Stick with us on this one… what if music sequencers were more like boardgames? Tembo is a new device bringing a draughts / backgammon aesthetic to electronic music-making.

Described as “a playful magnetic step sequencer + sampler”, it launched on crowdfunding website Kickstarter yesterday with a deliberately-modest target of $50k. It has already smashed that several times over, with pledges standing at nearly $900k at the time of writing.

Tembo works by placing round magnets into squares on its wooden interface, flipping them over to flip beats, and stacking them in pairs to turn its eight columns into a 16-step sequencer.

The device also works as a sampler, and will be backed up by online services including a music-education program and a library of downloadable sample packs.

Tembo says that these will include “exclusive artist packs” recorded with musicians and producers, but that owners of its instrument will also be able to upload and share their own.

Pitched squarely at a family audience, Tembo’s official price will be $550, although there are early-bird discounts in the Kickstarter campaign. It’s due to ship in January 2027.