Genki Katla, initially announced at B&F 2025, is a hybrid polyphonic volcano Synthesizer with rotating voices: it’s shipping now.
In 2024, the Icelandic company Genki announced Katla, a hybrid desktop polyphonic Synthesizer inspired by volcanic veins.
The synth stands out for its unique engine and distinctive look. The latter has side panels and knobs forged from authentic Icelandic Lava. Because it is not an ordinary material, each unit has a unique look. After more than a year in development, the Genki Katla is now shipping.
Genki Katla
Katla is a hybrid Synthesizer that blends digital oscillators with an analog signal path. Genki opted for a very hands-on design for the Katla, primarily using sliders and a few knobs. Buttons on the left side manage the patch memory – a bit like in the PWM Mantis.
A key feature of the Katla is its multimodal voice-allocation engine that routes across five discrete voices, each with individually adjustable parameters, including waveform morphing, level, and tuning.
Each voice also has individual filters, amplifiers, LFOs, and looping envelopes. The special thing is that you can rotate the five voices, using six unique voice allocation modes.
There are three round-robin modes (forward, backward, random), giving you a rotating pattern of sound. In short, each note triggers a different voice depending on the selected mode.
Along these, you have three unison modes: Staccato (envelopes re-trigger with every note trigger), Legato (envelopes re-trigger only when all keys have been released), and Mono mode allocates all voices to the same note.
Additionally, you have a global oscillator control, a sub-oscillator per voice, a noise generator, an external input with level control, and glide.
The oscillators are digital, while the filter, wavefolder, distortion, and amplifiers are analog, adding warmth, grit, and dynamic character. It’s a classic multimode filter with cutoff, resonance, and adjustable keytracking.
Then, it houses four mighty analog distortion shapers: phase distortion for subtle to aggressive sounds, Rústir, a West Coast-style wavefolder, a stereo CMOS distortion for juicy sound colorations, and a signal overdrive for more gentle saturations.
This four Inferno quartet gives the Vulcano synth its distinctive smoky sound.
Organic, Unpredictable Sound
To make the sound even more standalone, the Genki developers have given the synth its own Katla parameter section. This has features that let you infuse the sound with an organic, unstable quality.
Móða adds tuning instability inspired by old synths that drift out of tune. Kvika injects slow-pitch fluctuations reminiscent of the wow factor on analog tape devices. Skjálfti introduces fast pitch modulation per voice inspired by the flutter characteristics of tape.
Glóð adds occasional pitch-modulation events, applied independently to each voice, while Aska creates modulation events for the amp and frequency spectrum of each voice. Skriða randomizes the attack, decay, and release times of each voice, and Rökkur spreads notes across the stereo field.
Not to forget is that Genki Katla has keyboard tracking on the envelopes, LFO timing, and the filter cutoff, bringing even more movement and character to each key press.
To refine the sounds, it also features an 80s-inspired, lush, stereo digital reverb that adds depth and ambiance. MPE support is also onboard with per-note response to pressure, pitch, timbre, and aftertouch.
Connectivity
Katla features five external inputs on the back, each routed to its corresponding voice, so users can freely feed audio from any source, sequence between the inputs, and process the signals through its characterful analog signal path.
MIDI in and output on 5-pin sockets are also onboard with a dedicated MIDI channel matrix. The USB setup is also somewhat unusual.
There are three USB-C ports: one for power, one for the computer, and one for USB host – plus point for the host functionality.
Second Impression
When Katla first appeared at the end of 2024, it was initially thought to be a marketing stunt. However, after the company regularly released development updates, this theory was dismissed.
Now the Genki Katla is finished. To me, it’s a very special hybrid Synthesizer that will certainly polarize opinions. It sounds beautiful and has an original rotating concept. It’s expensive, but it also offers something new.
Would I buy it if I had the money? I don’t think so. But it’s an interesting instrument that will certainly find buyers.
