The Dirtywave M8 handheld hardware tracker is getting in shape for summer with a new Model:02 version that offers several physical improvements

The Dirtywave M8 Tracker Model:02 doesn’t look much like a music-making device, but the software trackers that inspired it didn’t look like traditional sequencers, either, so maybe that’s appropriate. This is the successor to the original M8, and promises the “same brains with improved physical features.”

To recap, the original M8 was a handheld tracker that was powered by the Teensy microcontroller and took its inspiration from Game Boy tracker Little Sound DJ. It offered eight monophonic tracks/voices, each of which could be used for one of the built-in synthesis engines or to trigger external MIDI hardware.

The Model:02 takes this concept and adds in a new machined aluminium case, a larger 3.5-inch IPS TFT display (up from 2.8-inch) and improved battery life of up to 12 hours. There’s also a built-in mic for onboard sampling and a USB-C connection that can be used in device mode.

If you own the original M8 then there’s no need to panic: your model will continue to be supported with the same features as the 02 in concurrent firmware updates.

The M8 Tracker Model:02 is available for pre-order now priced at £525, with shipping set to begin in May 2024. Find out more on the Dirtywave website.