Wusik Review: India Surprise
From the get-go you know that India Surprise has a lot to offer. First of all, this specialized Ethnic/World DVD-ROM is full of traditional Indian samples and rhythms ready to be explored. Secondly, it includes a whooping 1500-plus files of percussion (tabla, dholak, partha, drum, etc.), stringed instruments (sitar, santoor, etc.), wind instruments (bamboo flutes), voices (singing, reading and mouth tabla), and a slew of sound effects. Thirdly, not only is this library in 44.1kHz/16-bit, but also in 96kHz/24-bit sample rate format - a real rarity amongst sample libraries. India Surprise also supports virtual instruments such as Native Instruments' Kontakt and Battery, with some of the instruments being pre-mapped.
Literally, India Surprise took me by surprise in terms of content. The high quality and the authenticity of the recordings also surpassed my expectations. I love the inclusion of "mouth tabla" which I think is great for augmenting Hip-Hop tracks. But to me, this library wins in the "sitar" department with some really tasty and inspiring performances. Nice packaging and cover art as well.
