One of the great things about the synthesizer space is that there are plenty of new releases that can slot into your old workflow or updates that can breathe new life into older hardware. Here is a quick round-up of the most notable new software and hardware releases available for synthesizer enthusiasts. 

Hearth and Hollow - Folk Voices
By Spitfire Audio

Link: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/hearth-and-hollow-folk-voices

Price: $99.99

Spitfire Audio has released a new VST for musicians who feel like their music needs more of an indie folk sound. Heart and Hollow - Folk Voices was recorded in the chapel of St. John’s Anglican Church with a focus on the texture and tonality of how real people sound. This library was created with Hunter Rogerson who gathered two of his closest friends to capture a real and intimate vocal session that is synonymous with indie folk. Folk Voices features four arrangeable vocal signals with 11 articulations and eight mixes that have all been curated to fit comfortably in your arrangements. The vocal styles represent different approaches to the folk sound, and everything is housed in a cozy, interactive user interface. Visit the official website for more information or to purchase your copy of Hearth and Hollow - Folk Sounds. According to Spitfire Audio, this library blends well with the Hearth and Hollow Plucked Folk Ensemble to create an authentic acoustic sound.

Charlatan 3.0.1
By Blaukraut

Link: https://blaukraut.info/

Price: Free

Blaukraut has released the latest version of the free virtual analog synthesizer Charlatan. The synth, which focuses on sound quality and ease of use, is available for Windows and Linux. Charlatan features two dual oscillators per voice with custom drawable waveforms, cross-modulation, windowed hard sync, and a noise generator. It also offers up to seven unison voices per oscillator, two filters per voice, flexible filter routing, four modulation generators, four modulation transformers, and a high-quality master FX section. According to Blaukraut, the synth has very low CPU and RAM usage, making it a true musical instrument that smoothly adapts to your mood and experience. Visit the official website to download the latest version of Charlatan. 

Phase Plant Expressive Suite
By Expressive E

Link: https://www.expressivee.com/110-phase-plant-expressive-suite

Price: €39.00 To Owners of Phase Plant / €99.00 Including Phase Plant

Expressive E has announced the availability of Phase Plant Expressive Suite, a library of four MPE sound banks for the Phase Plant software synthesizer. According to Expressive E, the suite blends the depths of Kilohearts’ multi-award-winning softsynth with nearly 10 years of expertise in expressive sound design at Expressive E. The suite includes “stripes,” which feature an extensive array of digital synthesis, and “delicious,” which can bring expressivity to all the classics thanks to oscillator drifts, characterful preamps, and warm textures. Also included are Onirica Vol 1 and 2, which are tailored for cinematic, orchestral, ambient, and acoustic landscapes. In total, the suite contains four banks with 100 presets each and can be purchased in a bundle with Phase Plant or on its own for existing owners. Check out the video below for an overview of Phase Plant Expressive Suite, and visit the official website for more information.

Hcard-101
By Hypersynth

Link: https://www.hypersynth.com/Hcard_101.html

Price: $220

Owners of Korg M1, Wavestation, DS8, and A1 synths can breathe new life into their hardware thanks to the Hypersynth Hcard-101. This intelligent memory card has multi-bank and multi-device capabilities. While the Korg “MCR-03” RAM card can upgrade the Korg M1's voice memory from 100 presets to 200, discontinuation, rarity, and high cost make it impractical in the modern era. The Hcard-101 serves as a seamless replacement that can offer storage for up to 126 banks of data. This is segmented into 64 banks for the M1, 40 banks for the Wavestation, 24 banks for the DS8, and 16 banks for the A1. The Hcard-101 also comes with 73 pre-loaded soundbanks, which include 57 from Korg ROM cards. Users can instantly switch between different banks using four touchpads. For the full list of features, including ones dedicated to the M1 and Wavestation, check out the official website.