TIME CRYSTALS BY EMERGENCE AUDIO

KK-ACCESS REVIEW

If you have been following the product output from Emergence Audio or our reviews here over the past couple of years, then you will have observed a steady range of instruments finding their way into their unique Infinite Motion Engine™ .

With this the latest release, we get to play and experiment with the magical and arguably mystically beautiful sounds generated from Quartz Singing Bowls.

SOUND MAGIC

There is undeniably something more than just a little special about the sounds produced by a Singing Bowl.

I have here in my studio a metal Tibetan Singing bowl, which is I was told, traditionally forged from seven different constituent metals.

Although the fundamental waveform it produces is a Sine wave, the harmonic resonance’s and frequencies it achieves when the rim is tapped and rotated with the wooden striker is amazing, as the volume builds and harmonics intertwine into a standing wave.

Commonly included as a part of meditation, mindfulness and relaxation techniques, there are plenty of opinions and technical discussions involving topics such as binaural beats, body and mind synchronisation and so forth.

However, for me, there certainly seems to be something about the sound that seems to clear a clouded mind or atmosphere, possibly down to it’s apparent ability to reset the human auditory processes which then perhaps in turn, can allow you the opportunity to refocus. Whatever science or magic maybe involved, it seems to work.

TIME CRYSTALS

With Time Crystals, the emphasis is squarely on the creative use of Singing Bowls, whilst still managing to retain the natural organic timbres, clarity of sound, and textures associated with the real world instrument.

TECH SPECS

Time crystals runs in Kontakt version 7.7.3 or higher, either the full version or free Kontakt Player edition.

It is compatible with all versions of Komplete Kontrol provided it is hosting the applicable version of Kontakt within.

The library requires 5.97GB of disk space for installation, and uses the Kontakt NCW file format for the 24bit 48kHz samples.

There is a single master Kontakt NKI preset, supported by a further 142 NKSN snapshots divided among 8 preset categories.

As ever, it’s great to see that there are also 18 Kontakt NKM multi presets, which can only be loaded directly into Kontakt outside of Komplete Kontrol, which in true Emergence audio style superbly showcase their factory preset combinations to good effect.

DOWNLOAD & INSTALLATION

Download & installation is via Native Access, making the whole process simple and fully accessible after pasting and registering your post purchase serial number.

Once installed, running Komplete Kontrol either in standalone mode, or even better directly as a plug-in within your DAW will add Time crystals to your factory browser ready to use.

FULL KOMPLETE KONTROL NKS PLUG-IN EDIT NKS PARAMETER MAPPINGS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE END OF THE REVIEW FOLLOWING THE MEDIA SECTION

ACCESSIBILITY

Time crystals makes use of a now well established Emergence Audio NKS mapping template, which offers full access for the libraries operational and sound design features.

Crucially, we are able to choose and blend our own choice of the 27 sample source articulations for each of the two sound layers, as well as sound envelope shaping via the ADSR controls.

The LFO section can be synced to your project tempo, or be free running as you please, crossfade between the two layers is possible, and there is a filter section included.

There are also the inbuilt effects to further enhance or if you prefer, degrade the signal. If sound design really isn’t your thing, then the eminently useful ‘randomise’ control can instantly conjure up something for you whilst still preserving some of the elements you may have been working on.

FAMILIAR TERRITORY

The principles of the powerful yet easy to use interface is still ubiquitous to all Emergence Audio libraries, so owners of any previous releases will feel immediately at home and comfortable.

Recognisable categories such as Alternates, Correlated, Experiments, Infinite Drones, Infinite Pads, Pulses, Swells, & new instrument specific sections such as Strikers, make up a plentiful collection of factory presets.

Although one is perhaps tempted to associate such a library only with those ambient sounds of beauty, Time crystals is still very capable of some surprisingly creepier material, when taken out of the context of it’s natural pitch range.

The low pitched drones it is able to generate, can be just as powerfully ominous and menacing as the contrasting delicate ambient higher pitched tinkling inflections.

With options to select between Suede, Wooden, or traditional strikers, the wide ranging pitch transposition controls can readily take you between delicate crystalline structures of an exotic alien world, or to the vast clanging dystopian tones of a doomsday Cathedral bell with the mere twist of a few knobs.

Quartz Singing Bowls seem to make an especially good candidate for the Emergence Audio Infinite Motion Engine™,and this cleverly scripted Kontakt engine in tandem with Michael Vignola’s Non-Static Sampling™, and painstaking sound designs, once again cement together another well polished product in the collection.

Just as the sound envelope of the real instrument builds and evolves over time, with variable factors such as striker pressure on the bowl rim, or oscillation speed by the player, the engine in it’s own virtual way manages to mimic these characteristics that constantly keep the sound in a state of infinite motion, which is exactly what the engine is designed to do.

RANDOM ACTS OF PRESET CREATION

I have long since been a fan of the ‘Random’ control that Emergence Audio were able to add to the NKS template some time back.

The results it yields in the majority of cases are very usable, and with a little further tweaking can be nudged into the sonic direction that you ultimately wish to travel.

The feature is certainly fun to experiment with, and in fact can on occasion distract you from your original workflow as you repeatedly find yourself rolling the dice on the creation of new fantastical landscapes, or maybe that’s just me and my lack of willpower!

