Reviews / Lyra-8

Martin Gore “Depeche Mode”

I have enjoyed experimenting with my LYRA-8. Getting some cool sounds. I like the way it encourages you to create music in unusual ways too.

Trent Reznor “Nine Inch Nails”

We’re certainly living in a golden age of synthesis.  The sheer number of boutique manufacturers of physical gear, truly excellent software and endless options available make for a truly unlimited palette of sonic possibilities.  Over the last several years I’ve found myself creatively responding to the concept of an instrument.  Maybe it’s the limitations to work around, maybe it’s aesthetics, maybe it’s the adaption of workflow… maybe it’s a little of all of these, but I’ve really come to appreciate something with a personality and defined concept.

The LYRA-8 is exactly that. It’s not necessarily what you’re expecting, it has it’s own agenda at times, but it’s an actual instrument that rewards spending time with it. Smart design decisions provide uniquely expressive possibilities in an unassuming presentation. Atticus and I make a point to keep everything in flux in our studio, with gear always changing to keep us rethinking things and never getting too comfortable. The LYRA-8 is one of the few “permanent” hookups. Thank you SOMA for the inspiration!

Alessandro Cortini “Nine Inch Nails”

One of those that leave a mark. …………………

David Kronemyer

It’s very ingenious and has immense sonic potential. Thank you for creating and selling such a marvelous device!

Thighpaulsandra

This is an amazing instrument and capable of far more subtlety and nuance then I could have ever imagined. Although I am getting great results from it I feel like a child learning the violin for the first time.

Sylvia Massy

My experience with the Lyra is eye-opening and inspirational. It is a synthesizer that interfaces directly with the player. With every turn and twist and tap, new amazing sounds come forth. Sounds that defy comprehension. Sounds that cannot be imagined. It is a machine creature that is alive and connects directly to human emotion. The Lyra is unexplainable yet it is real. It must be touched and heard to be believed.

Nick Batt

Gaz Williams

Mattias Lindblom “VACUUM”

I am very interested in organic, magical mystery sound creation and you should know that about me. The dark and mystical, bright and beautiful, all things of that nature. For long I’ve been searching for something unpredictable and inspiring. A Revelator of sorts.
Well, it’s a SOMA Lyra 8 really. I named it the Revelator. Its inventor Vlad is a brilliant man. Not only because he sent me one and I truly appreciate that but, more so having worked with it now and how it truly did inspire me, immediately.
I’m not good with tech, that is true. Nor do I aspire to be good at it. I try to connect with it in different ways. It’s all perspectives I’m thinking. I’ve often argued templates is the death of art. Pretty harsh but, they sure limit surprises, harness the unexpected but see, those are things I love. Heck, I always expect the unexpected, with open arms. Especially in songwriting but also when producing. That’s the greatest pleasure working with amazing musicians. They manipulate air in ways you’d never predict. Lyra 8 is a bit like that. Oh, it’s very, very organic that way. 
And turns out, Vlad conjured the machine mainly for those reasons. To maintain freedom in creation in a world of templates and prefab. To stay, as a musician, organic and inspired to inspire. It’s all cyclical see.
My hope, post-pandemic, are moments where we’re amazed by the unexpected, again. Where we can hear things we haven’t before, again. See things through different eyes, again. 
I just spent some first hours with my Revelator, the SOMA Lyra 8. Created a warm soundscape I’ve never heard before and I’ll tell you the best thing about it, it was all intuition and the next time I turn it on, it’ll be different. I’ll let it inspire me, a lot.

Guilherme Coelho, who provided additional production for Korn

The Soma Lyra-8 is an instrument that goes beyond the margins of linear synthesizers and is instead an instrument with a unique personality. The Lyra is the kind of instrument that can impose itself on its musician and force one to adapt to it, thus leading its users to uncharted landscapes of sonic exploration. This is a captivating device that can lead musicians to powerful sonic explorations and features one of the most interesting/exciting FM implementations available.The behaviour and sonic interactions of this instrument exhibit unique forms of non-linear expression filled with blemishes and moments of alluring idiosyncrasy. The Lyra exhibits expressive, disjointed urges towards improvisational explorations that encourage modes beyond established practices of traditional synthesizers. Yet, it is an approachable instrument that facilitates the reach of complex sonic landscapes, which will reward those who will go through its depths.
The Soma Lyra-8 is a vigorous and unconventional synthesizer of the highest standards.

Ritual Heaps

The Lyra feels like it came into reality direct from my subconscious.The Lyra has reinvigorated my creativity. I feel like it’s a living thing and I’m building a relationship with it. You’ve created something truely wonderful.

