Crafted by UK-based sound designers Flatpack, the Analogik Waves II Pack expands on the comprehensive Analogik Waves I collection. In their return to analog sampling, Flatpack has decided to focus their new Waves Pack around three analog oscillators that are distinctive as their names suggest: the Verbos Harmonic Oscillator, the Endorphin.es Furthrrr Generator, and the Whimsical Raps Mannequins Mangrove. In their natural hardware habitat, each of these oscillators can create a wealth of intriguing audio possibilities, and Waves II adds to that power by giving users the ability to combine these unique sounds and textures into entirely new creations, and further customize them using the flexibility inherent to Live's Instrument Racks.

Containing 110 different Simpler/Oscillator patches, Analogik Waves II makes everything from warm, piercing leads to dense pads and kaleidoscopic bursts of analog noise possible with the right patch and a few turns of the knobs.

Each Waves II patch begins with a sample that was recorded directly from one of the trio of analog oscillators. To provide extra sonic character, the samples were recorded using a variety of signal chains, ranging from simple and clean to heavily processed signal paths. From there, Flatpack have chromatically mapped out (using 2,815 individual oscillator samples) each sound so that they can be played across the full range of the keyboard, from C0 to C6. Ultimately, the aim of Analogik Waves II is to provide Instruments that can be either monophonic or polyphonic and stay in tune, yet can also still keep the idiosyncrasies that make analog hardware synths so appealing.

In terms of controls, each synth patch gives users substantial sound shaping capabilities via eight pre-mapped macros. Some macros control basic functions, such as a Filter Cutoff and Resonance, while others control complex sequences of events that can result in drastic sonic transformations.

Like Flatpack's other creations (which includes the excellent Analogik Drums pack), Analogik Waves II balances the grit and unpredictable quirk of genuine analog gear with the immense customization available in the digital realm. For artists and producers who love working with odd and unique sounding synths, this Pack has a lot to offer.