Intellijel Cascadia Synth Demo

Being a panel walkthrough & sound jam on Intellijel's standalone advanced modular synth, and all the fun that ensues!
ORDER A CASCADIA?
➡️ Perfect Circuit (USA): bit.ly/3OYaAat
➡️ Sweetwater (USA): sweetwater.sjv.io/EKJJdK
➡️ Thomann (EU): www.thomann.de/gb/intellijel_...
➡️ Gear4music (UK/EU): tidd.ly/3LbtHfn
(These are affiliate links!)
JOIN ON PATREON AND GET BONUSES:
➡️ / mylarmelodies
Video commissioned by Intellijel, thanks for having me (I also beta tested Cascadia for the last few months, much secret beepity boopin)!! 🙌
CHAPTERS
00:00 Hello montage
01:30 Panel Walkthrough
08:00 Sounds Begin: Drone
08:29 Traditional Acid
10:42 Calm Acid
13:03 Itchy Acid
13:27 Majestic Fifths via FX Loop
14:20 Feedback FM Acid
15:15 Calm Foldy Plucks
16:00 Steppy Filter Acid
18:20 Contemplative Acids
19:21 Duophonic Acid
21:14 Wavefolded Helltones
22:39 Righteous Ring Mod Jam
25:38 29 Second Reverb Acid Dream

[@intellijel]

NIce one Alex! Great tour of the features and such killer jams. As always, you make me want to go an play with my synths asap.

[@mikey303]

Atlantis was my first and most favorite voice module when I got into eurorack. I got out of it a few years back but every now and then I would spend a few hours tinkering with the idea of making an Atlantis centered rig. Seeing this feels full circle in the most exciting way possible, and I instantly preordered. Thank you for making expressive and inspiring instruments. 🙏

[@Nick-kb6jd]

I’d say he just sold you a good few of these. Great product. Sounds stellar

[@iamsushi1056]

Alex? Who the hell is Alex? His name is Mylar.

[@Nick-kb6jd]

@@iamsushi1056 that’s Mr Melodies to you.

[@CT-ho6si]

Next one of these all-in-one units should include a Metropolis sequencer!!

[@TomMadisonSoundsLewis]

It's like a Cwejmann, Easel, 303 and a 2600 had a big synth-shag and popped out this mad box of delights. It sounds bonkers ❤

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Beefy! Getting a System 100m vibe from the filters

[@TomMadisonSoundsLewis]

@@sub-jec-tiv yeah TOTALLY, super liquid and pingy

[@tobeyforsman]

synth shag

[@alipaulstagram]

Where I can go to find one of these synth shags?

[@rollinwood9453]

@@tobeyforsman new band name

[@andrewhuang]

I always love your bangers but I also need more of the weirdness you cooked up at 20:00 🔮

[@joelanderson9823]

Absolutely agree, loving that!

[@HANGINGOUTWITHAUDIOPHILES]

OOFF! smack bang wallop. This is an utter treat. Feels like the mylar vids of old Ive really missed. Great job Intellijel. Super banging!

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks Jamie!!! 🙌

[@BennyDeez1]

I wish I could thumbs-up this video more than once because it was amazing, nicely done sir. You have a certain knack for making my ears jump for joy, and my wallet cry. What an excellent bit of gear, this Cascadia, way to nail it Intellijel!!

[@danwimperis5273]

The best thing about Cascadia is it means we get 30 mins of new Mylar bangers :D

[@hwoccurrence]

This gotto be the best sounding semi-modular synthesizers I have heard. Great demo!

[@crybo]

This synth sounds incredible! Amazing demo as per usual.

[@turbotambourine]

Goodness the sounds coming from this are absolutely lovely! Also, well done Intellijel!

[@richardm123uk]

It sounds wonderful, amazing synth Danjel (greetings, hope you and the family are well) and nice to see some Oblique Strategies being used :)

[@Nanotopia]

Mind. Blown. This “demo” “walk-thru” you’ve essentially taken us from the Center of the planet, through the solar system and past the Oort Cloud. 🙏🏽 amazing This is an amazing soundscape & soundtrack

[@mylarmelodies]

🙌

[@vinylarchaeologist]

EPIC closing melody, as always!