Genki Katla is available for order now at 4990€ (including VAT) with free delivery. It’s shipping now.
Article from January 27, 2025
Last November, Katla emerged online. This new synth by Genki Instruments, the creators of the Wave MIDI ring and other products, draws inspiration from Katla, Iceland’s largest volcano, manifesting themes of chaos and nature. Each unit will feature unique side panels made of lava rock.
In November, information about the synth’s features was limited, requiring you to examine the interface to discern each functionality. Last weekend, the Genki team presented Katla for the first time at Buchla and Friends 2025.
Katla
The information about the new Genki Katla is still patchy and incomplete. However, the developers have shared more about the project.
Katla is a five-voice polyphonic synth inspired by paraphonic synths. Each voice has its own independent filter, amp, mod envelope, and LFO. The synth also has unique voice modes, including unison and round-robin, which allow users to cycle through the oscillators.
At Buchla and Friends 2025, the devs said the oscillators are digital, but they are unsure if they will make them analog. Each oscillator offers waveform selection and octave selection. Filter and the stereo distortion part will, however, be all-analog.
Genki Katla will also host a stereo reverb processor. The Katla parameters, which add tape-like movements to each voice, including the oscillator and filter, are intriguing. Another interesting feature is the ability to mix each voice LFO and to add spread to the modulation.
The synth also offers preset storage, which is cleverly implemented. You have traditional presets for the entire engine and for each row, which means you can save your oscillator or modulation settings individually.
Sonicstate has released a video of the Katala prototype where you can hear the synth in action. There is still a lot of work to do. Once that is done, we can say more about the overhaul synth and sonic quality.
Article from November 12, 2024
Synthesizers don’t grow out of the ground like trees. They are created by talented developers who are inspired by certain things. Many of them find their inspiration in past instruments or old/new technologies.
Genki, a company from Iceland known for its Wave Ring, has now developed a new Synthesizer. The developers found inspiration not in classic synths like the Minimoog but in Iceland’s subglacial volcano.
Genki Katla
Katla is a new paraphonic Synthesizer from Iceland. According to the Genki developers, it uses a “digilog” engine, i.e., digital and analog, better known as a hybrid. Important note: the website doesn’t yet provide much information about synth. There are, however, pictures that show the user interface.
The interface shows four oscillators with controls over the level and octave but no controls for the oscillators. Next to this, it has buttons for the sub-oscillator. There is also a noise generator and a wave folder.
You can also see several play modes for the synth on the interface, including mono, duophonic/paraphonic, and quad. Plus, there are round-robin and unison modes.
Then, the Genki Katla filter section is analog and features both resonant lowpass and highpass settings with modulation. Interestingly, the lowpass filter has the biggest knob of the synth and offers selectable WASP and MS-20 modes. From here, the signal goes into a multi-FX section consisting of a chorus, an overdrive, and a real spring reverb.
The position of the spring reverb is wild. The appropriate springs are attached to the front panel, which invites you to interact with them.
Effects & Modulation
Modulation is also onboard. Genki Katla has two envelopes, one for the amp and another freely routable to the filter, pitch, or FX. Further, it includes a multi-wave LFO with rate control and multiple targets (pitch, LPF…) and a sample & hold option.
Aftertouch is also onboard, which is routable to the oscillator detune, lowpass filter, and a mysterious Katla parameter. Yes, Genki Katala has built-in patch storage. The synth does not have a screen but many buttons on the left to recall patches.
There is currently no sound demo of the Katala. Genki describes the sound as follows:
“KATLA’s digilog sound engine mimics the crackling of lava, rumble of seismic activity, and eerie silence of the glacier above.
First Impression
At first glance, it is a very wild, unusual hybrid synth. I can’t say much about the synth now, as there are no sound demos. I’m pretty sure it’s a very niche and premium synth for a little target group. Check the price tag, and you will understand it.
