Electric Atlas Black Sun is an upcoming West Coast Buchla-inspired semi-modular Synthesizer for iOS with AUv3 support.
In recent years, numerous synthesizers have been released for iOS, and a few exclusively for iPadOS. Many follow traditional synthesis methods. However, fewer West Coast synthesizers exist. A new developer wants to change that.
Electric Atlas is currently working on the Black Sun Synthesizer app, which will appear in the App Store in mid-September.
Electric Atlas Black Sun
Black Sun is a new semi-modular Synthesizer for iPadOS. Electric Atlas says that Black Sun is designed for generative patches, experimental sound design, and expressive performance.
The interface looks fabulous and practically begs you to play with it. That’s how it should be, dear new developers, flooding the App Store with new releases.
A look at the features reveals a strong affinity for West Coast synth-based design, made famous and shaped by the legendary developer Don Buchla. However, it doesn’t look like a Buchla synth emulation. It has 18 different modules.
At its core are two main oscillators with sine blending with saw, square, and folded sine. You can tweak them with five controls: coarse, fine, blend, scale, and drift. Filters aren’t included, as you would expect from a West Coast synth.
Instead, two lo-pass gates give you dynamic leveling and filtering, with built-in stereo positioning. Next to this, you have two rise/fall slope generators that can act as envelopes, slew generators, and looping modulation.
Next to these are dual LFOs with high-frequency modes that turn them into VCOs. Plus, you get two Buchla-inspired fluctuating random generators, a pulse generator, and two logic functions.
Playing
To refine your sounds, the output section houses an overdrive, an echo processor with feedback, and a spring reverb,
Sequencing is also possible in the app. These are also close to Buchla-esque design. Instead of extensive sequencers, it’s limited to two 5-step sequencers. They’re more versatile than you might think: you can use them to modulate audio (notes) as well as CV.
Besides the sequencers, it also has Buchla Easel-style touch plates that transmit pitch, gate, and pressure CV. Neat, you can customize them with scales, and it comes with a built-in arpeggiator.
Semi Modular Patching
A highlight of any semi-modular Synthesizer is patching, which lets you dig deep into synthesis. Electric Atlas Black Sun doesn’t offer this next to the knobs, but rather as a separate, dedicated patch bay on another UI side without patch cables. I really like how it’s structured.
On the left are the 42 sources; on the right, the 44 destinations. Each destination can combine up to four sources, allowing complex modulation and signal routing without covering the interface in virtual cables.
Electric Atlas Black Sun First Impression
Black Sun looks very exciting. It’s a shame we have to wait, because the app is practically jumping out at me and saying, “play me!”. I love how it looks.
The first sound snippets in the teaser video sound very promising. This could be a big synth for experimental sound designers. I’m looking forward to September 16!
Electric Atlas Black Sun is now in beta, with an official release scheduled for September 16, 2026. It will run as a standalone app and AUv3 plugin on iOS.
More information here: Electric Atlas
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