OBSCURIUM Review
SugarBytes’ Obscurium has been a surprisingly interesting synth/ sequencer, with a UI that is quite namely obscure, it approaches synthesis from a different angle. As a synthesizer it is by no means particularly deep or powerful, the magic comes from the technicolor dot-matrix sequencer. Obscurium has 16 parameters, each with their own color sequencer lane and a variety of methods for drawing sequences. As the clock moves through each step, the values all change accordingly. At first this seems trivial and even somewhat tedious, but as is SugarBytes’ plugins, when you get under the hood a bit, let loose and play, things become surprisingly fun and interesting.
SYNTH/FX: As mentioned, the synth engine is incredibly simple, you can mix between classic waves or a simple 3op FM, this feeds into a lowpass filter. The sound tab gives you a few algorithm options for the FM engine, and a ratio control, as well as 3 simple 1 knob effects (chorus, delay, reverb).
There’s a basic envelope and LFO that you can route to any controls and that’s about it. Obscurium also locks to a scale by default, but includes well over two dozen scales.
SEQUENCER: This is where things get fun, Obscurium works more like an advanced arpeggiator than a traditional synthesizer, as you hold down a note, it will step through the sequencer triggering any notes with an active gate and follow the arp, pitch, chord, and poly lanes. When you click on a parameter you can draw a pattern to define the value of that control for each step. I appreciate that they allow you to detach the main pattern length and gate pattern length to create polymetric patterns.
2 sliders allow you to morph and rotate the pattern for variation, and even have the option to modulate their motion.
Additionally, there’s a toolbox with several methods for creating patterns, allowing you to randomize steps within a range, direct specific contours, generate varied control values step by step, copy/paste, and even a “superobscure” mode which auto randomizes steps based on a grid size.
Playing around with these different modes lets you drastically jump through entire patch changes step by step and can produce some wild chaotic grooves, you can sometimes just let it do it’s own thing, then save whenever you get something good.
OBSCURE: The clock section takes all of this to the next level, and is where I personally fell in love with this synth. Obscure clock is an 8 step sequencer that progresses at quarter notes, each step contains different quaver divisions, which define the main sequencer step rate for the duration of that quarter note. This causes Obscurium to jump between different rates of playback, great for procedural melodic runs.
you can obscure things further with the direction sequencer just below, another 8 steps each with 2 controls. The bottom control defines how many steps the main sequencer must play before “obscure direction” moves forward. The top control will describe the direction the main sequencer travels, with options for forward, backwards, repeat step, random, and skip steps. For example, you can have the sequencer play backwards for 3 steps after every fourth step, or 2 steps forward one step back. Some combinations will have the playhead jumping all around the display in fun patterns.
It’s surprisingly intuitive and having the division rate decoupled from the main sequencer with a programmed directional pattern is just an incredibly fast way to create predictable, yet chaotic note sequences.
I also really enjoy the visual design of Obscurium, it’s a shame it’s not an ios app as the design would work perfectly on a touch screen. Each parameter has its own vector styled background, and the vibrant colors and hundreds of dots feels like some weird science fiction interface. This is definitely one of those synths you kinda just let do its own thing and works as amazing input material for multi effects and glitch sequencing. I haven’t actually tried this yet, but Obscurium also outputs midi information from all control lanes, meaning you can apply all the interesting aspects of the sequencer to deeper more advanced synthesizers. I really need to try that actually. I’d describe it more as a powerful toy than a useful tool, and that’s not a knock at SugarBytes. I think every musician and artist falls into creative ruts from time to time, and it’s fun tools like these that can sometimes magically pull inspiration out of nowhere.
If you plan on purchasing Obscurium from Plugin Boutique, please consider supporting me by using my affiliate links
OBSCURIUM: https://www.pluginboutique.com/product/1-Instruments/4-Synth/1650-Obscurium?a_aid=61c378ab215d5
and if you already own Obscurium or just want more presets, consider picking up my pack of 40 presets for Obscurium “OBLIQUE”: https://databroth.gumroad.com/l/Oblique