Dutch production and DJing duo Sick Individuals are the latest artists to launch their own plugin: Focus One. In terms of operation, it looks a pretty simple affair, but Rinze ‘Ray’ Hofstee and Joep ‘Jim’ Smeele say that it can improve your mix in a variety of ways.
There are four main controls, starting with Focus, which adds compression. Boost is an EQ for boosting leads, while Drive adds crunch and punch. Widen is a mid-side effect for opening up the stereo image, and Pulse is a tremolo effect that syncs to your DAW’s tempo.
Finally, you can engage an Extreme mode, which promises to push your mix “beyond the limits” and make it “sick”.
“We wanted to deliver a plugin that really delivered what producers need, one that gives better results faster,” says Ray. “It took us two years to get it just the way we wanted it, but you should notice straight away the difference Focus One makes to your composition.”
“The plugin has five key features that can be really beneficial for your mix and with a low CPU [hit],” adds Jim. “We really think the Focus One is the perfect tool to improve your mix - it’s what we use ourselves so you know it’s going to be absolutely spot on.”
Focus One was developed in collaboration with Prolody and Moditone and costs €50. You can find out more on the Focus One website.