“A happy bending of the rules of nature”: Elektron’s latest Syntakt update adds sample synthesis and new sequencing tools to the hybrid drum synth

Given that it’s been on the market since 2022, you’d be forgiven for assuming that we’d seen all that Syntakt has to offer. But Elektron – a company with a history of releasing lifespan-extending firmware updates for its hardware – isn’t done with it yet, further expanding the scope of the hybrid drum machine with a new sample engine and a raft of sequencing features.

These additions land as part of Syntakt’s free v1.40 update, the highlight of which is the new SP Twinshot machine. Those so-called ‘machines’ are the interchangeable sound generators that Syntakt uses for its semi-modular approach to drum synthesis. Existing machines offer a range of sound creation approaches, including FM and analogue synthesis, as well as SidStation-inspired retro digital synthesis.