Without this self discipline, You can easily lose yourself down a sonic rabbit hole, so it can sometimes be beneficial in setting a little time aside solely for this purpose.

Saving your work from within the Komplete Kontrol plug-in will send your shiny new preset to the default ‘user content’ folder, where in turn, it creates it’s own ‘Time Crystals’ folder which stores any Kontakt NKSN snapshots that you have subsequently created, later to be found on the user side of your Komplete Kontrol browser.

Do remember to give each of your new presets a unique name, that way, before you know it, you will have generated your own sound set collection.

Do also take time to checkout the excellent Time Crystals walkthrough linked in the media section at the end of this review, to hear some of the inspiring sounds that the library can produce.

CONCLUSION

If you are a creator of any kind of Ambient, Chillout, Relaxation, or Mindfulness music, then time crystals will definitely serve you well in your compositions.

Having said this, Time crystals as noted within the review, is able to extend it’s appeal beyond the obvious realms of this genre, due to its range of onboard sound shaping and generative tools, you are equally able to take a trip to the dark side!

Time crystals deserves a high podium placement as being one of my favourite subjects so far in their ongoing instrument collection, and from Emergence audio’s release perspective there still seems to be a whole world of sound out there still waiting to be explored!

Time Crystals from Emergence Audio can be purchased from their website for the introductory price of $99 (regularly $149).

Time Crystals Product Page:
https://emergenceaudio.com/product/time-crystals/

Time Crystals Walkthrough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkUk7ClWxDE

KOMPLETE KONTROL PLUG-IN EDIT NKS PAGE MAPPINGS

Page One – Master, Main Fx

Knob 1 – Crossfade (between two sound layers)
Knob 2 – Expression
Knob 3 – LFO sync On/Off
Knob 4 – LFO speed: In Hz or beat values dependent upon sync value
Knob 5 – LFO Intensity
Knob 6 – Main FX LFO Wave: Off, Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square, Random
Knob 7 – Reverb
Knob 8 – Random: On/Off – applies the randomiser to the currently loaded preset

Page Two – Layer 1 & Layer 2 settings

Knob 1 – Layer 1 sound Selection
Knob 2 – Layer 1 Volume
Knob 3 – Layer 1 Pan
Knob 4 – Layer 1 tune plus or minus 1 Octave
Knob 5 to 8 – As above for Layer 2

Page Three – Layer 1 & Layer 2 Envelope

Knob 1 – Layer 1 attack
Knob 2 – Layer 1 decay
Knob 3 – Layer 1 sustain
Knob 4 – Layer 1 release
Knob 5 to 8 – As above for layer 2

Page Four – Layer 1 & Layer 2 Filters

Knob 1 – Layer 1 Low pass cut-off
Knob 2 – Layer 1 Low Pass resonance
Knob 3 – Layer 1 High Pass Cut-Off
Knob 4 – Layer 1 High Pass resonance
Knob 5 to 8 – As above for layer 2

Page Five – Reverb

Knob 1 – Reverb On/Off
Knob 2 – Reverb Presets: multiple selections
Knob 3 – Dry/Wet Balance
Knob 4 – Pre-Delay
Knob 5 – size
Knob 6 – Low Pass
Knob 7 – High Pass
Knob 8 – Layer application: L1, L2, L1 & L2

Page Six – Delay

Knob 1 – Delay On/Off
Knob 2 – Dry/Wet Balance
Knob 3 – delay Sync: On/Off
Knob 4 – Time: Milliseconds or Beat values dependent upon sync mode
Knob 5 – Feedback
Knob 6 – Damping
Knob 7 – Delay Pan
Knob 8 – Layer Application: L1, L2, L1 & L2

Page Seven – distortion, Saturation

Knob 1 – distortion On/Off
Knob 2 – Drive
Knob 3 – Layer Application: L1, L2, L1 & L2
Knob 4 – Not allocated
Knob 5 – saturation On/Off
Knob 6 – Saturate level
Knob 7 – Layer application: L1, L2, L1 & L2

Page Eight – Lo-Fi

Knob 1 – Lo-Fi On/Off
Knob 2 – Bits: off, or selectable value
Knob 3 – Sample Rate: off, or a selectable value
Knob 4 – Noise
Knob 5 – Colour (tone)
Knob 6 – Layer Application: L1, L2, or L1 & L2
Knob 7 & 8 – Unallocated

Page Nine – tape

Knob 1 – Tape On/Off
Knob 2 – Gain
Knob 3 – Warmth
Knob 4 – Roll Off
Knob 5 – Layer Application: L1, L2, or L1 & L2

Page Ten – Extra Fx

Knob 1 – Stereo On/Off
Knob 2 – Width
Knob 3 – Rotator On/Off
Knob 4 – Amount
Knob 5 – Chorus On/Off
Knob 6 – Mix
Knob 7 – Phaser On/Off
Knob 8 – Mix

(c) Chris Ankin

KK-Access.com

5TH March 2025

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About the Author

Based in Buckinghamshire, England, Chris Ankin has worked as a freelance review writer and contributor with articles published in Sound On Sound, Home & Studio Recording and ST Format Magazines.

He has also successfully worked extensively in and around the music, recording, film Soundtrack scoring, Game & media composition, the creative arts, Charitable trusts,publishing, music streaming and property investments since 1982 whilst continuously and deliberately managing to evade any mainstream recognition under his own name by the use of various pseudonyms.
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