Polytik Is a Set of Colorful Synth Modules

What can we say, we’re just suckers for synths. That’s why we couldn’t help but take a closer look at this new Kickstarter campaign from John Richards and Jack Featherston, which was developed in collaboration with London-based Artists & Engineers.

Born out of a DIY ethos and the Maker community, Polytik is a set of open-source synth modules that can produce a palette of sounds ranging from angular rhythmic sequences to abstract noise, pads and drones. The handheld devices are designed for tactile play.

Polytik consists of four separate, color-coded and battery-powered boards. Each system requires a Core (blue), which comes preloaded with 30 sequences, along with at least one sound module:

• Combi (black) — Voltage-controlled feedback, voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and filtering

• VCO (red) — Voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and voltage-controlled filter (VCF)

• Noise (yellow) — Noise generator, patchable feedback networks and voltage-controlled filter (VCF)

You can connect up to three sound modules to the Core via ribbon cables, which relay audio and control data, giving you a single output.

Each module looks like a work of art, but Polytik’s unique design is more than purely aesthetic. The key to the Polytik experience is the ability to work directly with the boards and components, rather than through the once-removed medium of swiping or tapping a screen. Touching parts of the circuit boards and the visual design details enable you to physically interact with Polytik to produce different sounds and sequences.

Sound like the expandable synth kit you’ve been looking for? Head over to Polytik’s Kickstarter campaign, where you can learn more about the system, delve deeper into its features, and back it for yourself.