Datatransmission Review: Essential Dance Basses
A cost-effective solution to getting a bunch of classic, distinctive dance music sounds is always going to be welcome. While some might bemoan the (over)use of known presets, there are certain sounds that are simply part of the DNA of dance music – part of the original orchestra, if you will. Acid, Reeses, Hoovers – you know what I'm getting at.
This new pack from Loopmasters is, therefore, a godsend. With over 2380 samples across 400MB taken from classic beasts like the Roland Jupiter 4 (a favourite of Jamie Jones'), Korg MonoPoly (a Depeche Mode mainstay), MS20 (see Daft Punk) and the Arp Odyssey (Kraftwerk anyone?) Essential Dance Basses has got a hell of a lot going for it, whatever genre you produce. The pack includes more than 2380 samples which have been mastered to 24Bit, and weighs in just shy of 400MB – with more than 100 patches at your disposal. There's so much to enjoy here, from clean-as-a-whistle subs to the plump electro bass, to phat pre-enveloped patches to acid house throwbacks, and if you skip up the octaves on many of the patches, you get bright, lush stab and chord sounds galore.
Everything sounds pristine, and with such great sounds at your fingertips, it's so easy to come up with something that sounds great in no time. Use your sampler's controls to give these classic sounds your own twist and to get even more variety out of them – slap Unison on some of these basses and the sound is truly monstrous. Endless hours of fun, this is a pack that you'll want to come back to for pretty much everything you make, such is its depth and versatility. An absolute bargain.