[@declanallan885]

that was a thoroughly enjoyable review, top tunes too dude!

[@ranzee]

Great stuff Alex. I mentioned this on my show - when I first saw it, I breezed pass thinking "oh, another mono synth" ... but then something went "Wait! come back and have a 2nd look!" Glad I did - it's an insta-buy. It's Buchla meets ARP 2600 with a Roland SH-101 feel. So many features - it is possible that we could get this and move on some of our HP hogging modules ;) Then there's the amazing sounds it can make ...

[@melter_rob]

Wow some of those sounds are just huge and mammoth. Really shows off the grittier side of its sound which I love!

[@SoundsMick]

This is a really cool exciting thing and super groovy examples. Great video

[@Stue007]

Sensational demonstration - top sounding modular synth with a lot of possibilities...

[@derekfernandez7701]

22:24 OMG these sounds! I love this - thank you! 😍

[@localhost4460]

What a gorgeous thing! Crazy good value.

[@thomashoffend4299]

Wonderful demo video and cool jams. I have been getting into smaller, patchable synths lately. There is something good about the smallness that inspires creativity. Also, unlike monster-sized cases, they can be moved around easily. I ordered one of these today 😊

[@Winterdagen]

It sounds so glorious! 😍. The most amazing demo on the KZbins as well, as always. I hope you realise how influential you are:) You've influenced so many gear decisions I have made over the years and have inspired so many ideas. I'm pretty sure there's an incredible amount of people out there who feel the same.

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks m8, hope you enjoy the gear!! x

[@hexial]

Ugh, your demo jams are _so_ good 😍

[@AvianBreak]

Pre-ordered one from the next batch today ❤. Been loving your music and videos on the Cascadia!

[@mylarmelodies]

Yaas!! Enjoy, it’s a wonderland

[@wingdingo]

Loving that Steppy Filter Acid section!

[@fosferus]

@14:50 the word is self-flatulation. and very nicely done showing a diverse range of patches! the one at 16 minutes slaps!

[@els1f]

You are a magic, mylar man! 😋👏🙌

[@mylarmelodies]

🧙‍♂️👹

[@jonpotter1038]

Gonna come back and watch this video many times, I can tell. Awesome dude. I want all these little jams to turn into full tracks so bad.

[@JonManness]

Wicked sounds from this synth! I hope to be at a rave where someone is rocking this synth and takes us to another dimension...

[@bigman3274]

What a beautifully designed instrument

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Beautiful heavy-sounding synth, love the filter! If you don’t have $2150 you can get some of these features with a used Pittsburgh Microvolt 3900, for $650. Underrated synth that covers some similar territory. Interesting function generators/envelopes, wavefolder, low pass gate, semimodular with extensive patch points. The filter doesn’t sound as Rolandy. It has that Pittsburgh filter with the extreme resonance mode (great for percussion).

[@LukeLendrum]

3900 is awesome.

[@klaasvandrunen3098]

The 3900 microvolt is not easy to get. Only 1 for sale on reverb. Because it is a stayer.

[@spency2000]

The 3900 is one of the best synths ever made.

[@wasabicube]

Tremendous demo!

[@deejaydaniel4154]

Incredibly awesome synth edit: that ring mod jam deserves its own track

[@ZenMountain]

Great demo. Thanks.

[@ryanhursh6322]

Bruh… release this as an album. All killer, no filler. 🔥🔥

[@jon_gee]

Brilliant. Thanks again!!!❤❤❤

[@maarzt]

really enjoyed the demo and the music. thanks!

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks m8

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

this is the modular synth that I wish had existed five years ago when I got started in eurorack! Still on wish list but now with 300+ HP of modular, I have no need just want.

[@atdubya]

wooo nice sounds Mylar! This is the pocket 2600 I never knew existed.

