Sovage Engineering launches a range of rule-defying Eurorack modules
4,9 / 5,0 | 
“If it sounds normal, something is wrong!” Says Sovage Engineering, who has unleashed six new modules with mangling, warping, convoluting and more.
Sovage Engineering
It sounds like this is going to be a lot of fun. From a Mangling Distortion Filter to a Time Warping Distortion and a Convoluted Analog Polymorph VCO, Sovage Engineering has some interesting stuff going on. Good looking too, with those silver precision-style knobs and dark front panels. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer. Oh, and it’s a French company which will explain the module names.
Le Coursier
Let’s start with something a bit simpler. Le Coursier is a dual analog envelope generator. You’d expect to see a very symmetrical module with two columns of ADSR knobs, but no, Le Coursier is a little bit different.
Sovage Le Coursier
Envelope 1 is indeed your regular ADSR jobby but with a twist. It has a second subtle attack stage that starts when your trigger or gate ends. This is designed to mimic the hard picking of guitar strings. There’s a switch to emphasise it or turn it back into something less interesting.
Envelope 2 is a snappy AD or ASR envelope that gets a nice big Decay knob. It can also be looped into an LFO.
Le Coursier is €150.
Le Déchu
This is a chunky one. It’s a convoluted analogue polymorph VCO/LFO. The name means “fallen” and this is about subverting the features of a complex oscillator. It does terrible things to waveshaping, it has a pseudo filter that uses an “Alteration” knob to make it sound more broken. It gives you six waveshape to pull apart and bend out of shape.
This all results in some interesting and characterful tones. Or if you want to play in the lower frequencies, then it can make for some fascinating modulations.
It probably needs a video to explain itself. Here’s one!
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Le Déchu is €350.
Ambianceurs
This is a Quad Analogue voltage-controlled LFO. Each LFO is independent and has a triangle and “doubtful” square output. The last two can become regular VCOs if you want. Sovage says that it has a secret super power which is to be a perfect tool for shaping drums with channel 3 and 4 acting as audio sources and channel 1 and 2 as exciters.
Sovage Ambianceurs
Ambianceurs is €200.
L’Écorcheur
This is the Mangling Distortion Filter. This has a unique character and a fabulous central knob that invites you to dial in all sorts of aggressive terribleness. It has overdrive, a resonant distortion, a crusher, diode limiter and a feedback glitchy sub-oscillator. Sounds like you get more than you bargained for.
Sovage says this module came about through happy accidents while messing around with exotic components.
This is what happens when you run an unsuspecting and innocent Plaits through it.
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L’Écorcheur is €250.
Faille Temporelle
Apparently, this is the world’s first time warping distortion. It’s something to do with combining a lo-fi tape echo with extreme clipping distortion. There are no rules, nothing holding it together, and it is an exercise in discovery. Don’t hold back; go with it, and I’m sure it will make sense in the long run.
I’m loving the flashing lights.
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Faille Temporelle is €250.
Duo
And finally, we have a stereo preamp suitable for getting line-level gear, mics and guitars into your Eurorack. Not fascinating, but very useful.
Sovage Duo
Duo is €150.
Modules
I’m really enjoying the attitude that comes with these modules. There seems to be a desire to push boundaries, find the cruellest of edges and more characterful of tones. There’s a craziness about it which sets these modules apart. They don’t feel sensible or remotely utility. These are going to be a lot of fun.
- Sovage Engineering website.
- Sovage Le Coursier: Sovage Engineering
- Sovage Ambianceurs: Sovage Engineering
- Sovage Duo: Sovage Engineering
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