20. December 2025
The best VSTs and plug-ins for ambient and experimental electronica (update)
When it comes to ambient or experimental electronics, the source of the sound is often secondary – the atmosphere is what counts. Reverb, delay and clever modulation can turn a simple noise into an entire soundscape. In this article, I’ll introduce you to some of the best VSTs and plug-ins to achieve just that – including free insider tips.
Valhalla Supermassive – The reverb giant (free)
If you produce ambient, you need Valhalla Supermassive – period.
Valhalla DSP’s free plug-in combines reverb and delay in a unique way to create endless, floating soundscapes. From subtle echoes to cosmic reverbs that fade out for minutes, anything is possible here.
https://valhalladsp.com/shop/reverb/valhalla-supermassive
ZAK Endless Clouds 2 – Atmospheric pad and drone worlds
Endless Clouds 2 is an instrument specially designed for ambient pads and atmospheric textures. With its 138 layers, it enables a huge range – from delicate, ethereal tones to dark, dense soundscapes.
The plug-in is ideal if you want to lose yourself in sound design. One chord, reverb – and you’re in the middle of a living sound universe.
Costs €25 regularly – but there are regular sales.
https://zaksound.com/endless-clouds/
Arturia Efx FRAGMENTS – The creative game changer
With Efx FRAGMENTS, Arturia has made granular synthesis more accessible and musical than ever before.
Whether you’re looking for delay fragments, rhythmic stutter effects, shimmering reverb textures or organically fragmented soundscapes – FRAGMENTS offers endless creative possibilities.
Price: Regularly around €100, but often on offer for around €50. A real must-have for anyone who wants to experiment with sound structures.
https://www.arturia.com/de/products/software-effects/efx-fragments/overview
Somerville Sounds Antiquarian Echoes – guitars transformed into ambient (free / Pay What You Want)
This plug-in is an insider tip: Antiquarian Echoes by Somerville Sounds is based entirely on guitar sounds – but you’d hardly believe it when you hear it. Lush reverbs, layers and filter movements create smooth, organic ambient sounds that fit perfectly into cinematic or experimental productions.
And best of all: it’s free (or “pay what you want”). A real stroke of luck for sound designers on a budget.
https://somervillesounds.com/the-antiquarian-echo/
Update:
forms:piano – Between piano and atmosphere
forms:piano is less a classic piano instrument than a source of fragile, floating soundscapes. The sounds are soft, grainy and slightly washed out – perfect for ambient, drone and experimental electronica. Instead of presence and assertiveness, forms:piano offers intimacy and depth – ideal for slow chord progressions, reduced melodies or as a textural layer under more complex arrangements. An instrument that leaves space and thrives on it.
Currently one of my favorite plug-ins – and it’s free too!
https://venustheory.gumroad.com/l/formspiano
Cells by Ólafur Arnalds – Pure emotional depth
Many people know Cells as the plug-in with which Ólafur Arnalds’ typical string sounds are created. But it can do much more: in addition to realistic strings, Cells also offers an impressive selection of sampled synthesizers that Olafur himself has patched and run through his tapes and reverbs and that are perfect for ambient.
With a price of around €250, it is one of the more expensive plug-ins – but Spitfire Audio regularly offers promotions with a 50% discount or more. Anyone who loves the sound of Arnalds and is looking for authentic, emotional depth of sound will find an incomparable tool here.
https://www.spitfireaudio.com/olafur-arnalds-cells
Korg Berlin Prototype Phase 8 by Decent Samples
And another real “insider tip”: In recent months, Korg Berlin has developed an acoustic synthesizer that can be used to create kalimba-like sounds, but also stretched, drone or pad-like sounds. Someone has already sampled the sounds at the last Superbooth. Sounds very interesting.
The sample library can be downloaded here for the free Descent sampler plug-in:
