Loopmasters has introduced Dark Dub Odyssey, a Dub Symphony pack produced by Terry Grant with cinematic soundscapes, orchestrated instruments, and spectral beats that float on a foundation of heavy bass.

The sample pack features a total of over 500 samples recorded as 24-bit files, all neatly sorted into different folders by type. There are 24 bass loops, 164 drum loops, 206 pad loops, 44 percussion and FX loops, 30 piano loops and 46 synth bass loops at 80, 100 and 120 BPM. In addition to the WAV files, the product also includes 513 loops in REX2 format. Apple Loops are available as a separate purchase.

The quality of the included samples is superb. The result is a well thought-out sample pack containing a great variety of sounds which are versatile and well suited for a broad range of genres including Dub, Hip Hop, Downtempo, Lounge, Ambient, Dub Tech, and Chillout.

Bass Loops

These are bass guitar recordings which have a very natural organic sound, enhanced with random fret noises and fretboard slides. They capture the dub and soul vibe excellently, mixed with a subtle jazz/blues feel at times. These loops are unprocessed sounds, so in addition to sounding great on their own, you can tweak them to your liking.

Drum Loops

These are extremely well made, with a decent amount of variation between different loops. There’s typically a dry, wet and AUX version of each loop, plus often a specific machine version such as 909 or SP1200, as well as different versions such as percussion, sub, and boom. The variation in styles, as well as the sheer number of included loops, are seriously impressive. There’s a tremendous amount of possibilities and inspiration you can get from these loops.

Pads

The included pad loops which have a warm and deep sound. There are alternate and fully mixed versions of each loop, resulting in a decent amount of flexibility. I like the way these sounds have been crafted; there’s a lot of movement and modulation in the pads, which adds quite a bit of interest. Some of the included pad loops would also be suited for use as transition sound effects.

Perc and FX

These loops are a combination of impact type sounds and percussive rhythms which blend quite well with the included drum loops. They have a very natural sound and are ideally suited to further processing.

Piano

These loops have a lovely spacious sound with generous amounts of reverb and delay. The riffs tend to be sparse, and the effects allow the sound to grow and evolve. There’s just an edge of saturation which gives the loops that distinctly warm dub sound.

Synth bass

There’s an excellent variety of arps and sub bass sounds which provide a great alternative to the bass guitar loops. I especially like the deeper bassy arps which can provide a great contrasting alternative to a standard bass guitar loop.

Verdict

Dark Dub Odyssey is a superb quality sample pack with an excellent variety of loops. The included loops have a natural and warm sound and are ideally suited for use in downtempo / dub music styles. There’s a consistency to the sound, meaning that the loops fit together really well, which isn’t always the case with sample packs.

That’s not to say that the sound is one-dimensional, though. I like how there are lots of creative possibilities for mixing and matching the included loops. The number and variety of the sounds on offer results in lots of potential combinations. There is great potential for further processing with reverb, delay or more extreme slicing or glitch effects for which these loops would make excellent starting points.

More info: Dark Dub Odyssey (~~£34.95 regular price~~, £20.97 on sale until January 5th)