Review: Sample Magic Techno

Product: SM-27 Techno Sample Library

Developers: Sample Magic

Formats: Digital download as 24-bit WAV, REX2, Halion, EXS-24, Kontakt, Apple Loops, and NN-XT

Demos: Audio demos and free samples available on the product page.

Price: £39.90

Techno is the next genre Sample Magic has decided to tackle in the form of the SM-27 Techno sample library. In addition to a sizable selection of loops, a number of one-shot samples mapped to the popular sampler formats.

The collection begins with a selection of 426 different loops divided into folders by Bassline Loops, Drum Loops, FX and FX Loops, Synth Loops, and Top Loops. The loops do a nice job of straddling both old school and modern influences with plenty of swing, lots of hammering Roland drum machines, syncopated percussion, and unusual synth and chord riffs. The production is clean, precise, and nicely punchy and many of the loops are available in several variations to extend their usefulness still further. Although the style of these loops is unmistakably "techno", most of these loops could do double duty in various forms of house, electro, and dance music.

In addition to the loops, a nice selection of beautifully-produced kick, snare/claps, hats, and percussion one-off samples divided into kits by instrument type. The kicks here are especially nice with a great, weighty and in-your-face sound. But all the sounds here are quite useful from super snappy electronic snares, sizzling cymbals, and unusual percussion. These are really useful for doing additional programming over the loops to give them a bit more of your own feel.

As with all the Sample Magic libraries, Techno includes a PDF manual that includes some history on the techno genre, as well as a bunch of quick and easy production tips to help get you started. There aren't a lot of straight up techno sample libraries these days, so even if this wasn't an excellent collection, it's be worth perusing for aspiring technoheads. Fortunately, however, this collection continues Sample Magic's excellent tradition of quality, making it worth checking out for any dance musician. [10/10]