The Bananana Effects MANDALA Radical Glitch Surprise is a mini pedal that works as a reverb with eight built-in glitch modes. Pedal of the Day, reviewing it in May 2026, called it "an astounding and groundbreaking reverb unit with eight built-in modes," and noted that "There are a LOT of sounds trapped in this mini pedal"1. It sits alongside the brand's Aurora Pitch Shift Multi-Delay, another experimental pedal built around pitch, speed and reverse features1.
What it does
Pedal of the Day describes the MANDALA as "a multi-functional glitch pedal equipped with eight modes," covering multi-speed playback, pitch shift, square wave sound and a delay that loops automatically1. In practice that makes it a reverb platform whose modes freeze, transform and loop what you play, rather than a conventional reverb pedal or delay pedal1.
The eight modes are Repeat, Random, Reverse, Trigger, Sq Trigger, Square, Up and Down1.
The modes
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Repeat | Repeats the last sound received over and over; playback speeds of 1x and 2x1 |
| Reverse | Repeats the last sound received over and over in reverse; playback speeds of ½x, 1x and 2x1 |
| Square | Transforms the last sound received into a square wave sound and repeats it over and over; the square wave can be mixed between the input octave and one octave lower1 |
| Trigger | Automatically loops the last sampled phrase when triggered by a break in the input sound; playback speeds of 1x and 2x1 |
| Sq Trigger | Samples the input sound after transforming it into a square wave sound, then automatically loops the last sampled phrase when triggered by a break in the input sound; the square wave can be mixed between the input octave and one octave lower1 |
Pedal of the Day's review also documents the modes Random, Up and Down among the eight1.
The difference between Trigger and Sq Trigger comes down to the sound being sampled: Trigger loops the phrase as played, while Sq Trigger converts the input to a square wave first, with that square wave mixable between the input octave and one octave lower1.
Controls
- Unlatch toggle: chooses how the footswitch functions, performing either as latching or unlatching1
- Kill Dry switch: documented in Pedal of the Day's review of the pedal1
The Unlatch toggle, Pedal of the Day notes, opens up different ways of using the footswitch in performance1.
Videos
BanananaEffects
Joel Gilardini
iRerror
Questions
How many modes does the Bananana Effects MANDALA have?
The MANDALA has eight modes: Repeat, Random, Reverse, Trigger, Sq Trigger, Square, Up and Down. Pedal of the Day describes the pedal as a multi-functional glitch pedal whose modes cover multi-speed playback, pitch shift, square wave sound and a delay that loops automatically.
Can the MANDALA play sounds in reverse?
Yes. In Reverse mode, the pedal repeats the last sound it received over and over in reverse, and you can choose playback speeds of ½x, 1x or 2x.
What is the difference between Trigger and Sq Trigger mode?
Both modes automatically loop the last sampled phrase when triggered by a break in the input sound. Sq Trigger first transforms the input into a square wave sound before sampling it, and that square wave can be mixed between the input octave and one octave lower. Trigger keeps the sampled sound as played, with playback speeds of 1x and 2x.
Is the MANDALA a reverb or a glitch pedal?
It is both. Bananana Effects' pedal is described as a multi-functional glitch pedal with eight modes, and Pedal of the Day also called it a reverb unit, one whose built-in modes add pitch shift, square wave sound and automatic delay-style looping to a reverb platform.
What playback speeds does the MANDALA offer?
It depends on the mode. Reverse mode offers playback speeds of ½x, 1x and 2x, while Repeat mode offers 1x and 2x.
Sources (1)
- Bananana Effects MANDALA Radical Glitch Surprise, Pedal of the Day, 2026-05-29
