Starsky Carr Unleashes the Erica Synths Hexdrums: Out-of-the-Box Mayhem

The Erica Synths Hexdrums lands with a thud—literally. Starsky Carr wastes no time, plugging in and letting the module’s hybrid DNA do the talking. This isn’t just another drum box; it’s a collaboration between Erica Synths and Hex Inverter, fusing analog muscle with digital flexibility. You get eight fully analog drum voices, plus sample-based cymbals that let you upload your own sounds. If you’re desperate for a 909 hat or want to mangle your own samples, this thing’s got you covered.

What really sets the Hexdrums apart is its master section. There’s a crunchy compressor and a drive circuit borrowed from Hex Inverter’s mutant glue, ready to slap your beats into shape or push them into total distortion. Starsky’s first impressions? It’s “insane”—in the best possible way. This is a street weapon for anyone who wants their drums to punch through the mix and leave a mark.

Forget manuals and endless menu diving. Starsky proves you can go from zero to banging out patterns in minutes. The Hexdrums is all about immediacy: turn up the volume, tap in your steps, and you’re off. Even if you’ve just unboxed it, you’ll be making noise before you can say ‘Eurorack’—no PhD in menu navigation required.

Starsky takes us on a whistle-stop tour of the Hexdrums’ sound palette, and it’s anything but vanilla. You get two kick engines—one complex, one 808-style—plus a snare with enough tweakability to satisfy even the most jaded techno head. The hats come with classic 808 vibes and clever mute group modes, while the clap brings its own reverb for extra snap. There’s even a machine engine that gets dirty fast, and a rimshot section with multiple flavours and filters. If you want subtle, you’ll find it. If you want filth, you’ll find that too.

The cymbals are where things get wild. With ten crash types and the ability to upload your own samples, you’re not stuck with factory presets. The ride and crash are sample-based hybrids, giving you metallic tones or whatever weirdness you want to throw in. Starsky doesn’t hold back—he fills up the beat, pushes the sounds, and shows just how flexible this module can be. There’s a lot under the hood, but you’ll want to watch the video to catch every sonic twist and turn.

This is where the Hexdrums earns its keep. The master compressor and drive section aren’t just afterthoughts—they’re the secret sauce for live performance and studio grit. Starsky dials in everything from subtle bounce to absolute mayhem, blending compression and drive for maximum impact. You can slam the mix, pull it back, or go full-on distortion for those moments when subtlety is overrated.

Editing patterns, recording live, and sculpting the sound on the fly is dead easy. The sequencer’s got all the modern tricks—accents, ratchets, probability, microtiming—so you can keep your beats evolving. If you’re gigging or just want to jam in the studio, this thing’s built for hands-on abuse. The real magic? It’s best experienced in the video, where you can hear the Hexdrums go from clean to carnage in a heartbeat.