Checking Out: Spectres by Slate and Ash

by Sam Burt

The enigmatic Slate and Ash go experimental with their latest release, Spectres. Collaborating with the composer and performer Lea Bertucci, the focus is on aleatoric orchestral techniques across a wide range of instruments. These avant-garde raw samples are the basis for loop based manipulation in their hugely inventive new Collage engine for Kontakt, providing an exploration of aural illusions and hidden timbres.

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Checking Out: Spectres by Slate and Ash

Slate and Ash have carved out their own particular space in the sampling world with their incredible Kontakt scripting deftly manipulating superbly curated samples. Since their first release they have been proudly left-field; always seeking to do things differently and push the boundaries of the sampling art form. With Spectres that cutting edge approach is arguably the sharpest yet, as it begins with their wildest recordings to date and pushes things forward even more, with a deep and inspiring tape splicing interface. Each of their products has a clear focus, be that the movement in Cycles, or the textures in Landforms, for example. With Spectres, we are certainly in a place where unconventional playing techniques meets sound design, making it bang on point in terms of recent film score trends.

Spectres normally sells for £249 from Slate and Ash

Thoughts

With many sample libraries I feel a large part of the customer base lies in media composers. Artists and producers on the commercial music side are generally far more inclined to create their own sounds from scratch. However, there are a number of developers out there that bridge those worlds and Slate and Ash are definitely one of those, with Spectres being a great example. It can work amazingly for contemporary scoring no doubt, especially when the job calls for something out of the ordinary. But, it is also an inspiring instrument in its own right and capable of such individualism and user customisation, that it proves to be a superb tool for artists seeking new sounds for their own creations. The included presets are really impressive, but Spectres rewards you for digging deeper, really learning how it works and designing bespoke patches, though admittedly you can disappear down a sonic rabbit hole for some hours in the process!

Mix Page

Spectres cements Slate and Ash’s reputation as the mavericks amongst the leading developers, very much the Murdoch of the A-Team. Compared to their last couple of releases it is more niche product; the core samples are pretty far out and the engine is labyrinthine. The raw articulation patches brim with fascinating performances from New York’s finest experimental instrumentalists. However, those who generally would not be drawn to aleatoric sample libraries would be wise to not view it as such, because the scope lies far beyond extended techniques once Kontakt gets going. There are rhythmic patterns, soundscapes, leads, short gestures, percussive parts and signature sound design in spades. All types of sound share a firm organic timbre within the synth-esque framework of the Collage engine. Certainly, there are other libraries that explore similar ground, but few that use such unique recordings and fewer still that can offer a more creative interface.

I can see it working very well for tense underscore, dark sci-fi, thrillers, crime, documentary and contemporary horror. Throughout, Spectres is very unconventional making it ideal for projects of the less typical and more unusual variety. Artists will get best results with it by experimenting with the engine and discovering inspirational starting points or sounds that they can layer into their work, for added depth and dimension. The scope and longevity of Spectres is vast and one of the best things about it is that quite a few hours in, I still feel like I am barely touching the surface of what it can offer.

Decades since the advent of sampling took the music world by storm it can sometimes feel like there is nothing new under the sun, but Spectres does offer something genuinely fresh and exciting. It’s a playground where convention is turned upside-down, familiar instruments are reinterpreted and music bleeds into sound design for a thoroughly modern cinematic experience.