Most of the Sound FX sample packs we get sent here at Music Tech are based around bombastic, in-your-face synth build-ups and intense robotic glitches. However, Static FX, from Samplephonics, is a little different, offering a more subtle approach in which noise risers and textures are built from recorded sound sources such as cracking ice and frying bacon.





Manufacturer: Samplephonics
Price: £17.40
Contact: info@samplephonics.com
Web: www.samplephonics.com





The pack contains a total of 281 FX samples laid out across nine instruments for Kontakt, EXS24 and NN-XT and divided into folders of Crashes and Impacts, Dirty Sweeps, Noise Sweeps, Pitched Sweeps, Static Noise and One Shots. Most of the sounds here are multilayered to add detail, with vinyl record-style slow-downs combined with orchestral stabs and filtered industrial crashes subtly layered with drum rolls and echoing impacts. The three folders of sweeps include both dives and rises, using a variety of granular effects, chattering voices, bit-crushed radio waves, pitched stepped synths and wispy ambiences. The noise folder in particular has a good sense of space through clever use of panning and stereo effects, offering thinned out textures that would avoid cluttering the central instruments in a mix. You’ll also find plenty of long textures to add ambience to your tracks in the Static Noise folder, with some of the evolving sounds lasting over a minute. It’s here we find the cracking of ice cubes and warm vinyl crackles, most with variations like increased effects, filtering, or delays.

Unfortunately, as most of these sounds are so heavily drenched in reverb and delay, many of them sound very similar, resulting in a lack of variety. We were also slightly disappointed by the One Shots folder, which, rather than being filled with unique found sounds, contains a batch of stuttering, lo-fi glitch hits.

These things aside, this is actually quite an original collection of FX sounds with a sense of subtly that’s arguably lacking in many other FX packs. There is a sense of space, depth and delicacy that would make these perfect for more chilled electronica and minimal techno styles.

Verdict

A unique-sounding collection of organic sound FX, with more depth, space and subtlety than your average FX pack.

8/10