gets a real MPC style performance flow live mutes, pattern control, and that moment when the old sampler suddenly feels dangerously modern."