From the AltWire Archives: plugin reviews
Emergence Audio Infinite Collection: 10 Gorgeous Free Kontakt Player Libraries
Derek Oswald
TL;DR – Infinite Collection Infinite Collection is a free library for Kontakt Player and an entry point into the company’s Infinite Motion Series. It combines ten instruments with the company’s proprietary Non-Static Sampling and the ...
Fever Dreams by Ari Mason: Beautiful, Quirky and Experimental – 10% Discount Code Inside
Derek Oswald
Ari Mason's Fever Dreams checks all the boxes for our plugin reviewer Derek: beautiful, yet weird and quirky (and you can save 10% on a copy of your own).
Time Crystals Review: Emergence Audio’s Stunning Ambient Tool
Derek Oswald
Emergence Audio’s Time Crystals isn’t just another Kontakt library: it’s a living, breathing ecosystem of sound, says our reviewer.
Sound Sculpture for the Soul: Inside MNTRA’s Beautiful Library Powered by MNDALA 2 Engine
Derek Oswald
What happens when you take ancient instruments, capture them in stunning high-definition audio, and then run them through a synth engine inspired by video games and nonlinear storytelling?
Pitch Innovations Review: 5 Creative Tools That Will Transform Your Music
Derek Oswald
What if your pitchwheel never hit a wrong note again? What if a simple chord could evolve into an entire melody? What if your rhythm section could swing, shuffle, and surprise—without hours of programming? ...
Is Claire the Best Fazioli F308 Library Yet? Native Instruments Might Have Nailed It
Derek Oswald
When it comes to sampled pianos, the bar keeps getting higher. Every year, new libraries promise pristine realism, expressive nuance, and creative tools that move beyond the traditional. In late 2024, Native Instruments dropped ...
Nightfox Audio’s Plugin Suite: A Deep Dive Into Their 9 Virtual Instruments
Derek Oswald
An Introduction to Nightfox Audio If you’ve ever wished your plugins worked like a box of LEGOs—clicking together real instruments to build something completely your own—Nightfox Audio might be your new playground. Their whole ...
Trails by Fracture Sounds – A Hauntingly Beautiful Kontakt Library for The Modern Composer in 2025
Derek Oswald
Let’s face it—there’s no shortage of string libraries out there. But now and then, something hits differently. Trails by Fracture Sounds is one of those very moments. This one’s for the subtle stuff—the kind ...
Beatsurfing: 5 Plugins You Need Right Now / Including Random, Random Metal and More!
Derek Oswald
Beatsurfing: A Creative Playground for Modern Sound Design If you’re curious about how innovative technology meets raw musical creativity, BEATSURFING is a name worth knowing. Born in 1997 under the moniker Herrmutt Lobby, this ...
5 Excellent Must-Have Sonora Cinematic Products: Emma Legato, Aria Vocalscapes & More!
Derek Oswald
If you’re into composing soundtracks or creating immersive soundscapes, chances are you’ve heard the buzz about Sonora Cinematic. This plugin developer, based in Edinburgh, UK, and helmed by Italian composer and sound designer Alessandro ...
Blezz Beats Purpl Pak Vol 3: Vocodine, SNOP & More – Packed With Vintage Greatness
Derek Oswald
A Blast from the Past Meets Tomorrow’s Sound Scrolling through Instagram one day, I was suddenly hit with a series of quirky, VHS filter-drenched ads that looked exactly like a 1980s infomercial. With over-the-top ...
Rast Sound Motif 2: Your New Creative Music Partner
Derek Oswald
Ever find yourself staring at a blank project with a head full of half-formed musical ideas? Sometimes the spark just isn’t coming, and you end up scrolling through endless plugin options looking for something ...
MIDI Agent v1.0.5 Beta Preview: A Powerful New Frontier in AI-Driven Music Creation
Derek Oswald
As our AI underlords get smarter and smarter (and perhaps one day become our overlords and take over our lives ala SkyNet), many music plugin developers are dipping their toes into the space, discovering ...
Elementary Sounds: Vintage Vibes Trusted by Depeche Mode and Lo-Fi Producers
Derek Oswald
In today’s world of hyper-polished digital production, it’s easy for music to lose a bit of its soul. Enter Elementary Sounds—a plugin company focused on sampling unique vintage instruments, that may have otherwise been lost ...
Klevgrand – Tomofon and Speldosa: 2 Creative Offerings from the Heart of Sweden
Derek Oswald
In today’s musical landscape, where tons of new plugin companies pop up daily and saturate the market, Klevgrand, a small but passionate Swedish music software company, isn’t afraid to break the rules. Known for ...
TAQS.IM: Beautiful World Culture Plugins – SOLO Synth and Microtoner – 10% Discount Code
Derek Oswald
Want a discount? Provide “ALTWIRE” at checkout upon purchasing these plugins to get 10% off. TAQS.IM: Bringing Global Sounds to Your Digital Studio Greetings Altwire readers! I recently had the privilege of getting to ...
Review: Baby Audio Humanoid – Fun & Futuristic Vocals From The Year 3000
Derek Oswald
Baby Audio’s Humanoid offers a fun and inviting premise. While many vocal modification plugins aim to refine, enhance, or subtly tweak vocals while keeping them as natural and transparent as possible, BABY Audio’s Humanoid, ...
Infiltrator 2 Review: An Effects Swiss Army Knife of Greatness
Derek Oswald
As a lifelong fan of Peter Gabriel, I’ve always been captivated by his fearless creativity. Gabriel’s ability to blend unconventional sounds with emotional depth has made him one of my biggest influences since childhood. ...