[@ZenMountain]

Well, how would you know? It's been just released man

[@atdubya]

@@ZenMountain look at it, man. aesthetic and interface is reminiscent of a 2600, no? A ton of well labeled jacks and sliders, clearly delineated functional blocks, etc. this obviously brings a lot of other functionality like wave folding and TZFM.

[@ERYKJACKNIFE]

Mylar melodies got heat.🔥🔥

[@lukeskywalker2656]

The Cascadia is right at the top of the next List. ✨❤‍🔥

[@wheniwaswater-2903]

Haven’t wanted something so badly after a demo like this since your demo of the 0-Coast. Now I’m trying to decide which modules I need to unload to pick this up. Stellar job Alex!! ❤

[@wheniwaswater-2903]

@John Gorton really? I think it sounds great. Do you have any suggestions on alternatives?

[@SynthSoundscapes]

What I find funny about @mylarmelodies videos is that they really aren't about selling the gear but about his awesome talent. If you feel you want this so much I'd recommend going and playing with what you have and trying to put the enthusiasm, ear and skills he shows into that. That's how he makes such great sounds, not the gear.

[@mylarmelodies]

👍 Here’s the anti-video to that thought, but also by me - ha: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnqUk3SubLOIeZo

[@SynthSoundscapes]

@@mylarmelodies I forgot you also had salesman mode ;)

[@p.tparcel1798]

Beautiful!!!

[@StephenMcLeod]

This thing looks really cool.

[@mamakuproject]

That last sound is magnifique! Kudos to eventide too

[@Tiger.Arcade]

I love the marriage between west coast and east coast which is extremely apparent while listening.

[@elektrovolt]

Jesus man, the steppy filter acid jam is magnificent

[@davidbaker231]

Very enjoyable video, reminiscent of your early classics such as Metropolis-Atlantis and Stepper Acid. Your videos follow a pattern: you jump from one musical idea to another, usually a sequence or two with or without some kind of minimal drums, that show some juicy tweaking capabilities of whatever you're jamming on. And when you cut to the next idea, the sequence is already created and rolling. Someday, if your sense of modesty allows, I'd like to see a video where we get to see more of the process of creating the sequences that are featured. Because your videos are definitely top-shelf gear-porn, but they also feature some super appealing musical ideas whose creation I'd like to get a glimpse of.

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks David - often there’s not much to hear, I just make a start and react to what I’m hearing and just keep scratching at the controls till something pops out, if I can say there’s a skill to it, it’s knowing when those moments have occurred and not breaking them! Sometimes you’ll see I just immediately retract my hands. My live modular is an attempt to do this onstage, it doesn’t always work!!

[@davidbaker231]

@@mylarmelodies "...if I can say there's a skill to it..." Modest as always. There most definitely is a skill to it.

[@larspanky]

You were doing wizardry 5years ago, this is Dumbledore level wizardry and you are taking us to school. Fqn legand. 🎉

[@illustriouschin]

This is really exciting.

[@liorsilverstein9802]

I am reluctant for intellijel taking my money, this is so great. also that eventide H90 is sonically perfect.

[@GavinHerlihyTV]

The Cascadia is clearly super saucy but lest we forget there is a master at the controls! Alex pls make sure these up in record shops!

[@real_anxst]

Goodness that sounds great.

[@BURG]

Holy flying shitballs .. this thing is just awesome! Ace review as always. 💯

[@iamsushi1056]

Whaaatttt!!!! It’s finally here!!!

[@XanderEwald]

Watching this for the 5th time or so right now. I think I need this.

[@robertkohler7354]

Damn this synth sounds so amazing

[@stinkypete9070]

For a while I was looking for a compact little synth or a small euro setup to make all sorts of multisamples to throw onto the deluge and an interesting mono to play along to with another synth/priano. And this looks like it does pretty much all that in a nice compact form factor. Nice, thanks for posting.

[@tagore10]

What a beast!!

[@Heatwave1988]

Very good sounds

[@madebypete]

That Majestic 5th loop just sold me a Love Beams!

[@Nick-kb6jd]

Wow you make this sound ace. That H90 sure helps. Hope intellijel paid you well.

