HAINBACH’s Freaky Looper Showdown: Three Sonic Oddballs Go Walkabout

HAINBACH kicks things off with a line-up that’s more experimental than a backyard BBQ with a flamethrower: the Soma Cosmos, Synthux Academy Spotykach, and Ciat-Lonbarde Cafe Quantum. Forget about becoming the next Ed Sheeran—these aren’t your standard loopers. Each machine is a different flavour of weird, and HAINBACH’s mission is to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes.

He’s not just mucking about for the sake of it, either. With his signature blend of dry wit and deep knowledge, HAINBACH sets the stage for a journey into the outer reaches of looping. Using the “Buchla Red Panel Scale for freakiness,” he promises to rate each device’s ability to warp, twist, and generally mangle sound. If you’re after a safe, predictable looper, you might want to look elsewhere—these boxes are for the adventurous only.

The Soma Cosmos doesn’t even call itself a looper—it’s a “drifting memory station,” and it lives up to the name. Built like a tank (just don’t drop it on your foot), it’s designed for foot control, freeing up your hands for more important business. HAINBACH likens it to SOMA’s take on Frippatronics, letting you play along with yourself in endless, swirling layers.

But don’t expect tight sync or grid-locked beats. Cosmos is all about vast, hi-fi clouds of ambience, sometimes feeling like it’s got a mind of its own—in a good way. It’s nearly impossible to make it sound bad, and it’s perfect for those who want to drift off into a flow state or need both hands on their main instrument. If you’re new to experimental looping, this one’s a solid entry point—just be ready for a trip that might end with you finally finishing that ambient album you started during lockdown.

Next up, the Synthux Academy Spotykach—a looper that’s less a tool and more a playground for sonic mischief. Its design is all golden touch plates and abstract shapes, and while it started life as “two Morphagenes in one box,” it’s since evolved into its own beast. HAINBACH compares using it to sitting in a well-stocked experimental radio studio, bouncing sounds between two decks for wild, unpredictable results.

But don’t let the fun fool you—Spotykach’s UI is about as straightforward as a kangaroo on a skateboard. There’s a cheat sheet (never a good sign), and plenty of hidden combos you’ll need to memorise. If you’re not playing it regularly, you might find yourself scratching your head. Still, for those willing to dive in, it’s a treasure trove of layered textures and happy accidents. Just be warned: you’ll lose hours exploring, and you might forget how you got there.

Now for the main course: the Ciat-Lonbarde Cafe Quantum. This box doesn’t just blur the line between looper and instrument—it throws the rulebook on the barbie and dances around the flames. There’s no manual, no labels, just a riot of banana jacks and possibilities. HAINBACH’s got history with its predecessor, so he’s got skin in the game, and he’s quick to point out how the Cafe Quantum takes things further.

With two loopers that double as lo-fi reverbs, five oscillators, and enough patching options to keep you busy until the next dust storm, this thing is a workstation for abstract electronic music. It’s noisy, glitchy, and unapologetically odd, but that’s the charm. The sound is “defi”—not quite lo-fi, not quite hi-fi, just its own flavour of weird. If you love aliasing, artefacts, and the thrill of not knowing what’ll happen next, this is your ticket. Just be ready to get your hands dirty and embrace the chaos.