Dark Zebra "Arkos" available at www.luftrum.com on November 3rd, 2022

Product info

He squinted through the rain as cars sped past. His contact must be around somewhere. He pulled his jacket collar up higher. As he did so, he felt something slide into his pocket. He reached in. A phone- pulled it out, opened it. You have one new message: Arkos.

Darkened cities with backroom deals, barren wastes that hide secrets, and high-tech dystopias where every move is watched – enter Arkos. a dark and gritty cinematic sound set for Zebra HZ created by Sonic Underworld and curated by Luftrum. It features an arresting tapestry of sounds that will form the backbone of your underscore for your next crime thriller, dark drama, or near-future nightmare.

Arkos is brimming with anti-hero leads, melancholy keys, brooding basses, post-apocalyptic pads, and menacing sequences. You will also find moody drifting synths, dramatic impacts, left-field FX, and deep warping soundscapes.

Subtle tension and suspense permeate throughout, and Arkos is heavily inspired by dark dramas such as Ozark, Breaking Bad, Money Heist, and Squid Game. From widescreen atmospheres, to futuristic sonics, to faded technicolor synths, Arkos delivers a cinematic experience wrapped in corroded, off-kilter electronica.

For maximum expressiveness, Arkos boasts assignments for modwheel, velocity, and aftertouch, as well as all four X/Y pads. A few dB of headroom is reserved for ease of mixing.

Please note this set was made for Zebra HZ version 2.9.3 (Dark Zebra), a special version of Zebra made specifically for Hans Zimmer upon his request with additional filters, modulation options, and more. While the patches will load in the regular version of Zebra, it is recommended to have Zebra HZ otherwise the patches may sound different. More info on Zebra HZ/The Dark Zebra can be found here as well at our FAQ section.

Jonathan Van Den Wijngaarden / Bagman

Available May 1st at https://www.luftrum.com/

Price: $35.00

"Embark on a sonic odyssey where the imagination runs wild, and the sonic landscapes unfold like a Terry Gilliam dreamworld infused with a hint of Tim Burton’s quirkiness, where the boundaries between reality and fantasy blur, and the impossible becomes possible.

Introducing Curiosa, a cabinet of curiosities filled with synth presets for Zebra 2 that will capture your imagination and transport you to the spaces that exist on the periphery of sound, where the bizarre and the beautiful collide.

Curiosa sets itself apart from the norm as a realm imbued with cinematic oddities, from dark and subtle, to the heavily saturated and distorted, to the lush and otherworldly – expect the unexpected. Curiosa traces the outer perimeter, seeks out the corners, and explores the less traversed peaks and valleys of cinematic sound design.

Prepare to be spellbound by hypnotic and drifty arpeggios, kinetic sequences and asymmetric leads. Tape-aged synths dissolve into spiraling evocative soundscapes. Subversive mind-bending FX blossom against spacious enveloping pads. Vivid arpeggios burst alongside percussive hits, propelling pulses and driving rhythms. The set fuses a myriad of styles and colors and guides you into a world of sonic possibilities where the unexpected and unpredictable reign supreme, delivering a sophisticated sonic palette for the daring cinematic composer.

Inspiration is drawn from a diverse range of composers such as Danny Elfman (Alice in Wonderland, The Girl on the Train) Ben Frost (Fortitude, Raised by Wolves), Mica Levi (Under the Skin, Monos), Mac Quayle (Mr. Robot, The Last of Us Part II), Sinoia Caves (Beyond The Black Rainbow), as well as artists such as Juno Reactor, Melodysheep, and Apparat.

Detailed and dynamic programming form the core of Curiosa's 180 Zebra patches, which are tagged by category with generous X/Y performance assignments, as well as destinations for modwheel, velocity, and aftertouch, which ensure a near limitless amount of personalization and deep sonic experimentation. The set is fully NKS compatible, containing NKS presets, tagged and sorted in an NKS subbank.

Curiosa welcomes intrepid sonic explorers and those looking to elevate their productions with a unique blend of alternative sound design. Dive into some of the sound demos for a sampling of the diversity on offer.

Please note that Curiosa requires Zebra 2 (version 2.9.3, revision 12092) which is part of the Zebra Legacy bundle. Check out some of the other Zebra patches in soundsets such as Omniscient and Valis. Add all three sets to the same cart and save 20%."