[@mylarmelodies]

Ha thanks - I can attest it does still sound good as-is

[@Nick-kb6jd]

@@mylarmelodies good sure. but everything is gooder through effects (specially lovely H90 precioussessss) That’s honestly one of the best synth demos I’ve ever seen.

[@Abell85Studios]

Watched again after all this month and need to say, you are a master sounds and transforming them into great jams/songs! I was so hyped when this came out but said, ok I need to wait a few month and see if it is just hype or more, and I can say I still want that synth, the idea of semimodulars grew and grew upon the years, like a curated palette of modules from one company which works perfect with each other is just amazing, an instrument not just a synth. I will propaly sell a lot of my modular system and only keep special utilities which often are not in semimodulars and finally buy that powerhouse compining it with the rest of my system, taiga, east beast and dfam. 🎉 And fotlr the end. I really really wanna see a take from you using this and the arp together, would be beautiful, if you still have them both. Thanks again after all this month for this glourious jam :)

[@Abell85Studios]

Oh and I could imagine this combined with the sealegs would be amazing as well :)

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks for this and yes want to put together a corner of my studio with 2600, Cascadia and Grandmother!! 🤯

[@christdolphin69]

what an incredible instrument. kind of surprised this hasnt been made up until this point. its incredible. if they added a lil morphagene/nebulae unit in there, it would sell like crazy. but it does has damn near everything else you could ask for. (maybe a sequential switch & filterbank)

[@njdpdv]

EPICNESS

[@Somewhere_sometime_somehow]

Pfffff amazing demo

[@liorsilverstein9802]

9:53 awesome stuff, like a perfect tune to play in a festival, with the voiceover lolz

[@toby_MusicProgrammer]

Very versatile! want to have one!

[@screamingstrings76]

god dammit, there goes another $2k. I've been avoiding watching these and youtube decided to autoplay this.

[@Digiphex]

I love the Ring Mod jam. Lots to play with on the front panel to come up with unique sounds.

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks. That was my favourite - and surprised me as I have the 2600 but have never felt inclined to ring mod much with it…I learned a lesson

[@Digiphex]

@@mylarmelodies Would be cool to see a comparo with this and the KARP mini.

[@g3cd]

I thought "very modular, probably not for me" but I love watching what you do with this sh!t 😂

[@alexanderripley4362]

Great video :.)

[@plasmaforce11]

Wow! What a unit indeed :) If this was Polyphonic also I'd almost not need anything else

[@HarisCupina]

who am I to judge - great review ❤ congrats

[@soniklink-WKD4496]

I don't know what to say, ....erm. (MIND BLOWN!), I want this NOW! 🤪

[@XanderEwald]

Great demo, thanks! I was eyeballing the ARP 2600m for a while, and this kind of feels like a modern re-interpretation with much more possibilities. And it seems to sound just as beefy and gritty if you want it to.

[@mylarmelodies]

Defo some overlap between the two although of course they’re quite different too (I have both!! 🤪). My future is a combination of the two 👹

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Yeah, this fella has more of a Roland 100m made by Buchla thing, sonically. It probably mostly depends on which type of filter sound you prefer. (Or if the excellent new functions like the subdividing LFO seem like a must).

[@nlego5153]

This looks ridiculously good. I'm baffled by the dimensions... I really thought it was bigger but it's pretty much laptop sized. Nice

[@mylarmelodies]

Yep, it smol!!

[@cassildaandcarcosa294]

I just preordered this because of you !!

[@mylarmelodies]

🙌👹

[@cockur]

What a beast

[@wylatron]

It has been no small pleasure of mine to watch your videos for some time now, and I just know I’m going to hear “oooohpp” or “yesss” and something sweet or dankly fantastic is going to pop out. Defo one of the things I love about your vids and something that I think has become your trademark lol I don’t know if I missed it in my excitement.. any idea what the price is gonna be on this?

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks!! RRP is $2149 I believe, not sure what it’ll be in other currencies

[@chris_hall_music]

Phwoar. Glorious.

