Arturia MicroFreak
One of my favourite bits of kit in the studio is the Arturia MicroFreak. It is probably the cheapest synth I own, but honestly, it is one of my absolute favourites. I have used it loads on tracks like Messy in Heaven and still use it pretty much every day. It has become one of those go-to pieces of gear that I always come back to.
What I love about it is how weird and unpredictable it can be. It has got this mix of digital oscillators and analogue filters, which gives it a really unique sound. Some of the patches feel proper gritty, almost grimey, and that kind of texture really helped shape the feel of Messy in Heaven. There is this raw, slightly warped edge to it that I have kept using in a lot of my newer stuff as well. It just adds a bit of character that is hard to find in more polished or clean-sounding synths.
The built-in arpeggiator is also wicked. You can get these mad, rhythmic patterns going without even trying too hard, which makes it great for writing on the fly. I will often start a session just messing about on it, and before I know it I have built the foundation of a new track. It is one of those bits of gear that kind of pulls ideas out of you.
Another thing I rate about the MicroFreak is how hands-on it is. You are not diving through endless menus or getting bogged down in technical stuff. It is really intuitive and fun to play with, which makes a big difference when you are in the flow. I will sometimes resample it straight into Ableton and layer it up, or run it through my FX chain to mess it up even more.
What is mad is that even though I have got more expensive gear in the studio, I always come back to this little thing. It just works. It is proof that you do not need top of the range gear to make something great. Sometimes it is the rougher, more unpredictable bits of equipment that end up giving your tracks the most personality
Cover Photo Credit: Khali Ackford
