# Engram turns AI audio glitches into experimental music

> Music startup Thoughtful Things has launched a Kickstarter for Engram, a sampler that uses AI to alter sounds and create new ones. The offline instrument starts at $675 for early backers.

Oossa · 2026-09-29 · https://oossa.com/en/engram-turns-ai-audio-glitches-into-experimental-music

Engram is a sampler and groovebox from music startup Thoughtful Things. It runs a small AI model on the instrument itself, rather than connecting to the internet, and can turn incoming audio into strange, glitchy sounds or generate new ones.

The company describes it as a tool for experimental sound design, not a device that makes finished songs with one button press. Thoughtful Things says its models were trained on commercially licensed audio, and plans to open the firmware so users can modify it or load their own models.

## The facts

- Kickstarter pledges start at $675; the company has not announced a retail price.
- Engram runs its AI locally and does not connect to the internet.

## Why it matters

Engram puts an offline, adjustable AI sound tool in the hands of musicians who want to experiment rather than generate ready-made songs.

## Sources & references

1. [Engram is a sampler that turns broken AI hallucinations into music](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1001193/engram-sampler-ai-hallucinations-music) – The Verge, 2026-09-27

Last updated: 2026-09-29