Xploration • Curation • Recommendation
Meris Evolves and Super-Sizes its Bitcrusher / Sequencer / Texturizer - now the Ottobit X Modular Degradation and Texture Engine / Workstation
I’m a little late with this as Meris held back the press release until launch - so I was only provided with the details at the same time as everyone else - which is really rather unusual. I had a number of other projects already on the go - and so I’m a couple days late with this!
As always - each Meris device delivers way beyond its specific core category, its Enzo X for instance is almost as much a multi-modulator as it is a synth - and here we have lots of extras thrown into the mix - ...
My Gamechanger Audio RECODER Spectral Morphing Workstation has landed - a really interesting digital phrase recorder, modulator, modifier and looper!
WHAT is the RECODER?
’A SPECTRAL MORPHING WORKSTATION’
- a signal cross-pollinator
- a dynamic filter
- a moving audio prism
- a ghostly vocoder
- a formant resonator
- a granular echo creator
- a sound-imprint machine
A first impressions dive into Isn'tses Chernobylizer Radioactive Atmospherics Noise-Maker Mini Art Synthesizer
I was somewhat wowed by Isnt’tses Mini Art Synths at the recent Birmingham Noise Maker Market Show. These are intricately designed open circuits - with topological details worked into the surface - in a mix of black, white and gold, and various strategically and topologically placed components - which often represent structures from that landscape.
For the Chernobylizer the art-side is a mix of realism and impressionism - where the 4 large capacitors represent the 4 Chernobyl Nuclear ...
Isn'tses brilliantly combines creative sound generation with electronic arts and design for its series of Experimental Mini Art Synthesisers
At the recent inaugural Birmingham Noise Maker Market Show, one of the highlights for me was London-based Isn’tses - namely duo Lisa McKendrick and Tim Drage - who perform highly stylised experimental electronic music with colourful visuals and costumes to match - including Mexican Lucha Libre animal masks.
They make their own instruments too - including this superbly themed quartet / quadfecta of mini noise-maker Art-Synths featured here. Each of those has a highly evocative theme and a ...
Glitch Cloud's Haze is a cool Stereo Lo-Fi Looping Tape Machine, Glitched Digital Buffer and Sample Juggler
I’ve featured a number of sample-repeaters / micro-loopers of late - while I really like the sound and look of this one from Glitch Cloud Audio.
"Haze is a generative composer that transforms sound into texture. Skips, stutters, and fluid time become rhythm and motion. Feed it a loop. Plug in an instrument. Let it mutate for hours."
I recently covered the Puremagnetik JOTS - which I likened to pedals from Chase Bliss, Discomfort Designs and Kinotone. And this is another of that ilk, and...
Alexander Pedals further evolves and perfects its Syntax Error Computer Audio System - now in V3 XP compact Leap Series Edition
In the visual you can see the Three Versions of the Syntax Error. The Original compact came out during Summer NAMM back in 2017. I did a number of features that included that pedal - and it was a target for me for the longest time - but for whatever reason - I never quite managed to acquire one of those.
Then in 2021 we got the larger V2 edition with Screen - which I considered a little large for my need - for such a niche pedal.
And now in 2026 Alexander has finally delivered the perfect ...
Old Blood Noise Endeavors collaborates with Emily Hopkins on the PARTING Glitch Delay / Reverb / Crushing Modulation Device
OBNE teams up with Emily Hopkins to deliver her favourite glitch, signal crushing, and ambient sounds.
We’re familiar with the format by now - with this being the 5th in the square format - which started with the Stereo Dark Star Edition.
The same layout - but with different parameters. The PARTING is a slightly experimental device - and for the braver sonic adventurers among you!
Controls - Rate, Depth, Chance (variation), Smear, 7 x Wave Shape, Dissolve, Glitch, 3 x Presets, ...
End of Year Pedal Chain Update - Class of 2025
New Pedals in the Class of 2025 Pedal-Chain Snapshot = 41
[OCTOBER] = 9
[NOVEMBER] = 6
[MARCH] = 5
[SEPTEMBER] = 5
[AUGUST] = 4
[JANUARY] = 3
[FEBRUARY] = 3
[APRIL] = 2
[JUNE] = 2
[MAY] = 1
[JULY] = 1
[A-Z by Brand]
- Becos FX CompIQ Pro Yuna Soft Knee Blackmer VCA Studio Style Compressor [SEPTEMBER]
- Blue Colander Grimrobe Dual Cascaded Super Rat [OCTOBER]
- Blue FX Devices Fuzz Fields Ultimate Modulated Fuzz [SEPTEMBER]
- Boss RT-2 Rotary Ensemble Leslie / Rotary Speaker
2025 Best New Modulation, Pitch, Utility and Multi-FX Pedals of the Year
This has turned out to be the largest category for 2025 with 38 pedals in this selection. As I favour those pedals that I own first, and then the more pedalboard-friendly editions - inevitably there would be some casualties for the year. With the most significant of those being the larger format Meris Enzo X, and the Polyend MESS Multi-Effect Step Sequencer. I know there are some who favour each of those - but they just aren’t targets for me personally.
I always talk about having a lane - ...
A deeper hands-on dive into the Butterfly Effects Dobbo Granular Playground - how best to make use of it, and where it shines!
I’m a little late with my in-depth review of the Dobbo for a variety of reasons. In part because of the heatwave we had in the UK - which limited playing time severely, in part because I was a little burnt out at the time, and in part because I was figuring out how to get the most use and utility out of this pedal.
"Dobbo takes small bits of sound and rearranges them. It can stretch, pitch and blur these bits, or transform them into rhythmic textures."
Most would likely file this under ...
