In his latest loopop video, host Ziv Eliraz takes an in-depth look at the SOMA Laboratory Cosmos ‘Drifting Memory Station’.
Cosmos is designed to let you create meditative soundscapes. SOMA says that “The design of the controls, functions and generated soundscapes are intended to evoke, in both performer and listener, states and experiences inherent in meditation, such as limitless space, fluidity, spontaneous development, presence, the ability to hear, tranquility, the experience of subtle harmony and happiness enveloping the whole world.”
This video takes a detailed look at the unique functionality of the Cosmos and demonstrate its sonic possibilities.
Topics covered:
0:00 Intro
1:30 Overview
4:30 This setup
5:15 Two delays
7:05 Four delays
7:45 Blur & Drift
9:35 Giant reverb
10:20 Granular delay
11:30 Feedback
12:00 Compressor
13:10 Suppressor
13:45 A FEW TIPS
14:00 Simple looping
14:40 Direct 2 phase
15:20 Blur freeze
16:00 Spectral control
16:35 Pass it on
17:10 Reverse toggle
17:40 No undo
18:00 Always record!
18:20 Pros & cons
20:55 Cosmic drift
Check it out and share your thoughts on the Cosmos in the comments!
This looks and sounds great but I’m saddened by lack of any sync options. I realize the loops are supposed to phase in and out but tempo/sync could still be accounted for in some way.
I think syncing is not really part of the whole SOMA philosophy. Their instruments are all about improvisation, happy accidents and acceptance. Less control, more flow.
Apparently there is going to be a firmware update for sync and more standard looping, but I will wait for that before considering this, as fun as it looks I think you can only do so much ambient noodling!
They should make it so that holding the “erase” button functions as an “undo” and quickly fades out the last thing you recorded. I get the whole “being in the moment” thing, but having your mistake repeated and prolonged in a live performance really REALLY sucks. I say this as an experienced live-looping artist.
I love hardware and the Soma philosophy (Some Pipe ?) , but listening to this made me think about how so many software synths and effects venture into wild and original sonic places, but don’t get the love because they are not hardware.
I mean, this is a pretty cool delay effect that I’d like to try, but if it was released as a plugin it would be $29 and not get any attention.
That ? was supposed to be a heart
I doesn’t seem to do a lot for the size of it. Quite limited when you look at it alongside something like an MI Beads or Instruo Arbhar. They are euro I know but they are comparable in that they are granular looping devices