Rikard Jönsson and Svante Stadler’s new music tech company Forever 89 has dropped its very first product.

Last month, the two music tech veterans announced the launch of their new collaborative venture. The new company, Forever 89, will utilise the duo’s 30-plus years of collective experience, channelling it into advancing the state of music technology.

• READ MORE: Ableton and Teenage Engineering veterans launch new company and tease first product

“We want to be a source for both playful exploration and a reliable tool for musical results,” Jönsson explains. Over their careers the pair have worked at companies such as Ableton, Cycling ‘74, Reason Studios, Spotify, Teenage Engineering, and XLN Audio – so there’s plenty of knowledge to bring to the table.

Visco is the duo’s first offering. The software is a new sample-modelling drum machine, allowing users to bypass the restrictions of working with raw drum samples. The VST/AU plugin will remove the arduous task of sound modelling, allowing musicians to dive head first into the creative process.

The software promises to be a a drumming multi-tool, packed out with an 8-Voice Drum Engine, an extensive modulation matrix and a plethora of macro controls for performers. Simply put, this plugin can be used in every step of the creative process; it can make beats, fine-tune them, and then work as a live performance drum machine.

Intended for use by both novices and professionals, the plugin is controlled by a handy visual ‘blob’ control. The ‘blob’ is a malleable representation of your track, able to be grabbed and pulled around a 2D grid to transform your sound.

Users can also dip into the toolbox to push their sound even further. Here users can fine-tune their sound, bend and stretch frequencies, or even to merge sounds into one. The software also offers a sequencer, a fader and a mixer section packed out with high-quality effects. Not to mention the extensive library of presets and sounds on offer.

Speaking about Forever 89’s goals, Stadler explains: “We both grew up in a time when technological advances made last year’s innovations look outdated. Our vision is to create opportunities for similar progress again. We looked at our own needs as musicians and based our first product on that. We want to be a guiding star for modern musical instruments and also believe it’s important to contribute with innovation in our sector.”

Visco is currently available on the Forever 89 website. There will be a limited introductory price of €99, before the software rises to a full price of €139 in the spring.

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