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 humor, vibrant visuals, and witty catchphrases, these ads instantly captured my attention—and my curiosity. A few clicks later I was led … Read more
FOLDS: A Gateway to Ethereal Expression FOLDS by Void & Vista is one of those special plugins that manages to strike a rare balance: it is at once deceptively simple in its appearance and yet deeply complex in the sounds it produces. Upon first glance, FOLDS (as in vocal folds) welcomes you with a sleek, … Read more
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 its inventive and sometimes quirky approach to plugin design, this small but mighty company has steadily built a reputation for offering … Read more
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 test some incredible software and I can’t wait to tell you about it. Created by two Armenian musicians, TAQS.IM is dedicated … Read more
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, however, takes a completely different approach. Designed for robotic chaos, this plugin isn’t about subtlety—it’s about pushing vocals as far into … Read more
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. So, when I discovered that, according to their website, Peter Gabriel himself had endorsed Infiltrator 2, and his team uses it in … Read more
When it comes to melody generation, Melody Sauce 2 by Evabeat offers a shortcut for those moments when writer’s block strikes or the perfect top-line melody feels just out of reach. One of the easiest melody generation plugins on the market, Melody Sauce is a perfect writer’s box companion for beginners and experienced musicians. Melody … Read more
Spawn by Sauceware x Lemonade is a unique entry into this space, offering AI-powered sound design that blends user inputs with an ethical approach to artificial intelligence. Easily one of our favorite plugins we’ve tested yet, Spawn has several standout features worth considering, particularly for producers working within or inspired by Trap music. Read on … Read more
TRONIC by Sampleson isn’t your typical drum machine—in fact, it’s not even a drum machine at all. It’s a generative analog-modeled drum synthesizer that leans into the experimental, offering a unique way to create drum patterns with just a click. Designed for producers who enjoy tweaking knobs and embracing unpredictability, TRONIC is as quirky as … Read more
In the ever-evolving world of music production tools, Dubler 2 by Vochlea stands out as a revolutionary concept: software that instantly turns your voice into MIDI. Whether you sing, hum, or beatbox, Dubler 2 translates your input into MIDI notes and drum triggers in real-time, opening new possibilities for producers, songwriters, and performers alike. Having … Read more
I was first drawn to Sampleson’s Scaper plugin through a Facebook ad that piqued my curiosity with its promise: take any sound and instantly transform it into a cinematic soundscape. As a fan of the unsettling ambiance found in games like Silent Hill or modern horror movies, I couldn’t help but wonder how unorthodox I … Read more