This library apparently aims to capture 'the true essence of the 1970s. Quite what that really was is arguable

- but the 'Funk & Disco Essentials' subtitle should clue you in to the fact that this collection aspires more

to the dance-floor grooves of Chic and James Brown than the chart-topping sing-alongs of The Bay City

Rollers or Mud. The software front end for this collection of samples is a limited version of Native

Instruments' Intakt. This playback software was discussed back in SOS February 2005, so I won't recap any of

that here, except to say that this instrument is compatible with Windows XP and Mac OS X. You'll need a

quick CPU and plenty of RAM to get the best results, and a DVD-ROM drive and 1.4GB of free hard disk

space are required.



The emphasis in the sound library is firmly on loops and phrases. The samples are arranged into 43 different

construction kits, together with a further Toolkit library consisting of various extra bits and pieces. Various

Hammond B3 and Wurlitzer sounds, guitars, basses, synths, trumpets, and various drums and percussion

instruments are all included. I have to say that the quality of both the construction kits and the Toolkit

samples is very high throughout. Regardless of how you happen to feel about the ongoing trend for kitsch

nostalgia, there's no denying that this collection is extremely convincing, both musically and in terms of

production.



Funk, soul and disco sounds predominate, although there are a couple of rockier kits thrown in as well. In

each case you're given the complete kit, with all the component parts conveniently mapped out across the

keyboard. If you ever need to assemble plausible-sounding retro backing tracks in a hurry, you'll find Sounds

Of the '70s very useful indeed. Equally, if you prefer to be a bit more experimental, you won't be disappointed.

Native Instruments have equipped Intakt with an impressive array of sound-mangling tools, and the raw

material provided by this sample library can easily be taken and twisted into something new and unusual.



Sounds Of The '70s does a good job of reproducing the characteristic sounds of its chosen era, and will

appeal to anybody who needs quick, easy access to a convincingly retro sound palette. And, of course,

Intakt's ability to deconstruct and deform these same sounds may endear it to producers of hip-hop, drum

and bass, or related dance styles.