The Chemical Brothers use a mix of vintage analog gear and modern processing to achieve this grit:
: The "Wavefold" in the title likely refers to wavefolding synthesis , where a waveform is "folded" back on itself to add rich, metallic harmonics rather than just clipping. Chemical Brothers Escape Wavefold
: Bass sounds are often split across multiple channels—one for sub, one for distortion (via SansAmp), and one for mid-range punch—before being summed into a master compressor. Essential Gear for This Style The Chemical Brothers use a mix of vintage
: Use of the ARP 2600 and EMS Synthi allows them to create resonant, self-oscillating tones that sound like "mad noise machines". : A core technique involves recording a synth
: A core technique involves recording a synth through guitar pedals, sampling it, and then applying sidechain compression to lock it to the kick drum.
If you're looking to recreate this sound, these specific tools are staples in their studio: : Roland TB-303 Go to product viewer dialog for this item. (for acid lines), Korg MS-20 Go to product viewer dialog for this item. (for aggressive filters), and the Alesis A6 Andromeda Go to product viewer dialog for this item. Effects : Alesis Quadraverb Go to product viewer dialog for this item. for lo-fi reverbs and the Line 6 Echo Pro Go to product viewer dialog for this item. for rhythmic delays. DAW : They use Ableton Live Go to product viewer dialog for this item. for sequencing and sampling during their live shows.
If you tell me if you're a looking to recreate the patch or a listener looking for similar tracks, I can: Find software plugins that emulate their specific hardware.