One of the most influential artists on the French electro scene, Simon Delacroix, aka The Toxic Avenger has dropped the final part of his Globe trilogy.
To see some of the tools used to create Globe vol.3, we popped into his studio to have a gander at the collection of vintage synths, reboots of retro classics and a growing modular system.
The Globe vol. 3 EP features eight tracks, each with its own distinct style and mood. Sometimes wide open and gloriously spacious, other times narrow-focused and claustrophobic, the new album is perhaps some of the French producer’s most honest work.
Click through the gallery for some of the highlights from Simon’s studio.
Roland Juno 106
“Juno 106 is on top of all the synths I’ve got, as it's so versatile, yet so recognisable. It has been used on so many records; Daft Punk use it a lot, for example.
“I love it's filter, but the gem on this synth is surely its built in chorus. It fattens up any sound possible.”
Roland SH-01A
“I just got this recreation of the SH-101 last month. I was dreaming of an SH-101 for a long time because of the snappy fat bass sound it was capable of doing.
“This recreation, even though it's digital and SH-101 was analogue, is really super true to the original model. It still has the CV and Gate out, the superb sequencer and it has the possibility to run the synth on poly mode - a nice new feature, in my opinion.”
Dave Smith Instruments OB-6
“I was dreaming about an Oberheim Synth for years, OB-X and OB-8 and even the Matrix were way too pricey for me, so when the OB-6 was released, even though is was still a bit pricey, it was affordable.
“Some people will say it doesn't sound like a good old one, but seriously, when you get your hands on it, you understand that you got the Oberheim sound... creamy brasses and fat pad.”
Eurorack modular
“I heard that when you go modular it's hard to go back. True, even though mine is not totally finished yet. The possibilities are endless, everyday I'm discovering something new.
“I'm particularly impressed by the modules by Mutable instruments. The Element one delivers something so new! Clouds turns anything into a super ethereal pad.”
Korg MS20 mini
“Last but not least, my MS20 mini. It's the synth that introduce me to modular synths as this one is semi modular.
“The first time I used it I was disappointed, I thought I would never do something good with it, but wow, the possibilities are huge! Nowadays, I use it mostly for weird fx stuff and dirty leads.”