Sometimes, in the review business, you come across a pedal that is so unique and so out-of-the-ordinary, you’re impressed that you were even able to locate it, ESPECIALLY when it turns out it is currently the only one in existence (or so I was told). The Rapture Bit Crushing Delay from Albey Inventions is a musical instrument all on its own, smashing sonic boundaries and speaker cabinets as it tears through the very existence of sound. Hang onto your hats…
The top controls knobs on the Rapture are fairly basic: Time, Mix and Feedback. Found on almost every delay pedal in some form or another, these are pretty straightforward as far as controls are concerned. Now it gets interesting. In the second row, the first toggle is a Dry Kill switch, followed by a Frequency control, then a Double Time switch and finally a Division switch. Whew! Not having them labeled makes for both lots of experimentation and a bit of frustration, but that’s kinda the point, no?
As for the sounds this beast creates, think of it as a really nice-sounding delay with a boatload of skeletons in its closet. Once you start flipping switches and turning knobs (especially that Frequency one, it’s a doozy), the world of delay as you thought you knew it ceases to exist, and you’re left standing in a sonic abyss, wondering what has happened, and your life could have turned out so dark and twisted.
Ok, maybe it’s not REALLY that intense, but this pedal is no joke, mark my words. If you are envisioning strolling through the delay park on a sunny Sunday afternoon with this pedal, you should probably just return it before you even plug it in. However, since this is (like I said, as I was told) the only one in existence, it might be difficult to get your hands on one, making it that much more sought-after. Here’s hoping we see more fantastic creations from Albey Inventions, and that the Rapture Bit Crushing Delay is just the tip of the iceberg.
Submitted by Mike B, Website
Demo Rock pedalboard by West Coast Pedalboard
