Ilio Origins

Ilio Origins Review

Ilio's latest release, Origins is a fine collection of historical instruments. The library will lend itself well to film score sequences requiring period instruments or ethnic flavors. It can also be used to add depth and character to a wide variety of musical styles. The inclusion of vocal and ambient samples will be extremely beneficial in creating musical environments with sound design. The throat-singers are especially terrifying. The wide range of wind, stringed, percussion, and vocal samples are a must for any composer's library, and will complement libraries like Quantum Leap Rare Instruments and RA nicely.

In addition to the typical multisamples, Origins also includes performance samples which I found extremely useful. There are sounds of celebrating armies at camp, swords and armor, medal clashing, women screaming, even wild animals and war cries. It's hard to play with this library and not picture scenes from Gladiator, Alexander, or Kingdom of Heaven.

Along with the ancient instruments like the shofar (Ram's horn) of biblical times, there are also a collection of very useful modern percussion instruments recorded in a large ambient space. From timpani and concert bass drums to break drums, horseshoes, and gas cylinders. This library has it all, and for a price even the ancients would find worthy of praise.

Dirk Campbell's follow-up to World Winds is a classic in any century!