Sydney-based builder Serendipity Synths has quietly released two Eurorack modules that rethink how Moog’s semi-modular instruments behave in real-world studio and performance setups. The D-Thing+ and L-Thing don’t try to reinvent Moog’s sound. Instead, they focus on timing, control, and musical flexibility, opening the DFAM and Labyrinths in ways that feel immediately practical.
There’s a certain charm to Moog’s semi-modular range. Instruments like the DFAM and Labyrinth are deliberately opinionated. They encourage hands-on exploration and reward you for letting go of rigid structure. That freedom is part of the appeal, but it can also be where friction creeps in, especially once you start recording, syncing external gear, or trying to recreate a moment you just stumbled into.
This is the space where Serendipity Synths steps in.
D-Thing+ – Fixing the DFAM’s Most Famous Quirk
If you’ve spent any time with a DFAM, you already know the issue. There’s no reset. Stop the sequencer mid-pattern, hit play again, and you’re picking up wherever the sequence last landed. In a jam, that unpredictability can be fun. In a studio session, it can break momentum fast.
The D-Thing+ addresses this head-on. It introduces proper reset behaviour, along with a deep set of sequencing tools that feel purpose-built for the DFAM rather than bolted on as an afterthought. Clocking can be internal, via MIDI, or external CV, making it flexible enough to sit at the centre of a setup or quietly follow along.
Once patched into the DFAM’s advanced clock input, the change is immediate. Stop anywhere, press play, and the sequence snaps back to the defined starting point every time. That alone transforms how usable the DFAM feels when recording multiple takes or locking it to other instruments.
Beyond reset, D-Thing+ lets you redefine how many steps the DFAM actually runs. The traditional eight-step loop can be reduced down to a single step or anything in between. More interestingly, each step can be looped multiple times using the module’s multi-step system. This pushes the DFAM beyond its fixed architecture, creating patterns that feel far less linear without losing control.
Micro-timing adds another layer. Individual steps can be nudged forward or backward in time, introducing swing, drag, or subtle instability. It’s an effective way to shake the DFAM out of its sometimes rigid, machine-like feel and into something more human.
Sequencer modes round things out. Reverse, bounce, odd-even, shuffle, and random modes all behave exactly as you’d hope, with random mode in particular turning the DFAM into something closer to a percussive performance instrument than a static drum synth. It’s chaotic when you want it to be, but always grounded by the reset and clocking underneath.
L-Thing – Opening Up the Labyrinth’s Generative Core
Where D-Thing+ brings structure to the DFAM, L-Thing leans into complexity. Designed with the Labyrinth in mind, it expands on the synth’s generative sequencer by feeding it additional clock, sub, and modulation information.
The Labyrinth is already capable of beautifully unpredictable results, but it can sometimes settle into familiar territory. L-Thing introduces parallel clock streams, polymetric and polyrhythmic options, and additional LFOs that interact directly with the Labyrinth’s internal logic. Rather than replacing the built-in sequencer, it pushes and bends it from the outside.
Patching is straightforward. Clock and sub outputs route directly into the Labyrinth’s clock and bit-flip inputs, effectively bypassing certain internal assumptions and replacing them with more complex rhythmic relationships. Polymeter mode allows different clock divisions to coexist, while polyrhythm mode introduces overlapping rhythmic patterns that feel alive and constantly shifting.
Two onboard LFOs can be used traditionally or repurposed as pitch or modulation sources, adding yet another dimension to the generative engine. Glide, quantisation, Euclidean-style rhythm controls, and synced modulation all contribute to a system that feels deeper the longer you spend with it.
Importantly, L-Thing isn’t limited to the Labyrinth. Its clocking and modulation capabilities make it equally useful with other Moog semi-modulars like the Grandmother and Matriarch, or any synth that plays nicely with CV.
Built by Hand, Designed for Use
Both modules are hand-built in Australia, and it shows. The hardware feels solid, the interfaces are clear, and firmware updates are actively being developed and refined. These don’t feel like novelty modules or quick experiments. They feel like tools made by someone who actually uses the instruments they’re designed for.
What stands out most is how musical the results are. Rather than overwhelming you with options for the sake of it, both modules focus on areas where Moog’s semi-modulars naturally want to go further: timing, variation, and interaction with other gear.
Who Are These For?
If you already own a DFAM or Labyrinth and find yourself wishing they behaved just a little differently in a studio or live context, Serendipity Synths’ D-Thing+ and L-Thing are worth serious consideration. They don’t dilute what makes these instruments special. They simply remove some of the friction that gets in the way of staying in the moment.
And if you’ve been on the fence about adding a DFAM or Labyrinth to your setup, these modules might be the missing piece that makes the whole idea click. Sometimes, all it takes is the right external brain to make familiar gear feel new again.
