Mystic Circuits has introduced IDUM, a gate processing effect for Eurorack systems that promise to make creating IDM (intelligent dance music) easy.

Making complex electronic music with a modular can require a large system and a level of expertise beyond the reach of many modular users. Mystic Circuit says that IDUM puts making IDM “into the hands of people with average intelligence.”

And, if you do happen to be a brainiac, IDUM is based on open source code and Arduino-based hardware, so you can go wild bending the module to your will.

IDUM acts like an effects processor for the sequences that run through it. The module manipulates the gates and sequences of connected modules, but with a level of playability normally inaccessible to a sequencer. IDUM can vary carefully crafted sequences or turn your music into an onslaught of controlled chaos.

IDUM has eight effect modes:

• HOLD – Alter the length of incoming triggers.
• BURST – Generates a ratcheting effect with timing determined by the clock.
• MULTIPLY/DIVIDE – Generates a ratcheting effect with timing determined by incoming triggers.
• BALL – Generates a bouncing ball effect.
• ROTATE – scrambles the connections of inputs and outputs.
• DELAY – postpones incoming gates by a dynamic amount of time based on incoming triggers.
• BREAK – preset rhythms that turn incoming triggers into breakbeats.
• SKIP – manipulates the clock output to multiply the clock speed or skip forward multiple steps.

In addition to these modes, IDUM features an eight step looper that loops incoming gates as well as any effects that were active on those steps.

To control when IDUM’s effects are active, the CHANCE slider sets the likelihood that on a given step an effect will activate and the LENGTH slider sets how many steps the effect will last for. The PARAM knob controls a parameter unique to each effect while the MODE knob selects the mode. All of these controls as well as the LOOP status have their own CV modulation inputs.

Unique to IDUM is its ability to manipulate external sequencers using the clock output. This includes functions like: pausing the clock when an effect is active for dynamic clock division, skipping forwards or multiplying the speed of the clock in SKIP mode, and looping a sub-section of sequencer steps in the looper. To keep everything tamed while manipulating the clock, the CYCLE switch will send out bursts of clocks to catch your sequencer up with its original sequencer position after an effect has completed.

Here’s an in-depth guide to IDUM:

Pricing and Availability

IDUM is available now for $295 USD.