Rossum Trident

The Trident from Rossum Electro-Music is an all-analog triple oscillator with some ear-gouging modulation potential. It is comprised of three precision analog oscillators that allow for a variety of intermodulation schemes. While each oscillator provides three waveshapes, 1V/Oct response, and FM capabilities, Trident sidesteps hierarchical configuration entirely in that each oscillator contains its own distinct flavor; there is no subservience to be had here.

One of Trident’s most singular features is its Zing Modulation capabilities. According to Rossum, Zing Modulation is somewhat reminiscent of ring modulation, which it perpetrates with ease as long as sync is disabled. However, enabling sync is where the Zinging begins. When enabled, Zing locks the sidebands to the primary oscillator for a unique effect that sounds like a cross between traditional ring modulation and oscillator sync. That this parameter can be governed by cv means user have access to an uncharted realm of exquisite timbral characteristics.

Arturia Microfreak

The folks at Arturia were delighted to give us the rundown on their new synth, the MicroFreak. This peculiar beast features a powerful digital oscillator, a 12dB Oberheim SEM-inspired state variable analog filter, and a 5x7 modulation matrix. Despite its small size, MicroFreak is capable of some massive sounds. Its nifty touch-keyboard imparts an extra layer of dexterity, providing an expedient and efficient means of harnessing its massive potential.

Make Noise QPAS Quad Peak Animation System

Make Noise's QPAS might at first appear to simply be a successor to their MMG: but it is much much more. A multimode stereo filter with four VCF cores, the QPAS sounds great like a typical filter...but it excels at bizarre spatial manipulations, ringing resonances, and crude formants. This is simply not your run-of-the-mill multimode filter: it's an oscillator, a peculiar spectral panner, a modal resonator, almost anything one could want.

Verbos Control Voltage Processor and Mini Horse

Verbos brought along two more modules clearly inspired by his own experience with the designs of Don Buchla. The Voltage Processor adds much-needed utilities to the Verbos system—like half of a Serge DUSG and a Buchla 257 all rolled into one module. The top section is a slope generator ideal for slews, envelopes, LFOs, and more. The bottom is knob-per-knob a Buchla 257, just with an extra attenuverter: a CV polarizer, mixer, voltage-controllable crossfader, and offset generator that makes all manner of voltage transformations an easy possibility.

Even without taking into consideration the amazing name, the Mini Horse might just be one of the best Eurorack touch plate keyboards out there. The Mini Horse seems a lot like the Buchla 218 or Verbos's own Touch Keyboard intertwined with a Buchla Thunder or 223e: an array of touch plates that operate simultaneously as a fixed-voltage keyboard, a tunable keyboard, an array of 12 capacitive voltage sources, 12-touch sliders, or 12 gate generators...this promises to be a next-level performance controller, and will no doubt pair excellently with the Bark Filter, Multi Delay, and more.

2hp Bell, Grain, Sine, & DC

2hp has continued their tradition of powerful synthesis facilities and handy utilities, squeezing enormous amounts of functionality behind tiny face plates. This year, they introduce the Bell, Grain, Sine, and DC!

Bell is a physical modeling voice based on modal synthesis: just send in a trigger and adjust the "bar" and "mallet" parameters to achieve sounds from huge, inharmonic bells to quickly decaying percussion. Grain is an audio effect module based on granular synthesis, providing variable control of grain density and 1V/Oct response for accurate pitch tracking. Sine is, as its name might suggest, a sine-based oscillator with built-in wavefolder and a dedicated suboctave output, providing everything from clean sines to gritty growl and bassy tones. And of course, there's the DC: a triple DC offset ideal for essentially adding control knobs to knobless parameters—place next to a Disting for endless fun, combine with a sequential switch to make a sequencer—the possibilities are endless!

Elektron Model:Samples

Elektron's Model:Samples takes the ever-popular groovebox brand into more affordable territory than ever before. A sample-based device, the Model:Samples offers an affordable entry-point into the Elektron ecosystem, while sporting the same powerful sequencing features as its more expensive brethren. Model:Samples also brings a knob-per-function approach to the Elektron lineup, in effect forming an instrument that is immediately approachable both in terms of price and usability. We're excited to see Elektron opening up their world to a broader audience than ever!

Teenage Engineering Pocket Operator Modular

Teenage Engineering's invariably peculiar designs have earned them staying power uncommon for makers of niche instruments; despite the OP-1 and OP-Z's peculiarity, they're no doubt some of the most vied-after synthesizers around. The original Pocket Operators brought their designs into a much more affordable context, and they now follow suit with their Pocket Operator Modular series.

Teenage Engineering is showing prototypes for their new series of modular synthesizers at NAMM 2019. Seemingly informed equally by Ikea and Serge design approaches, the Pocket Operator Modular systems are to be sold as easy-to-assemble kits, where users bend a metal chassis to the correct shape, slot pre-assembled modules into place, add batteries, and get to patching! The stark yellow 400 system showcases the quirky design, complete with 1/8" patch cables (a sigh of relief) and seemingly Lego-compatible knobs...we're not quite sure when these will be available, but we're super excited about this new and affordable approach to modular synthesis.

Strymon Volante

Strymon's Volante is a clear descendant of their much-loved Magneto Eurorack module, bringing many of its spectacular sounds and behaviors into pedal format along with a host of new features. Switch between different delay types, adjust head spacing, and generally dub out using this spectacular new addition to the always impressive Strymon lineup. The Volante might be the closest thing to real tape that we have ever heard in a guitar pedal; frankly, it sounds amazing. From self-oscillating drones to springy reverb, degraded tape, tape stop effects, and aged reel-to-reels all the way to tightly tempo-synced ping pong delays, the Volante is perhaps one of the most powerful tape delay emulations in the hardware world as a whole. Guitarists will love it—but so will keyboardists, recording engineers, and most likely every musician who ever hears one.

Radikal Delta Cep A

Delta Cep A is the long-awaited desktop/Eurorack format synthesizer from Radikal Technologies, offering their classic Swarm oscillator along with all the niceties of a typical synth voice. Add patch cables to make things super wild, or just plug in a MIDI controller to get straight to the singular, bizarre sounds that justify the "Radikal" moniker. The Delta Cep A will integrate seamlessly into any setup: it is just as much at home in context with other Eurorack modules, sitting alongside a computer in a DAW-centric workflow, or connected to a MIDI keyboard for edgy monosynth duties. We've been waiting for the completion of the Delta Cep for some time, and we are excited to see it this much closer to availability. Who knows what insane swarming sounds the future will hold?