HCL Islander - Plugin walkthrough - Wavegrove x Handcrafted Labs x Tape Over

Wavegrove x Handcrafted Labs x Tape Over Mastering present: Islander Vari Mu compressor with a clipper OUT NOW Links: Handcrafted Labs Tommi Langen Tape Over Wavegrove Use code “HCL-ISLANDER“ for -50% off of all previously released Wavegrove plugins Voiceover by Simon Jackson ---- “This is just not another compressor in an oversaturated market. This is a dual gain stage feeder with time controls that doesn’t get in the way. This is a classic vari-μ design filled with a gritty groove. This is a high-end clipper with added tonality options. This is your gain stage’s first or final step. This is Tom Hanks with fire. This is Titanic’s parallel universe survival. This is phase free raw gain at its purest form. This is Islander - our take on Handcrafted Labs ingenious parallel tube drive design.” ---- For the first time ever there is a Handcrafted Labs based plugin! Handcrafted Labs is a Ukrainian high end audio company known worldwide for their tube equipment. Their bestseller devices such as Varis and Thermos can be found in numerous studios around the globe. Sergey Rakovich and Gennadii Burzak started their company over twenty years ago in Ukraine, Kiev and since the occupation of Crimea in 2014 they have relocated their business to more stable grounds. Gennadii has worked in world class classical studios in Kiev as a main technician and his passion shows in every wiring he does. Point to point old school soldering combined with innovative ways to approach the modern needs of engineers. Tommi Langen from Tape Over Mastering is a mixing and mastering engineer from Finland. His merits include nine #1 albums in Finnish national album chart, mixing and mastering of Emma and Teosto Award-winning records and over forty releases that have gone gold, platinum or double platinum. ---- Tommi is also known for his solo music, co-founder of critically acclaimed group Ruger Hauer and in his downtime Langen has toured over forty countries as a FOH engineer. Langen has also wrote an album titled “Ukraina“ in 2013. Handcrafted Labs and Tommi share a long history together, but first and foremost it’s based on sound and engineering quality. ---- Jussi Jäppinen alias Wavegrove is an entity dedicated to furthering the digital music and audio production process. With insights derived from physics and mastering processes, Wavegrove intends to take the sweat out of the audio work. For now you’ll be left with the blood and tears. After chasing the sound for a good ten years, Jussi noticed patterns that kept repeating, and thought about automating parts of his mixing process. When you do the same thing over and over again in a mix, it’s clear there could be a tool to do just that. ----- How many compressors have a true clipper that doesn’t fold under heavy pressure? Or how many clippers have fine tuned time settings and secondary gain as well as an emphasis curve to adjust? Islander offers fast and intuitive solutions for the most crucial part of your chain. First one in the chain and it’s a sweet ride after that. Last one in the chain and it’s a dynamic controller with an endless sweet spot. In digital domain every bit of noise increases and your output has to deal with a lot of complex filtering. We believe that less is more: proper gain staging in the beginning and micro levelling at the end is what Islander does beautifully - all in one box without compromises. Endless combinations of gain at your finger tips combined with highly flexible compressor. It’s now how loud you make it - it’s how you make it loud and that’s why every bit counts. This plugin was created while tanks were rolling over sovereign borders, it was stress tested under heavy artillery fire, it was modified through sacrifices and finished when the Doomsday Clock was moved forward. Make no mistake: this is taking a stand, this is a statement - this is what we can do for a better sounding future. From the sale of every plugin, a portion is given to HCL back in Ukraine, in addition to the 10% being donated to Ukrainian charities. Islander - the proof is in the name. Heroyam slava!