Spherical Sound Society has introduced Wintermute, a “strange machine” that they say sits somewhere between a drum machine, a groove box, and an experimental generative synth.

Here’s what they have to say about it:

“At its core is a 4-Operator FM engine, inspired by classic Yamaha chips from arcade machines and consoles, but with creative twists and liberties. As a result, it sounds both retro and avant-garde, yet distinctly different from any other synth. It has a clear, personal character, and ultimately, it sounds uniquely like itself.

The engine features multiple sequencers running and interacting, using original algorithms that mute, recombine, and evolve constantly, delivering fresh output. It’s not about playing exactly what you want but about discovering and exploring countless possibilities—strange sonic landscapes and happy accidents.

Wintermute is made to be recorded, as it always sounds different, and what you’re hearing now is likely a one-time experience that won’t be repeated. The fascinating part is that it doesn’t rely on randomization. Everything is algorithmic, but the possibilities change and recombine with each turn of the knobs, making it nearly impossible to recreate the same sound.

Wintermute has now reached maturity with the release of version 1.0. However, like the machine’s output, it will evolve through different firmware updates, branching into new creative structures. The potential to expand and reshape how you play it is vast and endless. We take pride in offering distinct firmware versions for each machine. Future updates will be free for customers, provided we don’t completely rewrite the code and turn it into something entirely new.”

It comes comes in 3 flavors:

• As a fully assembled unit.
• As a complete kit (with all the components) so that the user can play with it from the beginning.
• As a prepolulated PCB + Programmed microcontroller for medium and advanced DIYers. The user has to source the rest of the components and build the synth.

Wintermute Synthesizer Demo:

Pricing and Availability:

Wintermute is available as a DIY project, starting at 81,95 €, and pre-assembled for 144,95 €.