Before tape echoes and digital delays, there were oil cans—bizarre, beautiful machines that used a spinning metal disc and a can of oil to create some of the most atmospheric, murky, and musically unpredictable repeats in history. Strymon, in their relentless pursuit of vintage tone, has now masterfully bottled this elusive magic with the Olivera, a pedal that doesn’t just emulate an oil can echo: it resurrects its very soul.
At its core is an all-new, cutting-edge algorithm born from unrelenting research. The Olivera authentically replicates the unique, off-kilter cadence of the originals, where the lack of an erase head meant repeats would naturally regenerate and decay in an uneven, hypnotic rhythm. This isn’t a clean, metronomic delay; it’s a dark, prismatic, and wonderfully unstable soundscape generator.
The Heads control is key, letting you select between two virtual playback heads (or both), just like on the vintage Tel-Rey units, shaping the decay and creating complex, lopsided echoes. Regen governs the number of repeats, and will deliver self-oscillation at maximum settings.
The dark character of the Olivera is intensified by its modulation section, featuring controls for Rate and Intensity. From warmth and thickness to warbly texture and warbly pitch-shifting sweeps, these parameters greatly widen the effect’s palette.
But this is a vintage engine with a modern transmission. You get 300 presets, full MIDI and USB-C DAW integration, and a discrete Class A JFET preamp for exceptional touch sensitivity. Its true stereo processing and flexible I/O make it a studio powerhouse, while features like Spillover and an assignable expression input make it incredibly intuitive for live use.
Momentary effects are achievable with an expression pedal, including Swell into self-oscillation, momentary pitch-warp, and time stretch.
The pedal successfully packages this niche, atmospheric effect within a modern, feature-rich platform offering extensive preset storage, full MIDI control, and flexible connectivity, making the obscure sound of oil can echoes practical for today’s musicians.
