Mia Khoirunisa
Northern Italy-based engineer and artist Jelle Akkerman has officially launched "every something," a new imprint for his creative ventures, marked by the debut of two groundbreaking audio plugins: Glosso and Artikulation. Available today, these tools promise to push the boundaries of vocal synthesis and rhythmic modulation, offering musicians and sound designers unprecedented control over sonic complexity and textural evolution. The release signifies Akkerman’s burgeoning presence in the audio software landscape, building on his prior hardware innovations and collaborations.
The genesis of "every something" reflects Akkerman’s multifaceted artistic journey. His early performance experience, notably opening for the Vengaboys at the age of 14, hints at a playful yet ambitious approach to music. This spirit now translates into his dedicated imprint, which encompasses music, hardware, and software. The "every division and duration" Eurorack module, developed in partnership with Dr. Nicolas Bougaïeff and Johannes Lohbihler, serves as a testament to Akkerman’s commitment to hardware innovation. However, the immediate focus is on the software realm, with Glosso and Artikulation leading the charge. Two additional plugins, "perp," a Risset-powered live looper, and "otophon," a dedicated synthesizer, are slated for release next month, indicating a robust pipeline of creative tools.
Glosso: Exploring the Frontiers of Algorithmic Vocal Synthesis
Glosso, at its core, is a plugin designed to explore the esoteric realm of "speaking in tongues," a concept directly referenced by its name, derived from "glossolalia." This plugin aims to create vocal-like textures through intricate algorithmic processes, drawing significant inspiration from the pioneering circuit designs of Rob Hordijk, particularly his famed "rungler" found in the Benjolin. The rungler is a unique pseudorandom generator where two oscillators are "entangled." One oscillator’s output clocks a shift register, which is then fed by the second oscillator. Crucially, an output signal is fed back into the circuit as control voltage, creating a self-sustaining, chaotic loop. Hordijk’s explanation of the rungler emphasizes its purpose in generating unpredictable yet structured sonic events.
Glosso translates this concept into a digital environment by employing two chaotic rhythmic circuits to drive two distinct vocal voices. The inherent pseudorandom nature of these circuits ensures a constant stream of sonic variation, guaranteeing that the two voices will always exhibit at least subtle, and often significant, differences. This design fosters a dynamic and evolving vocal tapestry, moving far beyond static synthesized speech.
The plugin’s user interface, presented in a clean black and white aesthetic, offers intuitive controls for manipulating these complex sonic processes. Key parameters include:
- Head/body and haat/boty: These controls directly influence the fundamental frequencies of each voice, allowing for precise tuning and harmonic relationships.
- Q: This parameter accentuates the phonemic qualities of the synthesized voices by emphasizing the vowel filters. Adjusting the Q can shape the perceived character and intelligibility of the vocalizations.
- Stagger: A particularly engaging control, stagger dictates the temporal separation between the two voices. This allows users to dial in everything from subtle rhythmic shuffling to distinctly articulated and independent vocal lines.
- Clock: The clock control offers two modes: synced to the host DAW’s tempo or free-running. The free-running mode unleashes the full chaotic potential of the underlying circuits, pushing the rungler-inspired design to its limits for maximum unpredictability.
Beyond these primary controls, Glosso features a "cross-modulation" element, visualized by a cross at the top right of the interface. This parameter introduces a degree of physical interaction between the two voices, leading to emergent sonic behaviors. Furthermore, users can delve into the plugin’s parameters to directly adjust crossfeed. This control ranges from hard panning of the two voices to complete overlaying in the center, providing nuanced control over the stereo image and the degree of sonic intermingling. This feature, reportedly influenced by user feedback, enhances the plugin’s flexibility.
The culmination of these controls allows Glosso to transcend simple vocal synthesis. It can generate not only highly experimental vocalizations but also rich, evolving drones, intricate textures, and entirely unexpected sonic landscapes. As demonstrated in accompanying video demonstrations, pushing Glosso to its extremes can lead to a state of "complete mayhem," producing sounds that verge on the abstract and the deeply textural, often reminiscent of the sonic exploration found in Benjolin-style synthesis.
