BLEASS Shimmer vs OtherDesertCities
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BLEASS Shimmer
This app offers a unique pitch-shifting reverb effect to enhance musical performances. It allows for creative sound design by emphasizing harmonics and revealing new tonal colors through its versatile processing stages. The intuitive interface and included presets make it easy to explore a wide range of spatial and ambient effects for various instruments and vocals.
- Unique pitch shifting reverb
- Harmonic emphasis and tonal color
- Multi-mode input filter
- Dual pitch shift modules
- Clean and rich reverb
- Integrated ducker for rhythmic effects
- Intuitive user interface
Read full descriptionHide full description
The unique pitch-shifting reverb in BLEASS Shimmer makes performances dance and sing in ways you never imagined possible. Harmonics are emphasised and new tonal colours emerge as luscious washes of reverb thicken and harmonise with your performance, opening up a whole new creative dimension of spatial and ambient effects. The flexible processing architecture makes BLEASS Shimmer a highly versatile plugin overflowing with creative musical possibilities. Shape the incoming sound with the multi-mode input filter, place the two pitch-shift modules at different points in the signal chain for wildly different results, and combine them with a clean, rich reverb. An integrated ducker helps the direct signal stand out from the reverb and is perfect for rhythmic and blooming effects. This vast sonic potential is easy to tame, both live and in the studio, thanks to a clear and tactile interface designed for hands-on exploration. More than 30 included presets reveal the depth of possibilities on offer while providing great starting points for your own sound designs. From guitars and synth pads to leads, vocals and drums, BLEASS Shimmer brings exciting new dimensions to your musicianship. More information and technical specifications available on https://www.bleass.com/shimmer/ BLEASS Shimmer can be launched as an AUv3 plugin or as a standalone app. BLEASS Shimmer is also available for Windows, and macOS.
OtherDesertCities
Explore a versatile audio effect with six unique delay algorithms, offering everything from classic stereo delays to experimental granular pitch-shifting. Extensive modulation and I/O controls allow for deep sonic manipulation and creative sound design.
- Six unique delay algorithms
- Extensive modulation capabilities
- Tempo-synced LFOs
- Envelope follower
- Diffusor for feedback smearing
- Advanced I/O control
- Granular pitch-shifting
Read full descriptionHide full description
Other Desert Cities, named for a famous sign on the I-10 highway leaving Los Angeles, is a workshop for creativity. As its namesake implies, there are many strange and wonderful things lurking inside. With six delay algorithms, each with its own personality, and extensive modulation, Other Desert Cities covers everything from basic stereo dual delays to never-before-heard granular pitch-shifting chaos. ALGORITHMS 01 Desert Shores Stereo Delay. A standard dual delay, with basic EQ, saturation, crossfeed, and spread. 02 Mecca Reverse Delay. A normal dual delay, except the repeats play backwards, with smooth crossfading and an optional Reflect mode that alternates direction on each repeat. 03 Cactus Dual-Delta Delay. More like a pair of tape decks in use, with individual speed controls from zero to 2x in either direction, and pitch quantizing to octaves, fifths, or semitones. 04 Thermal Multi-Tap Delay. A dual multi-tap with sixteen taps per side, spread, crossfeed, and basic EQ. 05 Mirage Multi-Head Delay. Imagine a tape delay, but the head is the rotating head of a VCR. Experimental, strange, and wonderful. 06 Sky Valley Granular Delay. A pitch-shifting granular delay, with control over grain size and scatter, and EQ. TEMPO Sync to your host, or don't: set the sync source to Tap and everything synced follows the tap button instead. Tap on screen, or assign a MIDI note or CC and tap from your controller; the AUv3 accepts MIDI input directly. MODULATION Other Desert Cities includes a full suite of modulation. Two tempo-synced variable-waveshape LFOs and an envelope follower, sourced from the main input or a sidechain, can modulate nearly every control in the user interface. DIFFUSOR A built-in diffusor smears the feedback path, pushing Other Desert Cities toward reverb territory, especially with the Thermal algorithm. LEVELS The secret superpower is I/O control. Every aspect of the signal chain's gain structure can be controlled and modulated: ducked, panned, oscillated, and enveloped to your heart's content. Mute and Input Level feed only the delay block, not the dry signal, so you get natural tails and send-style behavior from an insert. PRESETS A full factory bank, plus designer presets from Matthew Lyon, Red Means Recording, and Time Rival. Presets are cross-platform (patches made on the desktop version work on iOS, and vice versa) and appear in your host's own preset list, so you can change sounds without opening the UI. FEATURES - AUv3 plugin and standalone app - Delay times up to 2 seconds free, 10 seconds tempo-synced - Tap tempo from the screen or MIDI - Resizable, scrolling user interface - Cross-platform XML preset manager Also available for macOS, Windows, and Linux in CLAP, VST3, AAX, AudioUnit, and LV2 formats at audiodamage.com.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: OtherDesertCities at every 2 months against BLEASS Shimmer's every 10 months. BLEASS Shimmer's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 86%). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
BLEASS Shimmer costs $3.99 and OtherDesertCities $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
BLEASS Shimmer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 36 and 59 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of BLEASS Shimmer's written reviews are positive against 86% of OtherDesertCities's.
BLEASS Shimmer ships an update every 10 months, OtherDesertCities every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BLEASS Shimmer | OtherDesertCities |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | $3.99 |
| Rating | 4.9 (36 ratings) — better | 4.8 (59 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 86.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 36 | 59 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | BLEASS | Audio Damage, Inc. |
Customer experience
BLEASS Shimmer
OtherDesertCities
In-app purchases
BLEASS Shimmer
No in-app purchases
OtherDesertCities
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is BLEASS Shimmer free?
Is OtherDesertCities free?
Which has better reviews, BLEASS Shimmer or OtherDesertCities?
Do BLEASS Shimmer or OtherDesertCities have ads?
Which is updated more often, BLEASS Shimmer or OtherDesertCities?
Other comparisons















