The Best Hyperpop Synth Plugins in 2024
The idiosyncratic sound of hyperpop used to populate obscure YouTube playlists and confidential music blog posts, but it has since joined the mainstream. Nowadays, it’s not rare to hear stuff on the radio that sounds like old PC Music remixes. The outré synths, catchy pitched-up vocals and decapitated drums are synonymous with modern pop music, giving everything that dream-state feel of K-Pop on acid. Recently, Charli xcx scored a big hit with Brat, which she co-produced with pioneers of hyperpop like A.G. Cook and Easyfun, while 100 gecs have amassed a phenomenal cult following. If you feel inspired by artists such as those, I don’t see why you wouldn’t expand your sonic palette to include a few quirky sounds. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite synths to help you break through the sonic barrier and reach new hyperpop heights.
The Best Hyperpop Synth Plugins in 2024
1. Serum | Xfer Records
A full review of Serum could fill more volumes than the complete works of Dostoevsky, so instead of trying to cover the seemingly infinite possibilities of modulations and permutations this soft synth has to offer, I’d rather tell you what it feels like to use it to make hyperpop, since that’s what this post is about.
In use, Serum is intuitive and very stimulating. What I like about it is that it’s a synth that can emulate the sounds of classic analog machines, but it’s ultimately an instrument that goes so far beyond anything that a classic interface would allow you to achieve.
It’s a VST that was clearly created by people who make music, and it feels like they addressed every frustrations they had with primitive plugins when they were making it.
The ease with which you can modulate elements with each other makes it the ultimate synth for hyperpop producers because it makes it an absolute playground for sound design, weird textures and mind-blowing effects. And if you’re the kind of person who just wants to plug and play, you’ll find an endless source of presets online to spark your inspiration.
If you’re going to buy one synth in your life, Serum is the one you should get.
2. Massive | Native Instruments
Similar to Serum, Massive is a classic for producers who like to paint outside the lines. Filled with potential and possibilities, this beast has made its mark on the music of the last 15 years, from dubstep to EDM, to pop.
Native Instruments have since released Massive X, a plugin with a more comprehensive interface, but most beatmakers out there still prefer the OG version. Despite its confusing interface, Massive still can give you that huge EDM sound that has a character that no other instrument can really imitate.
Since it’s not getting any younger, Massive can often be found for a few bucks when NI runs a sale. Even if it’s just to play with its extremely usable presets, Massive deserves its place in your VST arsenal.
A true classic.
3. Sylenth1 | LennarDigital
Sylenth1 will soon celebrate its twentieth birthday, but that doesn’t mean it has a single wrinkle.
Sure, ok, its interface is overdue for a major makeover, but if you can get over it you’ll discover a plethora of swagger under it’s - albeit ugly - hood.
Sounding impossibly brash, yet warm, this synth is perfect for aggressive pop and interplanetary trance. Just cycling through its preset banks, you’ll surely recognize dozens of sounds you’ve heard on great hyperpop records. I suspect A.G. Cook is a big fan of this VST.
If there was a plugin that could be crowned the king of hyperpop, my vote would go to this LennarDigital staple. It might not be the most versatile, but if you’re looking for supersaw tones that sound like day-glo bikinis under black lights, this is the one.
4. Synplant 2 | Sonic Charge
Hyperpop is all about getting those spiky synth sounds that go out of the beaten path and give you chills. In terms of making weird sounds no other synths have, there’s not really a VST as powerful as Synplant 2.
For starters, it’s inspired by the concept of DNA. Weird enough for ya’? Well, hang on to your hat, because it’s about to get worse.
The concept is that you create monstrous branches that grow to make a Frankenstein beast that sound like nothing else in the world. You can then edit the DNA of the sound to go further in your experimentations.
I know this all sounds like one of those corny hook that plugin companies sometimes use, and I’d be with you on that one if Synplant 2 didn’t actually deliver on its promises. Remember in Jurassic Park when the T-Rex escapes from its electrified cage? This is the musical equivalent of that.
5. SynthMaster 2 | KV331 Audio
Mostly used by EDM producers, SynthMaster offers a lot of flexibility and possibility for manipulation and mod-ing. It’s a perfect synth for hyperpop because it’s versatile, it sounds big and it sends back to the different eras of dance music past and present, so you can get some pretty nostalgic and ironic tones.
More importantly - if you’re me - this instrument comes loaded with over a thousand presets. Its interface can feel a little intimidating at first, but it’s pretty easy to get around it once you know where everything is.