Artikulation: Precision Rhythmic Shaping and Temporal Manipulation
In contrast to Glosso’s exploration of chaotic vocalization, Artikulation focuses on the precise manipulation of rhythm and groove. While numerous plugins offer envelope shaping capabilities, Artikulation distinguishes itself through its unique approach to rhythmic definition. Traditional envelope shapers often rely on manually drawn curves or step sequences, which can be cumbersome for complex rhythmic programming. Artikulation, however, empowers users to sculpt rhythms and grooves with exceptional accuracy, moving from simple structures to intricate polymetric arrangements, and then to bend, skew, and stretch these patterns with remarkable ease and minimal controls.
The core of Artikulation’s functionality lies in its innovative division controls. Instead of drawing individual points on an envelope, users can select divisions of /2, /4, /6, or /8, which effectively subdivide the rhythmic grid. This allows for the creation of precisely quantized rhythmic patterns.
Key parameters within Artikulation include:
- Depth: This control allows users to adjust the intensity or amplitude of the generated envelope shape within the chosen divisions. Settings like /2 and /4 are particularly useful for establishing fundamental duple rhythms.
- Shape and Skew: Located in the bottom left of the interface, these controls manipulate the contour of the envelope. Users can transition from sharp, on-the-beat accents to more fluid, "ducked" or pumping effects, offering a wide range of dynamic possibilities.
- Tuplets: This feature is central to Artikulation’s ability to generate complex rhythmic patterns. By overlaying tuplet patterns onto the existing rhythm, users can introduce swing, accentuation, and intricate polyrhythms. This layering capability allows for the creation of sophisticated combined patterns and advanced polymetric effects, all controllable in an intuitive, analog-like fashion.
- Phase: Represented by a dot at the bottom of the display, the phase control allows users to shift the entire envelope pattern left or right in time. This offers precise control over the timing of rhythmic events within the overall grid.
- Scale: Situated on the right-hand side of the interface, the scale control adjusts the temporal resolution or length of the envelope pattern. A smaller scale is particularly effective for introducing subtle, nuanced rhythmic variations and embellishments.
- Timing Warp: This parameter is where Artikulation truly shines for those interested in temporal manipulation. It enables users to squeeze or stretch the entire rhythmic pattern forward or backward in time. This functionality allows for the creation of dynamic effects such as rapid ratcheting, expressive rubato passages, and seamless acceleration or deceleration. The ability to bend time while maintaining grid integrity is a significant asset for modern music production.
Artikulation’s power as a compositional tool is amplified by its ability to integrate seamlessly with other virtual instruments. The accompanying video demonstrations showcase its use with Ableton’s Wavetable synthesizer, illustrating how the plugin can breathe complex rhythmic life into otherwise static sounds. The article also credits the use of "Modulators Plus" by Max for Cats for additional modulation, and Ableton Live themes by Studio Brootle, highlighting the ecosystem of tools that can complement Akkerman’s plugins.
For users who may find the intricate controls initially overwhelming, Artikulation offers a comprehensive library of presets. These presets serve as excellent starting points for understanding the plugin’s capabilities and provide immense satisfaction when tweaked and customized.
Availability and Broader Implications
Both Glosso and Artikulation are available for purchase starting today, with a free trial offered for users to explore their capabilities firsthand. The plugins are compatible with AU and VST3 formats, supporting both macOS and Windows operating systems.
The release of Glosso and Artikulation by every something marks a significant moment in the ongoing evolution of digital audio tools. Glosso’s approach to algorithmic vocal synthesis, inspired by the chaotic beauty of analog circuitry, offers a unique alternative to traditional vocoders and sample-based vocal manipulation. It opens avenues for experimental sound design and the creation of truly alien yet compelling vocal textures.
Artikulation, on the other hand, addresses the often-tedious task of rhythmic programming with an innovative and intuitive interface. Its focus on precise divisions, tuplets, and temporal warping empowers musicians to craft intricate, evolving grooves that go beyond conventional metronomic precision. The ability to manipulate time with such fine-grained control, while remaining anchored to the grid, is a powerful compositional advantage.
These plugins underscore a growing trend in the music technology industry: the desire for tools that offer not just sound generation, but also profound control over sonic evolution and complexity. Jelle Akkerman’s "every something" imprint appears poised to become a vital resource for creators seeking to push the boundaries of their sonic palettes, offering a blend of algorithmic depth, intuitive design, and an artist’s discerning ear for sonic innovation. The forthcoming releases of "perp" and "otophon" further suggest a comprehensive vision for the future of creative audio software, promising to equip artists with an ever-expanding toolkit for sonic exploration.
