Review: Zenhiser Psy Trance Construktion Kit 01

Library: Psytrance Construktion Kit
Format: WAV files
Genre: Psy Trance/Goa
Distributed by: Zenhiser
Price: Download $29.99 AUD ($27.75 US)
Demo: On the product page

Previously, Aussie developers Zenhiser had taken a rather unique approach to marketing sample libraries. Instead of unleashing bloated, expensive sample packs, their releases were all very specific and small in size. That way, if all you need is a very specific kind of sound or beat, you don't end up paying for a lot of stuff you'll never use. Psytrance Construktion Kit is Zenhiser's first 'full length' sample library consisting as it does of 309 24-bit/44.1k WAV samples weighing in around 582 MB of material as follows:
44 Basslines
13 Drum FX
51 Drum Loops
76 Drum Sounds
27 Pads & Textures
37 Sound FX
28 Synth Loops
33 Synth Shorts

As the title suggests, this is mainly a collection of loops designed to work together to give you everything you need to create a complete Psy Trance track. The sounds are categorized into Basslines, Drum FX (effects-heavy fills and transitions), Drum Loops, Drum Sounds (one shot drum samples), Pads and Textures, Sound FX, and Synth Shorts (synth riffs/effects). Most of the library is helpfully marked with tempos (these are conspicuously absent from the Drum FX, most of which are tempo-dependent), although no keys are listed for the basslines and synth parts. That information would be pretty helpful to people trying to drop some of these into an existing arrangement.

Now might be a good time to mention the format, too. These are all 24-bit WAV samples. Since these are aimed at being construction kits and are almost all tempo-dependent, these should really be offered in additional formats, most notably REX2. I overlooked this in my previous Zenhiser review because it was a super-cheap collection, but with this collection, they are offering around the same amount of material as competing companies that also offer their loops and samples in REX, Acidized WAV, Apple Loops, and other formats for around the same price. So I think if Zenhiser wants to get into doing larger sound libraries, they ought to consider offering these other formats. Sure, people can put the loops in those formats themselves, but if one is already buying something in construction kit format, it's safe to say they want things ready to go and able to be dropped into as wide a range of their existing material as possible.

Which brings me to the next point. While most of the loops and sounds here start right on the beat, some others start on the second beat. These are usually with loops that have effects tails on them. I can understand leaving effects tails on the end so people can alternate tracks and not have the delay/reverb/etc. cut off if they want to, but I'm not sure I understand the logic of having the loops start a beat late. If you're going to market something as a construction kit, everything needs to be ready to go as is. I've never run into a construction kit that does this and it adds yet another hassle (along with being locked into the original tempos) that I think most people looking for a construction kit are not going to want to be bother with.

That aside... how are the sounds? Very good, actually. While there are a few bits that perhaps veer a bit too close to ordinary trance, the vast majority of sounds are extremely authentic and the production is solid and in your face. The kicks all have the mid-range goa 'thunk' , the basslines gallop and evolve like you would expect them to, and the synth and sound fx all have the twisted flavor that is unmistakably 'psy trance'. The programming is infectious and energetic and clearly done by people who know what they're doing. There are, however, a few instances of less than perfect samples. One bassline had quite a bit of noise in it, some of the FX sounds had effects tails that got cut off, etc. They're certainly not totally unusable, but I'd expect a bit more from a professional sound library.

It's difficult for me to assign a number score to this collection because whether it will suit you or not, really depends on how much you're willing to roll up your sleeves. If you want something that is ready to go with a minimum of effort, I would look elsewhere. Zenhiser is clearly making improvements, but as far as ease of use and flexibility goes, they still have some way to go before they are on par with the competition. If you're not adverse to occasionally doing some simple editing to sample starts and creating your own REX, etc. files to use the material outside the original tempos, you'll probably get a lot more out of it as the material really is high quality. If Zenhiser can work to make their larger collections like this one more user friendly and in more than just the plain old WAV format, they'll be a force to be reckoned with. [6/10 for usability, 8/10 for sound quality].