Best new plugins this week: Free and paid picks

This article presents the best new plugins this week, free and paid, aimed at DJs and electronic music professionals. It summarizes recent releases across instruments, effects, and utility tools, and details both free options and paid products with practical pricing and availability information, including trial lengths and introductory discount periods where provided. Developers featured include Manifest Audio, UJAM, SRM Sounds, Iconic Instruments, Excite Audio, Klevgrand, Safari Audio, Lese, iZotope and Scaler Music. The article notes release-specific details such as platform compatibility, trial periods, introductory pricing windows, and charity-linked payment models.

• Datafree by Manifest Audio: A Max for Live device within the Sonification Tools range. It maps data sets to pitch, velocity, and note length based on its grid, key, and scale settings. This plugin is available on a pay-what-you-can basis with proceeds benefiting World Central Kitchen.
• LATIGO by UJAM: Features 460 professionally performed phrases across 20 player styles. It offers depth control for sound adjustment within a virtual room and includes a six-mode multichannel mix console with modes like HiFi, Vanilla, and Slam. It supports VST2, VST3, AU2, and AAX formats, compatible with macOS and Windows. The price is £34 with a 7-day free trial, with introductory pricing valid until 30 April. Afterward, the price increases to $79.
• ASMR Choir by SRM Sounds: Includes four instruments—choir, violin, cello, and string ensemble—along with analogue vocoders. The introductory price is £149 until 31 May, later reverting to a regular price of £199.
• Model 350 Tube Preamp and Transport Vintage Tape by Iconic Instruments: The Model 350 is priced at $39 and the Transport Vintage Tape at $59, with a combined $20 off if purchased together.
• Bloom Ensemble Strings by Excite Audio: A collection combining basses, cellos, and violins. The full version costs £39 (regularly £59), while the Lite version is priced at £19 (regularly £29).
• OneShot 2 by Klevgrand: This plugin introduces a Motion Engine and an expanded library, priced at $119.99, down from the regular price of $199.99.
• Meaw: Assist by Safari Audio: An AI assistant plugin offered at an introductory price of $39.99, compared to the usual price of $99.99.
• Teuri by Lese: A cellular distortion plugin available for $55.
• Tonal Balance Control 3 by iZotope: Features four meters, including Vocal Balance, Dynamics, and Stereo Width, priced at £119.
• Scaler 3 for iPad by Scaler Music: Features over 1,000 chord sets and functions as an AUv3 host, available for $14.99.

Named people mentioned in the article are Nate Williams, James Langley, and Emily Swingle. Companies referenced include Manifest Audio, UJAM, SRM Sounds, Iconic Instruments, Plugin Boutique, Klevgrand, Safari Audio, Lese, iZotope, Scaler Music, Valhalla DSP, World Central Kitchen, and Excite Audio. Products cited include Datafree, Groovemate LATIGO (also referred to as Latigo), ASMR Choir, Model 350 Tube Preamp, Transport Vintage Tape, Bloom Ensemble Strings, OneShot 2, Meaw: Assist, Teuri, Tonal Balance Control 3, and Scaler 3. Bloom Ensemble Strings is noted as the first instrument in Excite Audio’s Bloom series targeted at classical and orchestral textures.

“Percussion is the icing on the cake for every drum performance – whether in indie, pop, rock, or electronic styles,” Williams explains. “If you’ve ever fancied dabbling in data-driven composition, this is the perfect entry point.”

“the musical equivalent of someone whispering in your ear” describes ASMR Choir’s approach according to Richter.

Manifest Audio’s Datafree is a Max for Live device in the developer’s Sonification Tools range that maps data sets to musical parameters within the current clip. It converts incoming data into pitch, velocity and note length according to the clip’s grid, key and scale settings. Datafree is offered on a pay-what-you-can pricing model with no minimum payment. Net proceeds from Datafree are directed to World Central Kitchen.

LATIGO is a virtual instrument by UJAM featuring 460 professionally performed phrases across 20 player styles and nine Latin percussion setups: Cabasa, Claps, Claves, Conga, Cowbells, Maracas, Tambourine, Tumba and Quinto.

The instrument includes depth control to move the sound within a virtual room and a six-mode multichannel mix console with modes such as HiFi, Vanilla, Slam and Trippy.

LATIGO was developed in collaboration with Nate Williams and supports VST2, VST3, AU2 and AAX formats on macOS and Windows.

It is priced at £34 with a seven-day free trial, with introductory pricing available until 30 April after which the price rises to $79, and discounts are available for Groovemate Loyalty members.

This roundup of the best new plugins this week presents free, pay-what-you-can and paid releases relevant to DJs and electronic-music professionals. It catalogues utility and creative tools including a Max for Live sonification device, virtual instruments with phrase libraries and percussion setups, sample-library updates, effects such as cellular distortion and analogue-style tape and preamp emulations, and AI-assistant and mixing utilities. The article records practical availability details including supported plugin formats and platform compatibility, trial durations and introductory pricing windows, and a charitable payment model for one release. Products span a range of price points and feature sets suitable for production and performance workflows.