For all it has to offer, this synth is a pretty solid deal.
6. KORG MS-20 V | Arturia
I’m a big fan of Arturia synths, and yet I was skeptical when this one was announced. Would the company be successful in capturing the essence and the raw texture of the semi-modular classic? The folks of Arturia usually churn out instruments that sound a little more polished… A little too polished, if you ask me.
Well, once again I had to eat my hat because the MS-20 V has all the magic and the brutality of the hardware instrument, and then some. Squelchy, clippy, bass-y, all the sounds I like from the original are there in the preset menu, with the added flexibility that comes with a software synth.
The MS-20 is a highly underrated machine, and there are other great plugin versions of it out there, from Cherry Audio’s PS-20 to the original Korg VST. A reissue of the hardware can also be found for an affordable amount, if that’s what you're into.
Either way, if you want that spicy analog weirdness for your hyperpop tracks, this is the synth to get.
7. Pigments | Arturia
In some ways, Pigments looks like Arturia’s answer to Serum. The modern instrument has nothing to do with all the vintage instrument emulations the French company is known for, although you can tell they used years of capturing the essence of the best synthesizers to inform the powerful sound of this little monster.
Extremely flexible and always improving (with free upgrades, no less), Pigments has a sometimes sweet, sometimes brutal sound that goes far beyond the textures we’re used to.
This is a modern and edgy VST that could do the hyperpop thing, although I’ll admit it’s not the most obvious one to use to make that genre.
8. Auto-Tune Pro | Antares
Before you say anything, hear me out!
I know Auto-Tune isn’t exactly a synth, but unless you’re using it to actually tune vocals in a subtle and natural way, this VST is a powerful creative tool. As a matter of a fact, the vocal processor has changed the way popular music sounds, and that’s probably why experimental electronic musicians use it.
I suspect a lot of hyperpop producers first used Auto-Tune and Melodyne half-ironically, for their effect’s kitschy charm. A lot of the aesthetic of the genre combines beautiful and ugly elements to create a disruptive beat. Auto-tune does have connotations, although at this point I think it has transcended its status as the Von Dutch hat of VSTs… It’s now a totally acceptable tool to create weird robotized vocal tones and happy accidents.
If you make weird pop music, Auto-Tune is a must.
9. BONUS: Freebie
There are a few freebies that would be essential for your collection. There’s a lot I could say, so I'll have to write a full post about it, but for now I’d recommend 3 no-brainers:
First, Vital, which is a nice alternative to Serum.
Then, you can download NoiseMaker, a plugin that falls not too far from Sylenth1.
Finally, Surge XT is a flexible open-source that hides a whole lot of power.
If you’re not ready to invest, that’s a starting point… And you might not have to get a single instrument beyond that because they’re all so powerful already.
I also really recommend going one-on-one with a synth and really learning how to use it inside and out instead of going from one VST to the next and barely scratching the surface.
The stock VSTs that come with your DAW of choice are usually pretty powerful also. Be sure to give them a chance. I guarantee your favorite producers use them all the time!
10. BONUS: Effects
A lot of the hyperpop aesthetic hinges on distortion, compression, and a creative use of otherwise subtle effects. That’s another post I’ll need to write, but in the meantime I can suggest these absolute classics:
OTT by Xfer Records - This freebie from the makers of Serum lets you dial in multi-band compression easily in ways that make the effect super creative. If you want that otherworldly sound that’s on the edge of blowing up your speaker, that’s the one to get!
Guitar Rig 7 by Native Instruments - Whether you want to record some electric guitars for a post-modern pop punk revival a la 100 Gecs, or you’re simply looking for a dirty multi-effects to process your drums and your synths, Guitar Rig 7 honestly sounds better than the real thing. And by real thing, I mean a bunch of guitar amps and stompboxes.
Portal by Output - A funky mix between a delay, a reverb and an old-school harmonizer. This can really add movement and depth to an otherwise boring sound. Let’s get experimental.
Thermal by Output - A saturation engine that adds movement to the sound. Like Portal, but for distortion.
Decapitator by Soundtoys - All the richness of analog saturation, with a bit of modernity thrown in for good measure. The “Punish” switch will give you that hyperpop unstable craziness. Its “E” setting will give you that bass oomph. You need this one, there are no others like it.
ShaperBox 3 by CableGuys - From docking to liquifying, this plugin does it well. This can add a lot of life and movement to your sound. It’s like having a big red box full of magical power tools.
All products featured in this post are independently selected by myself. However, when you buy something through my retail links, I may earn an affiliate commission.