Whimsical Raps shared this preview of Atrium, a new boutique synthesizer that features five analog voices, controlled and modulated polytimbrally.
Here’s what they have to say about it:
“each voice is shaped by its harmonic energy while three core timbre modes push into richer territory. from simple suboctave and noise waves, through frequency modulation, and landing in formant synthesis reimagined. all squeezed through a lowpass/gate combination, providing balance and occasionally emphasis.
no digital multi-effects here, just spectres in the machine. a novel configuration of three filters, two delays, and feedback. front and almost centre — this resonant body is meant to be played. sequenceable, modulatable, while feeding back not just sound, but shape for unfolding cybernetics.
and to modulate! everything mappable to everything else, tactile input extended on the fly, mapping as a performance in itself. sources are dynamically phased across voices, and stretched in relative duration. gestures captured into five recorders, extending play rather than overriding it, all twisted in time at your whim.”
Full details are still to be announced.
Pricing and Availability:
Atrium will be available for $1,600 USD, starting Oct 31, 2025.
Neat concept!
What a lovely thing.
Another cool synth, another alternative. The golden age of synths will turn us all into synth collectors, not musicians. How to decide which synth to get when there are so many options?
So true!
If you shop well, you really only need only 3 or 4 synths, if you learn those synths well, you got everything covered. Synths like theabove? No, you do not need it. It’s a 1600,- novelty that will wear thin, not something that will suit your needs in the upcoming years. Spend half that money on effects instead.
That might be true if you’re playing in a band or „produce“ music. However, some people find pleasure in the meditative act of sonic exploration and experimentation without a need to be efficient or accomplish anything. In that realm, it’s all about the aesthetic and sensual experience. I feel these are the people who will value an instrument like this.
but can you play mary had a little lamb on it
Well, I’m not impressed… Looks kind of cool and definitely different but sound wise…?
Personally I think it sounds very average at best, sorry…
I agree. I love the lights and layout, but if I had po make a choice with my eyes closed, I wouldn’t pick it. and with music, eyes closed is the first filter for every product.
Function Follows Form.
I need clearer, more demonstrative video
A video that wasn’t filmed in the dark might help sell it a bit better.
Also, nearly every close up of the instrument is blurred.
Just thinking “what if Laurie Anderson had one of these in the 1980s?’ How different “Oh Superman” or “Language Is A Virus” could have sounded. Imagine John Foxx, Thomas Dolby, Brian Eno or Vangelis noodling around with one of these.
They’d laugh at it and turn on their proven instruments instead.
MYC, that sounds like a pretty conservative view ascribed to people who are proven to have taken “risks” on new and exciting instruments/tech during their time. I think you’re making pioneers in their field sound a bit afraid, which I don’t think checks out.
No offense, but this looks like it was designed by an AI told to make a futuristic desktop synthesizer
Absolutely agree. It’s absurd to the point of ridiculous and sonically underwhelming. However due to the companies following it will sell out immediately and only be available and double the RRP on Reverb for a considerable time, thus cementing it’s ‘cult status’. WR are good at making money and have done this before
So who ever copy and pasted the text from the advertisement:
What is the first sentence suppose to mean?
what are “shapes for unfolding cybernetics”?
why is not having a few standard effects a sales point?
Sounds exciting, but the video disappoints. its heavy on ringmod and fm sounds, i like sound like that, but that hardly justifies the label “new”.
if you own a modern digital synth and have trouble making sounds like that, read the manual (saves $1600) – and you can zone out as much as you like that way, too 🙂