Recovery Effects' Zenith and Vales Bit-Crushing Digital Annihilation Fuzz is a glorious sounding wave of beautiful destruction
This is such a smart idea - using Bit-Crushing, Sample Rate Reduction, Aliasing and Warble together to generate the most awesome of somewhat jagged and brittle artifacts-loaded digitally mangled fuzz textures. You really get some very interesting timbres here - not all necessarily entirely musical - but each a glorious dissonance in its own way.
I’ve always called myself principally a ’Noise Maker’ and this type of effect is exactly the kind of thing I’m constantly on the look out for. Right at the start of 2023 I acquired both the Fairfield Circuitry Roger That FM Demodulating Distortion, and the Beautiful Noise Exploder White Noise Distortion - both are roughly in the same sort of category as the Zenith and Vale - creating really interesting slightly destructive and discordant textures - and most definitely not for the mainstream. In fact I’ve just recently taken delivery of Mattoverse’s Air Trash Fuzz - which treads similar experimental noise territory - another Destructive Fuzz, but quite distinct from the Zenith and Vale too.
My ongoing fuzz obsession has taken me far and wide into the quirkiest niche corners of sonic exploration - and I’m really delighted to have come across this Zenith and Vales - I will most definitely be looking to add it do the reference collection.
Controls - Sample Rate, Bit Reduction, Volume, Warble Speed, Warble Amount, Aliasing, SR (Sample Rate) / BR (Bit Reduction) A/B Mode Switch, Aliasing A/B Mode Switch.
You have 6 knobs at your command, as detailed above, and a couple of A/B Mode Option switches - each for Sample Rate / Bit Reduction, and Aliasing.
Graig and Zera further explain :
"The Zenith And Vales has two A/B toggle-switched algorithm modes that alternate between jagged, uneven distorted sounds that are mangled beyond recognition. Additionally, two A/B aliasing modes toggle between light undersampling and heavily pixelated artifacts."
This is for sure a very different fuzz to the norm, and it may not necessarily be for everyone, but I can see a myriad of uses for it - guitar, synths, drum machines and the like. This is a very textural / texturing effect - with some really strong flavours. I feel the more experimental noise-makers among us are going to totally love this thing - and I have high expectations for how I will be able to put it to use. It's going to sound amazing with a long-tail reverb, and a touch of uni-vibe!
The Presale period - which spans May 3rd - 13th, allows you to acquire the Zenith and Vale for a significant discount - or @ $199 vs the regular price of $229 which takes effect on the 14th essentially - so you've got 10 days to get your ducks in a row! Of course available from the Recovery Effects Webstore - and should be live @ 09:00 am PST / 16:00 GMT / 17:00 BST / 18:00 CET - where this article is primed to sync with that launch window!
This Fuzz is surely going to be a lot of fun!
Demos
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
