(Above Image Cred; Vincent Ritterspach)
Berlin-based duo Calcou step into a new chapter with Closer, their first EP released as a duo. Built around analog warmth and a clear sense of flow, the project shows how collaborative chemistry can shape both songwriting and production. The record is designed with the live experience in mind, channeling the same atmosphere they create on stage and balancing groove-driven precision with a distinctly human pulse.
Their workflow leans on hands-on tools that favor speed and intuition. Working with Reaktor and Monark, the duo describe their process as “straightforward and no bullshit”—a toolkit that lets them get ideas down fast while maintaining a consistent sonic identity. The result is music that feels spontaneous but deliberate, built from gear they know inside out.
Below, Calcou share the instruments, pedals, and production tools that defined Closer, along with some of the lessons that keep their creative process focused and honest.
U-he Diva
The main synth in “Closer” is from u-he Diva. Still one of the best poly-synths in our opinion, as it is super straight forward and has a beautiful, warm sound. Massive, Serum and all those other plugins rely a lot on their effects-session. And yes, they are great, but they also overload the mix quite fast and we love to have some elements clean and upfront.
The patch consists of two basic sine/triangle-shaped waveforms, going with a bit of distortion into the filter. The glide gives them a bit of character and a 1/16th note tremolator in combination with the kick sidechain gives it its rhythmic pulse.
We love using Diva as a session starter if we want to go for a harmonically rich sound. It helps to stay focussed on the chord progression and the emotional impact of the writing and not to get lost into sound design too early.
Dave Smith Instruments Pro 2
This mono / paraphonic synth from Dave Instruments is our go-to for bass and lead sounds. It’s the first analoge synth Stefan ever got and he knows it inside-out. The analog distortion sounds amazing, you can decide how clean or sloppy your oscillators should sound and it’s overall very hands-on to use and amazing for spontaneous jams and interaction.
In “Closer”, we used it for our bass-sound. It’s a layer of a mono sawtooth-wave for the bass and another layer of two pulse-wave with a low-cut for the stereo-feel of it.
The reason we keep using it so much is quite simple. It’s the only one we have. While this wasn’t a choice in the beginning, it actually feels like a good idea in the meantime. We’re super fast with it, love it’s sound and make sure that we get creative with it and still stay consistent in our sonic world.
EarthQuaker Devices – Avalanche Run
Avalanche Run is a stereo reverb & delay pedal. It offers different algorithms for the delay (backwards, normal, swell) and a nice sounding reverb that can go long and big.
In “Closer”, a lot of the atmospheric, glitchy stuff is from the Avalanche Run. We love sending recorded material through it and just turn the knobs. It almost never disappoints, creating beautiful movement and atmospheric excitement. Our go-to for additional ear-candy.
While it’s fast and efficient to keep working in the box, having some outboard just somehow unlocks a different brain area / approach to music and we wouldn’t want to miss it. Having a few analogue synths or effect pedal really encourage you to explore and experiment and quite often reward you with sounds you wouldn’t even have thought of.
Arcade – Distant Voices
Arcade is a quite interesting collection of samples, loops and sample-based instruments. It is fun to explore, super fast and easy and delivers surprisingly good results – if you can live with the fact that you won’t be the only one that will be using those sounds.
In “Closer” some of the vocal chops and atmospheric vocal elements come from Arcade. While we usually only use Thea’s vocal for chops and effects, some of the not-so recognizable textural elements come from Arcade. It’s a super nice way to add a bit of vibe to a song without spending too much time browsing through samples.
Hot Takes About The Music Scene!
Quick Fire Hot Takes
#1
Own your songs, own your content, own your data. Fun thing to say when we release this EP with a label, but 99% of our time we don’t.
#2
Leave your head outside of the studio. Don’t judge, don’t comment, don’t think. You’re doing it too much anyway.
#3
Go to that next exhibition, concert, or play—just keep your eyes and ears open as you walk the streets, and inspiration for your next track will come naturally.
#4
If your track can’t be performed in a very stripped-back setup (e.g. piano / guitar & vocal) and only lives from sound design it’s not a good composition.
#5
Stop making boring songs that only live for that one little TikTok moment.
The post How It Was Made: Calcou – Closer [Anjunadeep Explorations + Electronica] appeared first on Magnetic Magazine.