April Eurorack round-up
This month’s best new modules include a pair of fresh releases from Intellijel, a mathematical wonder from New System Instruments and a brilliant vintage-inspired mixer from Feedback.
Intellijel Amps and Flurry
We start this month with a pair of new releases from Intellijel. The Amps is an interesting little twin VCA module level sliders, boost switches and four-pin link connectors round the back for hooking up multiple modules. Intellijel suggest chaining a few Amps modules together in order to create an automatable mixer, but you can also use a single module as a ring modulator or a CV-controlled crossfader. Simple, versatile and a bit of a bargain at £144.
Meanwhile, the Flurry is a multi-purpose source of clocks, noise, modulation and lots more packed into a compact 8 HP package. There’s a lot to take in here, with 16 digital noise algorithms plus white and pink noise, a pulse generator with random mode, sample-and-hold/track-and-hold circuit, and a slew limiter with envelope following mode. Packing so much into a compact module, the Flurry would be ideal for anyone short on space in their setup, but it’s also just a pleasingly versatile all-round utility module which adds a lot of options when patched with other modules.
True to Intellijel’s typical approach, both modules are well designed, versatile and offer excellent value, with the Flurry coming in at £238.
New System Instruments Inertia
New System’s Inertia is described as a universal movement simulator, a nod to its basis in mathematical principles. Inertia is effectively a slew limiter which adds momentum to the signal. This leads in turn to the concept of ‘woggles’, signals which take time to settle or even continue oscillating forever. The net result of all this fairly arcane theory is a module which can be used as an oscillator, an envelope generator, a low-pass filter, a Wogglebug-style slew limiter with controllable overshoot, and much more. Inertia won’t be for everyone, but its appeal can perhaps best be summed up by the manual, which runs through the practical operation of the module in five pages before devoting the remaining 18 pages to an extensive explanation of the mathematical principles behind its circuits. If that sounds up your street, the Inertia is a fascinating module.
Winter Plankton Zaps
Winter Plankton’s Zaps is a highly engaging percussion module. The core of the synth architecture is a digitally controlled analogue engine, based around two-oscillator FM and AM techniques. Attack-hold-release envelopes are used to control the pitch of the two VCOs as well as the level of the VCAs, giving you a controllable, percussion-focussed monophonic analogue synth voice.
It’s a very playable hands-on module, but the real selling point of Zaps is the ability to morph and mutate sequences to create movement. The Random function can be used to add controlled random variation to any parameter, within a defined range, while the Morph function allows you to crossfade between stored settings, with different parameters for each storage slot. The depth and creativity of the module makes it well worth taking the tie to learn its more advanced features.
Feedback Mix BX
Also landing in stock this month, Feedback’s Mix BX is a six-channel mixer inspired by the sound of the 1980s Boss BX series. Feedback offer three different flavours of this module, all of which look identical but have different sounds based on different vintage mixers (the Mix CR is inspired by the Mackie CR-1604 and the Mix KM by the 70s Boss KM-60). All three of those mixer series have become cult classics in their own right, but there are plenty of benefits to having a brand new module inspired by the sound rather than an original vintage mixer, many examples of which are starting to show their age. The Mix BX proves to be a surprisingly fun mixer with heaps of character, saturating sweetly as you drive the levels. Its six mono channels all feature two-band EQ, a pair of aux sends (with stereo returns) and clickless mutes. Great value at a shade under £300.
WMDevices Subway
WMDevices sadly announced their closure last year, citing parts shortages and supply chain issues making their business unsustainable. The Subway is a last hurrah for a brand which always offered interesting takes on creative concepts. It’s an eight-input scanning crossfader, allowing you to blend between signals manually or via CV control. Create wavetables, complex modulation or weird and wonderful effects by triggering the crossfades at audio rate. An impressive swan song for a brand which will be missed. Only 600 will be made.
Greg Scarth