Alieno | SoundShockAudio

Alieno is a monophonic hybrid synthesizer by Acrobatics, designed for leads, sequences and special effects. Its spaceship-inspired interface combines selectable sound generators, filters and modulation schemes with a performance-oriented approach to sound design.

Advanced step modulation gives patches rhythmic movement, while internal modulation and MIDI control offer ways to shape a sound during performance. The object-oriented interface invites experimentation with different synthesis methods, although its unusual visual layout may take time to learn.

The instrument includes chorus, pan, flanger, warp, delay, echo, pitch shifting and reverb effects. Its library contains nearly 500 programs across eight official banks, and twelve skins offer different looks for the interface.

Alieno is a 32-bit Windows VST instrument, so check that your host can load 32-bit VST plugins before starting a project. The developer lists version 3.0.5; the older Plugins4Free listing offers version 2.0.2 and includes a user report of crashes, making a compatibility test in your own setup especially worthwhile.