Ólafur Arnalds curates free Spitfire Audio plugin that’s full of “unique sonic textures”

Composer Ólafur Arnalds has curated the latest free LABS plugin from Spitfire Audio. Opia brings together sounds from the artists who performed at Arnalds’ festival of the same name on 8 November, and is designed to deliver a range of “unique sonic textures”.

Arnalds asked each artist - VAAL, Rhye, Poppy Ackroyd, Högni & Ensemble, Grandbrothers, Hania Rani & Josin - to submit a sample that means something to them. He also contributed sounds himself, and with Janus Rasmussen as part of Kiasmos.

Spitfire Audio then mangled and warped these tones into an experimental instrument that features everything from the sounds of ice skating to atmospheric pianos.

Opia runs in VST/AU/AAX formats on PC and Mac and is available now on the Spitfire Audio website.

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.