We used to use Reason quite a bit at Bunker 8. But we have significantly shifted away towards Native Instruments and Steinberg almost exclusively. Now, along comes Europa Shapeshifting Synthesizer from Propellerhead, something extraordinarily interesting, that may force us to reconsider opening Reason once again.
What is it? (According to Propellerhead)
With companions like the now legendary Malström and Thor synthesizers in Reason, it’s not just any synth that can join the rack. Europa earns its spot with some of the most advanced synthesis you’ve ever heard paired with the most accessible controls you’ll experience.
The heart of Europa is its three waveform engines, where wavetable synthesis forms the backbone of three independent oscillators that can be distorted over time and layered for truly powerful sounds. Epic pads, aggressive biting basses, and everything in between… Europa is the modern synth capable of polished modern sounds.
Wave manipulation isn’t limited to simply sweeping through wavetables. The built-in Spectral Filter operates on Europa’s wave algorithms for sound processing that traditional analog filters can only dream of. Continuing in that vein of highly powerful wave manipulation, the harmonics processor can remix, rearrange, and recalculate harmonic overtones for creating everything from experimental atmospherics to polished leads.
Europa includes four powerful Envelopes which can be customized through visual click-and-drag editing, loaded from a library of useful envelope presets, and even hand-drawn for envelopes you make yourself. The envelopes are the key to modulating Europa’s many controls, like moving through wavetable shapes, controlling Europa’s spectral processors, and they’re even the key to drawing your own custom wave shapes which can be morphed between using Envelopes 3 and 4.
With a collection of built-in effects, a stunning Unison engine for wide stereo sound, and a powerful analog filter with completely new filter curves in Reason, Europa isn’t just the greatest synth to arrive in Reason. It’s the greatest synth to arrive. Period.