D16 Group LuSH-101
€149
Roland’s 1982 monosynth the SH-101 is fairly basic in terms of synthesis but it has such a classic sound, it’s been the inspiration for many a clone—both hardware and software—over the years. D16 Group were similarly inspired but instead of just recreating the original hardware—single oscillator plus sub, squelchy filter, arpeggiator and sequencer—they used it as a launch pad to build the LuSH-101, a multitimbral analogue-modeling dream machine comprised of eight 101 units plus a modulation matrix, effects both standard and surprising, and a mixer.
The original 101 has become something of a techno machine, thanks to its excellent bass sound. LuSH-101 is similarly primed to be your go-to analogue bass source, with a smooth sound and beautiful low end. And, thanks to its wealth of options, it goes much further than what the original was capable of. Really, no matter what genre of dance music you’re working in the LuSH-101 will have no trouble keeping up.
If bass was all it was capable of, it would still be worth the price of admission, but with polyphony and even multitimbrality, this software version takes off into worlds unknown to the humble original. Of course, leads and FX are par for the course, but take a look at the preset browser and marvel at how the Poly section opens into a submenu, revealing brass, pad, string sections, and more. This is not your father’s 101.
And, of course, LuSH-101 sounds fantastic. Despite its age, LuSH-101 continues to be a leader in terms of what analogue-modeling is capable of. In a word: unmissable.