Top 5Has said they use
Roland
SPD-SX“The Roland SPD-SX [sampling percussion pads] are really important for us.”
Said in DJ Times: Big Stage: Galantis Gears Up for Another Massive Festival Season, April 2017
Photo: Shawn Ahmed (Wikimedia Commons) · CC BY 2.0
Independent research by truerecs. Not affiliated with, endorsed or verified by Galantis. Every item links to its public source.
13 items · Last checked What gear does Galantis use?
Galantis has said the Roland SPD-SX sampling pads were central to the live show, played with drum sticks to trigger and treat samples. Christian Karlsson has said his first step into production was learning an Akai MPC60, and in 2026 he said he favours live strings, live bass and real piano over hardware synths.
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Top 5
Where to start with Galantis's gear.
01
02
Top 5Has said they use
Akai Professional
MPC60“That was my first step into production, learning an MPC 60 and starting to program.”
03
Top 5Has said they love
04
Top 5Has said they love
Aphex Twin
Windowlicker“It’s still mind blowing; the production is sonically unreal.”
Said in Billboard: 20 Questions With Galantis, March 2020
05
Top 5Has said they love
What gear Galantis uses: a sourced gear guide
Independent research by truerecs: every item links to the public source it comes from.
The live rig: Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklöw
Has said they use
Roland
SPD-SX“The Roland SPD-SX [sampling percussion pads] are really important for us.”
Said in DJ Times: Big Stage: Galantis Gears Up for Another Massive Festival Season, April 2017
Christian Karlsson's rig
Has said they use
Akai Professional
MPC60“That was my first step into production, learning an MPC 60 and starting to program.”
Records that shaped Christian Karlsson
Has said they love
Has said they love
Aphex Twin
Windowlicker“It’s still mind blowing; the production is sonically unreal.”
Said in Billboard: 20 Questions With Galantis, March 2020
Has said they love
Gloria Jones
Tainted Love“I didn't know, and now I love that version too.”
Said in MusicRadar: Galantis shares memories of co-writing Britney Spears' Toxic, October 2026
Has said they love
Soft Cell
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret“I still have to thank Soft Cell for showing me the Gloria Jones version of Tainted Love.”
Said in MusicRadar: Galantis shares memories of co-writing Britney Spears' Toxic, October 2026
Records both members named
Has said they love
Records that shaped Linus Eklöw
Has said they love
Songs behind The Devil's Tax Return
Has said they love
The Killers
Sam's Town“I’ll give you a short story about that song because that was one of my favourites that I really wanted to do.”
Said in MusicRadar: Galantis shares memories of co-writing Britney Spears' Toxic, October 2026
Has said they love
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli Solo“It’s such a good hook.”
Said in MusicRadar: Galantis shares memories of co-writing Britney Spears' Toxic, October 2026
Has said they love
Feist
The ReminderSaid in MusicRadar: Galantis shares memories of co-writing Britney Spears' Toxic, October 2026
Has said they love
The War on Drugs
Lost In the DreamSaid in MusicRadar: Galantis shares memories of co-writing Britney Spears' Toxic, October 2026
Has said they love
Kyla
Do You Mind“It’s a record I’ve loved for years”
Said in EDMTunes: Galantis Drops 'Do You Mind' & Announces New EP, July 2026
Questions
About Galantis's gear.
What did Galantis play live on stage?
In a 2017 DJ Times interview Christian Karlsson said the Roland SPD-SX sampling pads were really important to the live show. They triggered crashes, big drums and samples with drum sticks, and sent sounds from the SPD into the mixer to treat them.
What drum machine did Christian Karlsson start on?
He told the Recording Academy in 2023 that his first step into production was learning an Akai MPC60 and starting to program beats, after getting into hip-hop through skateboarding.
Does Galantis use a lot of hardware synths?
No. In a 2026 MusicRadar interview Karlsson said he does not use many hardware synths and prefers live strings, live bass and real piano, sometimes recording a 28-piece orchestra.
What was the first album each member of Galantis bought?
In Billboard's 2020 20 Questions, Linus Eklöw named Billy Cobham's Spectrum on vinyl and Christian Karlsson named Kraftwerk's The Man-Machine on vinyl.
Which songs does Galantis rework on The Devil's Tax Return?
Volume 1 reworks songs Karlsson loves, including Frankie Valli's Can't Take My Eyes Off You, The Killers' When You Were Young, Feist's 1234, The War On Drugs' Red Eyes and Do You Mind by Paleface and Kyla.
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Galantis
About this guide · Last checked
Galantis began as Christian Karlsson (Bloodshy, of Bloodshy & Avant and Miike Snow) and Linus Eklöw (Style of Eye), and is now Karlsson's solo project. Karlsson started out programming an Akai MPC60, and the live show was built around Roland SPD-SX pads hit with drum sticks. In 2026 he told MusicRadar he leans on live strings, live bass and real piano over hardware synths. The records here are ones the members have named: first albums bought, a dance music starter, and the songs behind The Devil's Tax Return.
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