★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Another crazy-good Audio Reward synth

This one joins Brood and a few other Kontakt instruments in bringing newer approaches to sequencing capabilities, not only with a multi-key sequencer but also with pop-up sequenced LFOs that appear when you turn on a radio button for a control knob/slider (a la Chordscape). So, even without the added sound-shifting capabilities of the multi-key sequencers, Phenomena is capable of subtle to mind-boggling sound permutations. The Designer tab interface and the voices are classic synth with capabilities that stay out of the way until you need/want them. Pads are easy to create from even aggressive snapshots with quck adjustments of envelope attacks and filter Freq and Reso tweaks. Even with only the capabilities of the pop-up LFOs, it's relatively simple and quick to develop styles and approaches to creating evolving sounds and textures (You could also make a scary, moving knobs/sliders twonky video). If messing with the AHDSR doesn't sit well with your ADHD, there is randomization of settings and sequences, and saving/loading of sequences. The browser that lets you hear how the voices will affect the sound as you browse is certainly a welcome feature. The interaction between the tabs/pages can be more complicated, so read the manual (especially if you are unfamiliar with the ARP page) and watch the videos---but you get a good number of presets that illustrate some surprising capabilities of this instrument. Some of the snapshots deserve to have each and every note of the keyboard played and held, individually and chorded. Lots of sounds, features and capabilities in a well-designed classic synth GUI.



Stan Borek