Jérôme Alestro

After long hesitation, I bought the Lyra. I hesitated because the machine is so original that I was afraid of not knowing how to use it. In fact, it doesn’t matter. This machine freed me. I rediscovered the essence of sound, space, time, everything merges in a fabulous journey, filled with dreams and nightmares, populated by abyssal creatures and sunken cities. Thank you. Thank you so much. This machine is not made for humans. This machine is made for the universe. Continue to exceed the limits, they do not exist. Explore beyond, the journey has only just begun.

Paul Nagle

“Awesome fun to play! Lyra has given me a whole new perspective on what I want from a synthesizer. No turning back now ;)”

Review by Sound On Sound

Review by Estrada Studio

Review by TESTBERICHT GURU (with additional explanation below)

Speculative Future Music

Thank you for creating Lyra 8. I love her so much. She’s like my Russian girlfriend. She does whatever she wants and most times we want the same thing.
Lyra is very expressive and the more attention you give her the more revealing she becomes.
Sometimes she is angry and raging, sometimes she sounds as forlorn as a lonely humpback whale.

NERO BELLUM

It sounds better than in the demos! The build quality is extremely impressive. It looks beautiful. It’s very intuitive and easy to play straight away but, it’s still different enough to feel like I’m exploring new ground.

I can already see that I’m going to love crafting evolving soundscapes with this thing. It really excels at creating exciting sounds.

Dominik Müller (Furanum Records)

The Lyra 8 is just amazing, sounds crazy and fits perfectly to my own or Uncto’s upcoming projects and live acts. It is a quality synth, very good work!

Nobot (Parvati Records)

I just wanted to say thank you for such a wonderful instrument. I love everything about it – the build quality feels nearly unreal (the opposite of modern products) and the knobs are so damn enjoyable to tweak compared to the countless other knobs in my studio 🙂 The sound + the architecture are just outstanding. I love how this feels like a real instrument, not a synthesizer – I have to handle it, not to play it. I love how it’s also possible to get beautiful and musical related stuff out of it, didn’t expect to have such a useful range! And the FM/Delay/LFO-part is without words, there isn’t much out there (probably nothing) that can do this. The only sound colour that could be kind of comparison was produced 50 years ago by EMS and other old-school guys….

So thanks for giving us this beautiful instrument in 2017! And thanks for selling it for this price, it’s a VERY good money-to-fun-ratio.

PTG

The Lyra-8 is a wonderful piece of masterwork and I love it!

Jarek St aka “ELECTRICDUNK”

Beautiful instrument. You can definitely see how much passion and knowledge has been put into this device. I love the idea that each time you sit in front on it eand move knobs, you get new and exciting sounds. And the way how you interact with the instrument feels very organic. You feel like you dealing with some magical box.
“LYRA IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATE: YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU`RE GOING TO GET”.
I really love this instrument. You can explore new territories of sound far above well known musical horizon. I highly recommend it for everyone who is searching for a new sonic palette.
Congratulations to all SOMA crew.

Павел Михайлов (Pavel Mikhailov)

Lira-8, in my opinion, is the most daring and special novelty that has appeared against the backdrop of the global “analogue renaissance” of recent years. Despite the fact that the design most likely refers to early electronic musical instruments and suggests use primarily in improvisational music, in writing experimental compositions and sound design, it was not conceived as a mainstream synthesizer (as opposed to instruments where it is important to get as quickly as possible typical, “formal” sound), all the same, Lira sounds completely relevant and can be used in any direction of music from sonorous compositions to industrial trap.

The tone of Lyra initially has a kind of surrealism, primitive aggression, at the same time flexibility and plasticity. The tool contains a large supply of suspense, I think the possibilities here depend to a large extent on the owner’s imagination and skills. Lira requires a thoughtful attitude, then the results can be surprisingly diverse. However, I am sure that nothing will hinder to play for hours without having any idea of ​​how the synthesizer works.

Separately, I note that the synthesizer is made very high quality, in the spirit of the classic analog instruments of the 70s. Everything from the materials used, potentiometers and ending with the packaging and description is thought out and executed perfectly. This is really a serious debut for the author, suggesting an equally interesting continuation. Let’s see what the future will bring …

Glenn Keteleer aka “Radical G”

Probably the best distinctive sounding synth ever. It is very unique, very authentic and stunning! 

Peter J Lehman. Visible Sound, LLC

I absolutely love it! It’s so different than anything else I own and I’m finding it really inspiring to create new textures and sounds with. It’s built so well, too!

