Reviews

Topos shapes sound with a unique morphing workflow, blending saturation and speaker tone into fast, musical results.

DB-30 Drum Butter by XLN Audio is a fast, creative multi-effects processor for drums. Six well-tuned modules, a smart Magnitude macro, and 260+ presets deliver instant results. The module lock [...]

The best free plugins don't compromise – they simply cost nothing. This roundup covers hand-picked tools that earn their place in any session: from stereo wideners and reverbs to analyzers and [...]

Grainferno turns any sample into evolving textures and playable synth tones. Its tempo-aware granular engine and intuitive workflow make experimental sound design surprisingly fast and musical.

LOVE 2 is my go-to tool for creating textures and atmospheres. With its granular engine and flexible effects chain, it feels like an ambient processor on steroids. Because of this, simple sounds [...]

Duck 2 by Devious Machines is the most refined tool available for envelope-based volume shaping and sidechain ducking. Draw precise curves, use multiband processing, generate envelopes from audio [...]

Filterverse is my go-to creative filter plugin for sound shaping. With its deep modulation options, it feels like a filter on steroids. Because of this, you can push sounds much further creatively.

Supermodal by Polyverse combines a classic state-variable filter with a true modal resonator engine - and the results are genuinely inspiring. Deep modulation, 27 modal models, and a musical [...]

Creative Filter plugins are my preferred tools for sound shaping. A filter with extreme modulation can be thought of as an EQ on steroids. Because of this, you can use filters more creatively [...]

Refractalizer by DataMind Audio is the most exciting granular synth available right now. It treats granular synthesis as a musical instrument: MIDI-driven grain rates, true sample interpolation [...]