TheCrowHillCo Shreds at Superbooth with Soma, Chase Bliss, and Vongon

Kicking things off at Superbooth, the ultimate gathering for all things music tech, TheCrowHillCo finds themselves in the heart of Berlin’s buzzing synth scene. It’s like stepping into a mixtape filled with the rhythmic clatter of innovation and experimentation. For TheCrowHillCo, this is a playground – a place where imagination meets circuitry and sound morphs into something wildly unique. From boutique setups to big-name brands, Superbooth has it all. Think NAMM, but with a little more edge and a lot more groove. People come here to celebrate the art of sound like it’s a party that never stops. This is the kind of gig where you leave with more than just memories – you walk away with inspiration, new connections, and perhaps a suitcase full of gear.

TheCrowHillCo dives deep into the world of Chase Bliss, a company out of Anoka, Minnesota, that’s making waves with their unique blend of analog and digital. Zach from Chase Bliss shows off their latest pedal, Clean, a stereo beat mixer that’s both creative and functional. It’s the kind of pedal that slaps harder than a subway door at rush hour. Their Good Hearts Lossy pedal brings the lo-fi flavor, degrading sound in a way that makes it feel alive and fuzzy. Imagine walking up to a booth and being hit with sounds that transport you back to a gritty, on-the-street vibe, where every beat feels more like a heartbeat than an audio clip. From mp3 degradation to packet dropouts, Chase Bliss pedals are the sort of thing that turns simple loops into complex soundscapes.

As TheCrowHillCo stumbles upon Vongon, it’s a sweet surprise to find out that this elegant, vintage-inspired brand is run by a husband and wife duo from Oakland, California. Ryan McGill takes the crew through the ins and outs of their six-voice polyphonic synthesizer and a trio of boutique pedals. With a sawtooth wave and an arpeggiator reminiscent of the good ol’ dial-up modem days, their gear emits a nostalgia that feels warm and inviting. The design borrows from mid-century aesthetics, thanks to Katie’s interior design background, giving Vongon’s products a chic, retro vibe. Ryan, the sound sculptor, brings the sonic depth, ensuring each note feels like it’s being played from a forgotten record spinning in an old jukebox. It’s a setup that speaks to both ears and eyes, a perfect marriage of sight and sound.

And then there’s Soma, where instruments aren’t just tools – they’re partners in the creative process. As TheCrowHillCo meets with Glenn from Soma, the discussion centers around the ethos of creating gear that’s less about the mechanical and more about the organic. Instruments from Soma are conceived to be collaborators that push the boundaries of what’s possible. Their Cosmos pedal, described as a Drifting Memory Station, adds layers of depth with its rhythmic and pitched loop capabilities. Soma’s approach is about eschewing the conventional, opting instead for a relationship with sound that feels intimate and personal. Each device is like a friend that challenges you to think differently about music. The drifting distances of the Cosmos pedal redefine looper capabilities, making it a tool that feels more like painting with sound than simply recording it.