TOP SYNTHS FOR 2021(PART 1)

We take a look at some of the best synth plugins released in the past 12 months

FM | MUST HAVE! Tone2 Warlock £55

Warlock is probably the most surprising out of this whole lineup. Being so budget-friendly, you wouldn’t expect too much from this unassuming synth, but load it up and it packs a punch – it’s that upfront, dazzling Tone2 sound that EDMers can’t get enough of.

The 84 oscillator types, mono and stereo hypersaw function and 38 (drastically) different filter types all add to its character and make for a synth that’s fat, rich and wide – not to mention the two built-in FX slots, arpeggiator, 20 LFO types and 2,140 presets.

While Warlock isn’t going to win any awards for being the most parameter-heavy synth, it truly makes up for it in that it’s so easy to program such a wide variety of great sounding sounds from initialisation. The price point is an absolute steal for how usable this synth is and it will definitely become a go-to very quickly. tone2.com

Newfangled Audio Generate $149

With its Chaotic Generator, Wavefolder and Low Pass Gate signal path, this experimental synth design can open a ton of creative opportunities that run-of-the-mill instruments wouldn’t afford you. Those Generators are Turbine, Discharge, Double Pendulum, Vortex and Pulsar, all great-sounding sources inspired by the real-world oscillating phenomena. Each lets you set parameters of ‘chaos’, helping you add imperfection to the source. The Wavefolder and Low Pass Gate are great too. Modulation is on-hand through very flexible LFOs and envelopes, plus EQ, Chorus, Delay and Reverb effects that are, again, oh so fitting for this synth’s unique atmosphere. A powerful and most of all dark synth. It’s not for every genre, but try the demo. newfangledaudio.com

VERDICT 8.9

FM | STUDIO ESSENTIAL! Tracktion F.’em $179

This eight-operator FM synth is packed with functionality, providing the potential to create some of the most complex sounds you’ve ever heard, from DX7-esque presets that mark the beginning of FM synth history, to the future. Rather than modelling a vintage FM unit, Tracktion have focused on creating an extremely powerful plugin that’s very well equipped. F.’em offers an abundance of controls and other cool features. One of the coolest is the two multi-sample operators which can be loaded up with factory sounds or your own. One can modulate and the other can be modulated – which is where the fun starts. This feature alone creates another level of sonic possibilities on top of the usual sines-and-shapes tradition of FM. It’s also a useful tool for learning FM’s basic principles, thanks to the intuitive mod matrix. An FM synth which has it all. tracktion.com

VERDICT 9.0 Lunacy Audio Cube $249

In Cube, you’re given a graphic cube with a sound represented by each of its eight corners. By moving a cursor around the cube, you can freely merge sounds into something more complex. This 3D sound space combined with “Orbits” (modulation paths that the orb can travel through) mean the possibilities of sonic evolution are endless. The animations within the plugin depict exactly what is happening sonically, making it easy for new users to understand how a sound is being created. Cube has four LFOs, a modulation matrix, and eight built-in effects in case those options didn’t give enough sound-shaping power.

A very impressive soft synth, fun, intuitive and extremely easy to produce cool, unique sounds. lunacy.audio

VERDICT 8.5 Arturia Pigments 3 €199

You may know Arturia best for its classic gear emulations. Pigments, however, is a thoroughly ground-up digital synth. The third version, a free update, adds Harmonic and Utility oscillator ‘engines’, providing additive synthesis plus two noise sources and a sub oscillator, respectively. Considering it’s free, this is a no-brainer update. The Harmonic engine allows for some highly creative ways to shape your additive sound engine. Add to this the choice to set up two spectrums, and blend between them, and you’re just scratching the surface. The Utility engine might not be innovative, but it’s highly solid and versatile, offering basic waveshapes and ‘pulse’ Width for the sub, and a huge variety of noise sources. This bulks up Pigments’ credentials as a drum synth. arturia.com

VERDICT 8.8