Audio Damage had released Kombinat. From mild tone-shaping or adding a bit of grit to full-on total waveform destruction, Kombinat is a complete toolbox of sonic warfare. This plugin is, in our opinion, the single most annihilating effect available today.

With seven different options in each of the three distortion engines (plus pass-through), Kombinat is capable of sophisticated and unique sounds. Want to add a ring mod to the low end, a mild saturation to the mids, and a bit-reduction algorithm to the high end? No problem. Want to run your signal through three sine-warps in series? This is your box.

Kombinat's signal structure allows for a fairly broad palette of sounds, as each segment of the overall effect is a versatile tool in its own right. The Isolator is a full "DJ-style" band-killer EQ; this leads to the three distortion engines, which may be used in multi-band mode for subtle surgery, or in series mode for complete signal destruction. The engines go in to a four-pole lowpass filter of our own design, and then in to a compressor which we have configured for one-knob operation.

Taken as a whole, Kombinat is a tweaker's paradise, yet designed so that it is easy to just grab one of the 64 presets and touch it up a bit to suit the source material.

This year the Seattle Hempfest will host a Laptop Battle showcase on the mainstage: Kris Moon vs Squid Leader. We're excited to support the largest demonstration to free the green in the country.

P.P.Flo is the official winner of the 2008 New Zealand Laptop Battle.

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands (May 28, 2008): FabFilter has released FabFilter Volcano 2, the successor of the popular Volcano filter effect plug-in. More filters and routings and practically unlimited modulation possibilities make FabFilter Volcano 2 much more powerful. Yet at the same time, the revolutionary new 'what-you-use-is-what-you-see' interface makes it also far easier to use.

FabFilter Volcano 2 is now available for EUR 119, USD 179 or GBP 94. It can be used on Windows and Mac OS X in VST and VST 3, RTAS and Audio Units plug-in formats (both mono and stereo). Bundles with FabFilter Volcano 2 and other FabFilter plug-ins are also available. See www.fabfilter.com/shop.

Berlin, Germany (May 6,2008): Ableton announces the release of the Orchestral Instruments—four sampled instrument collections representing the four sections of an orchestra.

The instrument collections are available individually or as an attractively priced bundle and bring rich, authentic, symphonic sound to Ableton Live. Strings, Brass, Woodwinds and Percussion have been painstakingly recorded in a number of velocities and articulations, employing the expertise of world-class musicians, engineers and producers. The Orchestral Instruments are seamlessly integrated into the Ableton Live environment and use a technology called SmartPriming to manage system resources efficiently, providing big symphonic sound with a minimum of CPU action.

The instruments include violin, viola, cello, double bass, French horn, trombone, trumpet, tuba, flute, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, English horn, vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, crotales, glockenspiel, tubular bells, cymbals and timpani. Many instruments are provided in solo and ensemble variants and multiple articulations. Each instrument is available in a high-fidelity version for studio production and a lower-fidelity configuration for decreased overhead and instant performance.

The Orchestral Instruments were produced in partnership with SONiVOX.

2006 Austin Laptop Battle Champ Matt Piersall aka Matthewmatics has done it again, winning this years Austin Battle under a new moniker, Class President. The Austin Museum of Digtial Art held this year's battle outside, a first for the event, during the SXSW music festival. Matt will be headed to Atlanta to compete for the Championship in December, 2008.

Puremagnetik have joined the Laptop Battle team, and will be contributing prizes to the regional and national battles this year. The content they have been creating for Ableton and Native Instruments is sick. Unique routing, great samples and constant output has def made PM an asset for fresh ideas and next level inspiration. Laptop Battle winners will get laced with micropaks and the champ takes home the 2008 catalog.

New Zealand's first Laptop Battle will be held in Aukland at Galatos on March 13, 2008. More info here.

Audio Damage to release Ricochet:
Ricochet is a sophisticated, yet easy-to-use multi-tap delay, with the signature Audio Damage sound. Featuring a 16-step grid for programming tap time, Ricochet is right at home in modern electronic music production, designed specifically for that context, and is much quicker to program than the run-of-the-mill multi-tap.

FEATURES
- Five independently controllable taps with individual multi-mode filter, panning, level, sync, mute, solo, and time.
- Unique dual-filter model for overall tone control.
- Two feedback modes (master and tap).
- A specially designed chorus that affects only the taps, for feedback smearing effects.
- Tempo-sync or free time operation per tap and overall.
- Full MIDI learn for CC control of every parameter (VST only).

VIEW SCREENSHOT

Congratulations to Dave Pezzner from Seattle, winner of the 2007 Laptop Battle Championships, who won the final round vs Atlanta's Dr. Maximillian Rheinhardt. Dave took home:

Native Instruments – KORE and Komplete
Mackie – HR624 Studio Moniters
M-Audio – Trigger Finger
Ableton – Live 7 Update
Audio Damage – Complete Catalog
Fab Filter – Complete Catalog
D16 - Drumazon & Nepheton
Electricbaby – Laptop Sleeve

Big thanks to everyone who sponsored, performed, judged, showcased, and worked at the Laptop Battle as well as those who braved the cold! Audio & Video to come soon.

LAPTOP BATTLE Championships - December 1st - LOWER LEVEL
Laptop Battle Championships 2007
Saturday, December 1st
Lower Level
1621 12th Ave E
Seattle, Washington 98122
$10 --- 21+ --- 9pm

Once a year Seattle hosts the best laptop performers in the country for the Laptop Battle Championships. This annual event is a unique chance to experience underground hero's representing their cities music live, in a soundclash for the trophy. Expect twisted sound design, wicked programming, and sound murder in a night of intense performances, including showcase sets by 2006 Champion Vytear, Vancouvers Vincent Parker, and two time Seattle Champ Kris Moon.

Each 3 minute set is judged by a group of battle vets from across the country, including the 2004 Champion Spark, Philly badman Dev 79, Atlanta's 2006 champ Threv, Laptop Deathmatch's Mwanza and resident judge Rian Pierson. Judges will base their decision by scoring the song development, emotional impact, performance and crowd response of each track. Contestants are only allowed their laptop, soundcard and controller.

Contestants
Seattle - Dave Pezzner
Austin - DXM
Philly - Jason Carr
Dallas - Cygnus
NYC - Mr.Andersonic
Atlanta - Dr. Maximillian Rheinhardt

Judges
Dev 79 - Seclusiasis - Philly
Mwanza - Laptop Deathmatch - Dallas
Threv - Atlanta Laptop Battle- Atlanta
Spark - 2004 Laptop Battle Champ - Vancouver
Rian Pierson - Division - Seattle

Showcase Performance
Vytear - Philly
Kris Moon - Seattle
Vincent Parker - Vancouver

Visuals
Tracer

MC
DJ Collage

Sponsors
Ableton
Audio Damage
Fab Filter
M-Audio
D16
Mackie
Native Instruments
Oseao
Sonic Charge
Soy Clothing
Laptop Battle
Drumcore