Tembo is a playful drum machine that thinks it’s a checkerboard

Tembo looks like a toy, but one of those bougie wooden toys you get on Crate & Kids, not some cheap plastic garbage. Despite its appearance, it is a fully functional drum machine and sampler. Rather than a bunch of buttons and a screen, you build beats on Tembo by placing what are essentially wooden checkers on a board. The point is to be approachable to would-be music makers of any age or skill level.

The core of Tembo is a pretty straightforward five-track step sequencer. Wooden tokens are held in place with magnets, and you just put them where you want the hit to land. There are eight sample packs built in, but you can also sample using the built-in mic or through the line-in jack on the back.

There are also built-in effects and a simple looper for adding backing tracks. There are even some fun performance possibilities. Beyond basic mutes, you can quickly and constantly change up sequences simply by sliding pieces around the board. There aren’t any advanced features, like probability or automation. This isn’t an Elektron box, after all — it’s meant to be fun and immediate.

Tembo is currently running a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter with early-bird pricing at $369, before it rises to $550 at retail. Of course, being a crowdfunding campaign, all the usual caveats apply.