[@kaiserclicker8479]

thx u

[@magicseadog8674]

Maybe the coolest synth in a while. I always wondered why we don't see and larger modular systems. Like say a modern 2600 but with all the wacky goodness of the recent modular explosion.

[@Kozza_]

after years of watching your content, i still don't get the GAS as bad anywhere else than when i watch you noodle on some new gear. Whew.

[@munozu]

Mate are you releasing these creations? You really do have a unique sound, I can hear the influences but its still very much your own.

[@mylarmelodies]

Thank you!! No - but in time, yes! Watch the skies… 🙌

[@collinw4461]

What reverb were you using in the montage i didn't see one in the product page. Overall very cool demo and this is something that interests me while down sizing.

[@mylarmelodies]

It’s Eventide H90 and UA Golden Reverb used in this, as well as the Otis Love Beams in the FX path!

[@mark35mi]

Awesome. Video like this on the Behringer System 55 complete please!!!

[@christianbachmann8206]

Having watched this vid multiple times over the weekend I must agree: awesome jams, sir! If you have a referral link for Eu I’d like to use that for my purchase (preferably schneidersladen). I’m a complete starter on modular so I was hoping this thing will give me plenty options to work with on a small scale with this device solely. Would you agree? Also: the fx send/return thing is awesome! Does it stereo? One more q: how do you sequence this cascadia exactly in these demo reels?

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks so much! Here’s a link to Gear4music who can ship to you: tidd.ly/3LbtHfn - you could get a trick stereo return by using the line input as well, but the reason for the mono send/return is that the path will logically tend to be mono. It’s so you can insert tone shapers into the path rather than apply stereo FX at the end (you can likely do that anyway, just use the wet/dry on the pedal as I do here?). In terms of sequencing, it’s Metropolix and Arturia Keystep 37 - whichever you see onscreen is the one that’s working at that time. Both good for different reasons!

[@walrtbstudios5430]

The ‘nice toy to buy myself with a wedge of my retirement lump sum’ has been the Syntrx since I initially conceived the idea, and it had no competitors- until now. I still think the ES monster has the best of it (patch bay, step sequencer) but this has at least made me think. Roughly equivalent in price too. Hmm…

[@spdycar13]

I thought about getting one but it’s not very beefy sounding in the lower octaves. Looks fun though.

[@Honeysmack]

I did have one question - does it do various forms of ACID?

[@mylarmelodies]

Can confirm. Does

[@smartassrecords]

Great review

[@t1merickson]

Please experiment with this and the Empress ZOIA. The ZOIA has so many modules that should expand this thing even further. Thanks so much!!

[@mikenoface]

I've been wanting a Metropolix for awhile... This is a perfect partner to Metropolix. My bank account is crying.

[@andrewnancarrow]

Great jams, great intro to what sounds like a beast of a compact synth. What’s exactly in that 104hp Moog case below?

[@mylarmelodies]

That’s the Intellijel Metropolix and the System 80 880 Drum Machine!

[@roseutterback5755]

Dang I didn’t know I’ve been trying to collect all the acid synths Avalon db1 tb303 td3mo bassstation sh101 and now I definitely gotta get this anymore u can think of

[@blackmateriaofficial2383]

Like that finish! I love the kindof patch sessions where you end up walking around with a slight grin and detached look on your face for the rest of the day. Incidentally, what's that chunky pedal on the left called?

[@mylarmelodies]

Thanks!! That’s Love Beams

[@Honeysmack]

ooooffft - heavy breathing and sweating here 😍😍😍

[@mylarmelodies]

🙌

[@truecuckoo]

This sounds soooo good!

[@LittleAmbientMachine]

Sounds great thats a fact but what do you think about the build quality considering the price tag???

[@mylarmelodies]

I had a brief chat with Danjel from Intellijel who mentioned specifically that he spec’d very high quality parts for this thing - I believe it’s as good as you can get build wise and feels super solid to me. It’s surprisingly light and small of course, but good? For want of better words…it’s early

[@whoadog8725]

This reminds me a bit of Propellerhead’s modular synth. Similar architecture.