oeksound has released its previously announced adaptive tone shaper effect plugin. Bloom analyzes the character of a signal and applies corrections to the perceived tonal balance for a more even and refined sound.
The plugin also lets the user shape the tone and character of a track, for example by adding warmth, brightness, or clarity. Tonal adjustments made with Bloom are dynamic and context-aware. This, together with its carefully designed user interface, is aimed to make the plug-in quick and intuitive to use and help keep the material sounding natural, even when making radical changes.
“I had access to the Bloom beta for a couple of months before release, and it made its way onto every project I’ve been working on since. Bloom has been great for giving life to any track or bus that isn’t holding my attention enough or that I can’t wrangle with individual plugins. I like to throw a couple of instances in series on my instrumental bus and just sift through presets to add new dimensions to things I didn’t even realize were dull before.” Buddy Ross (Frank Ocean, Bon Iver, Travis Scott)
Bloom is the most complex processor oeksound has built to date. Its development consisted of two years of critical listening, refining the algorithm, and iterating user interactions. The interface is designed to be fast to work with and has similarities with EQs and multiband compressors. However, the processing underneath has little to do with either: Bloom does not use frequency bands (and the crossovers they entail), and its behavior constantly adjusts based on the input signal.
Bloom can be used for quickly shaping individual tracks towards a cohesive mix. It can be equally effective as a bus processor, working well both on groups and in mastering contexts. Bloom can be used as a problem-solver – evening out inconsistencies in a sound – or for creative tone shaping.
Bloom is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Four tone controls let the user quickly adjust the processing to taste. These sliders change the overall tonal balance that Bloom is working towards, rather than making absolute cuts or boosts as found in an EQ. An additional squash range engages a form of frequency-dependent compression. Other features include attack and release controls, mid/side functionality, and low latency mode.
Bloom for Windows and Mac (VST3, AU, and AAX) is priced 199 EUR / $209 USD / £169 GBP. A 20-day trial is available.
More information: oeksound