Genki Katla is now available for pre-order for 4990€, and batches are limited to 30 units.
More information here: Genki
Lol, just seen the price. For a paraphonic synth.
Just.
Wow.
I can buy a new ducati scrambler and 3 behringers for that.lol
“The Devil Wears Lava”
I don’t think this is for people who buy Behringer. I think someone who’d buy this would probably just pick up the phone and call them, maybe even come over to try it out.
I wouldn’t throw down this cash mostly because I don’t have it and subsequently I don’t use hardware much.
I love affordable gear, but I don’t think its reasonable to expect all gear to be affordable.
Since these are my countrymen (I don’t know them but lots of friends used the Genki Wave) I’m a bit sad that all the comments are sneering and negative.
And they all have very little insight. The crazy price is pretty obvious and doesn’t really need to be said 14 times.
But given the very limited marketing info the company offered, maybe that’s not so surprising. The premise is interesting but they don’t describe it.
Ridiculous isn’t it
“Inspired by Iceland’s subglacial volcano…”
“Digilog engine”
“Crackling of lava, rumble of seismic activity, and eerie silence of the glacier above.” (I’m super excited about how the “silence” sounds, btw.)
No info, no sound examples.
Asking price.
There are so many red flags, I might as well be playing Minesweeper.
Buy a plane ticket and a pro field recorder setup for about half, and go visit / record that volcano for real in all its stereophonic glory. That’s money well spend!
Sounds like a plan!
Some people will buy just because it’s limited but for 5K I’d really want to know what I was buying, what makes it worth the cash, what different about it, and more importantly many more sound demo’s.
Selling my limited set of peanuts, looking like synths (somewhat), btw. Asking price: I don’t know? “Alexa, give me a random integer and add a three or four zeros”.
5K€$£? for a synthesizer with “different” sounds don’t fool me.
“Sounds” from the nonsensical marketing that this is a “cheap” digilog sample playback digital oscillator with analogue filters in a very handsome package for $5K! And I have no issues with digital oscillators however if it was an FPGA, then I might have been a bit more impressed. And for those of you non familiar with Genki, they are desperately trying to be a less useful Teenage Engineering.
Ah, they did the Wave Ring. Which was as useful, as Roli’s new “cast a magic spell to cutoff your filter with your hand” thingy – another ‘game changer” according to Synthtube. I agree on what you said, except for the price, I could demand a display, maybe (handsome package). But since TE does them even with their POs and Genki is less useful (totally agree) I guess I should just cope with hands on controls like it’s 1970. But hey, it’s a Limited Edition. These are expensive, aren’t they.
I completely agree, a screen-less synth in this day and age is a nonstarter for me! I implored the duo at Synthstrom for years to implement a better screen, they claimed repeatedly that the idea was to use ones ears. Apparently, there are those whom can’t employ both. And then I even offered to assist in the implementation without charge, they again claimed that the alpha numeric screen was sufficient. Now of course it has a led screen.
The Genki is handsome and regardless of the sound, it is terribly overpriced.
Listen! It’s only 5k and it sounds like nothing you’ve heard before at this price point.
Unless you’ve received a synth that was DOA.
Seriosly what kind of shitty marketing bs is this? Or is this pre hype? Count me out.
i do love black! but hate rubber nipples on sliders.
My Arturia Microfreak blows that dud out of the water. The Emperor is naked.
“Plic! Blop! Biiiiiip!” 2 cents for that sound / demo
“But, man, that’s the sound of the icelandic volcano…” 5 k
Come on, at least 3rd Wave and Black Corporation have a decent sound to justify the (over) price point.
The market is king. If people want to pay this price for a synth then good for them. But there’s nothing particularly special here and the “lava” cheeks smells a lot like Teenage Engineering.
don’t forget the New PPG Costs 10.000€😄
Beautiful synth. Looking like a quirky, better looking, Deckards Dream. Sounds great but for that price Id go somewhere else.