Lloyd Cole

A wonderful instrument to learn (or aspire to). It did take me 20 years to have any kind of idea of what I do on the guitar so, no promises. But here’s hoping – it’s like nothing else I’ve played

red-garlic / yucca tree records

It sounds like nothing I heard/played before… So unique and so intuitive – very inspiring!
Congratulation for this piece of art work and engineering – also the built quality is excellent.

Damien Vandesande

Really in love with it, such a unique instrument, thank you for creating it and letting us having a hand on it!

KYXTA

I purchased my Lyra around a month ago, and since then, my entire music direction has changed in a way that excited me more than ever. I now have randomness, and an instrument I can truly play. I create techno, but to have these organic sounds at my disposal has taken me away from hours of programming (which I still enjoy) and allowed me to freeform jam. Adding a mesmerising layer to my productions.

‘Unctuous’ [Furanum records]

That’s the monster analog sound. Thanks to Vlad, the creator of this instrument and owner of Soma Synths in Moscow, we have a perfect tool for our production requirements as well as for our live acts.

LAIBACH

This is a great opportunity to present our new work in the full sonic spectrum and dynamic range that only Lyra-8 can provide. There is no alternative. I believe that is the case for all your instruments. These are true electronic (or we can say Electric) instruments, where you can actually feel the components inside and the thickness of the wires.

MATHIAS GRASSOW – Experience report with the SOMA – LYRA-8 – “Organismic synthesizer”

With SOMA Lyra-8 he is now in front of me…… the “Organismic synthesizer” already built by VLAD KREIMER in 2016…..The blue thing looks strange, has no real keys, is heavy in weight and…initially also difficult to grasp. A slightly strange magic emanates from it, this interactive synthesizer that is first class in build quality. Something so robust in housing and high-quality in controls, switches and buttons has not come to me for a long time: 10 out of 10 points!

Since I work extremely intuitively as an ambient musician, I need, among other things, a synth that communicates with me and neither takes the helm out of my hand nor “sucks me in” so that I sacrifice my thoughts and feelings to technology.

After first attempts WITHOUT user manual – only with short description, which I downloaded from the SOMA page, LYRA-8 is a bit, let’s say…..recalcitrant. If I close the contacts per “button” with my finger every time a different sound comes out, while something happens constantly. So LYRA-8 is like a cat constantly purring, or scratching…… obviously depending on the mood of the player. Now this is quite part of Vlad Kreimer’s company philosophy and since I already learned to love the COSMOS, I will also know how to tame the kitten here. After several intuitive attempts WITHOUT further technical studies, I got the first sounds that met my requirements.

It is astonishing to observe how much this device reacts to temperature, fingers, state of mind, etc. This experience may not make the LYRA-8 a perfect live instrument, but in the studio you should always run a recording device when experimenting to capture the most magical moments and edit them later. I strongly recommend the combination of the LYRA-8 with an intelligent effect device – in my case with the COSMOS. Wonderful sound cascades quickly arise!

By special settings and feeding another synth to “external-in”, the LYRA-8 can be used as an “FX” machine, which also leads to interesting sounds and more…….

Conclusion: A visionary device, which made it possible through its success that SOMA was founded – and other groundbreaking devices continue to see the light of day. 10 out of 10 points for the vision behind such a tool !

Will Clinton

Hi, I have Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and before my diagnosis was working as a musician and sound engineer. I was injured in traction (my neck) around 2016. I have not had a musical though since then. I just went to Detroit Modular to try a LYRA-8 after seeing videos of its beauty. After trying it for 5 minutes I had to buy it. I have had my first musical thoughts that I could do something with in 7 years because of your synths and I’m so grateful. With the injury I had, I still can’t re-wrap my head around traditional instruments like guitar, bass, and piano. I wanted to thank you for the wild and exciting stuff you build, you finally got my brain to click in a functional and creative way. It feels like I got a piece of myself back that I wasn’t sure would return in any capacity. Sincerely thank you! Even if I don’t make a new record, this is such a fun meditative instrument and it brightens my day!

Joanna White

Thank You Vlad Kreimer for such an important and amazing instrument that the LYRA-8 is. I am a 74 year young woman and appreciate what a blessed gift you have provided me with, in the LYRA-8. Your work is providing a clearing of space for expressions of hope, peace, sadness, and grief in such a troubled world… I think that you are a prophet in the nonlinear, changing with your instrument’s voices, our existence in this world for the better. I remain always amazed and grateful for your time and work for us in this most important matter. Thank You.