Formats: AUDIO / WAV 2-CD SET
Geneticz is the third release from small UK-based company Tekniks, a relative newcomer in the sample-library market. Billed as "loops and sounds beyond illusion," this two-CD set (CD one houses all the audio, CD two the WAVs) is a collection of processed loops and sounds programmed by Digital Davy, a Dutch DJ and techno/gabba producer.
CD one kicks off with a suitably mad demo track. This is followed by 33 tracks of processed drum loops (330 loops in total), sorted into tempo groups ranging from 80 to 180bpm. As you might expect, these loops come in for some extreme filter and effects abuse, to the point where the original loop is replaced by something altogether stranger. Samples slosh across your head like tuned seawater, while others bleep and pop like a terminally depressed R2D2. Davy makes good use of the stereo field, as every sound-shaping trick in the book (and a few more besides) is thrown at these poor, unsuspecting samples. Manic flanges and phasing, extreme EQ and merciless filtering are all on display, but thankfully the majority of the mangling never gets too abrasive or adversely affects the interesting loops. Having said that, it would have been nice to have a few more loops with less startling processing, or to have access to the original, unprocessed sample, so that users could have mixed dry and processed versions to their own liking.
Tracks 35-55 contain bucketloads of single hits and sounds, split into various categories, such as padz, fx, alienz and ambientz (you may notice a pre-occupation with swapping a perfectly good 's' for a 'z'). These sections, especially the subtle atmospherez collection, are well programmed and offer some good sweeps and textures, although I did find the selection of bazz (sorry, bass) samples a little short (only 20 hits) and a touch tame. CD one is rounded off by 17 tracks of mashed-up single drum and percussion sounds
CD two, where you'll find all the audio in WAV format, also includes an additional 700(!) bonus drum hits. Another nice touch is the inclusion of a nifty little Windows-based WAV browser utility to help sift through all those drum samples.
This collection will definitely be of interest to industrial and techno producers, as well as those making the darker styles of drum and bass. Of course, it is perfectly possible to produce very similar results with a selection of drum loops, a handful of plug-ins/outboard and a day off work. But if you haven't the time (or ears) for such sonic destruction, Geneticz is a good, ready-made collection of distinctive textures and loops to dip into. Zorted.
£59.95 including VAT.
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