Black Octopus Sound

As part of Black Octopus Sound’s month-long celebration of Drum and Bass, we caught up with Imaginate! Artist, producer, composer, and sound designer, and a true innovator known for blurring the lines between sound design and sonic storytelling. With his packs pushing boundaries in both creativity and technical precision, Imaginate has become a go-to name for producers seeking futuristic textures, explosive drums, and immersive atmospheres. Whether he’s diving into neurofunk chaos or liquid elegance, his work always brings a cinematic edge to the genre. We sat down with him to talk inspiration, workflow, and how he keeps redefining the rules of DnB.

Q: Tell us a bit about your journey into music production. How did you first get into producing Drum & Bass?

It all started for me when I was gifted an old Mac laptop in 2010 that had GarageBand on it. I didn’t have any idea how to make sounds, program drums, etc., but I came across a website where people uploaded free samples, a lot of which were drum and bass kit loops, pads, bass, everything! I downloaded as many as I could and began putting loops together, learning how to arrange and write tracks. It was so much fun, lots of exploration. Naturally, I didn’t feel like any of it was good enough, so I dove headfirst into the deep rabbit hole of Drum & Bass production. Throughout the years, I would buy sample and preset packs while learning the ropes of synthesis, drum programming and design, arranging, etc., and within a couple of years, developed my own sound and style. A couple of years after that, I felt good with my sound design chops and began making all the sounds myself. I credit the amount of time and energy I put into (and continue to put into) sound design as one of the integral pillars of my style.

Q. What inspired you to start designing samples and making packs for other producers?

It started as a way for me to explore sound without needing the outcome to be a fully fleshed-out project. It honestly was never about designing sample packs for other producers, but just exploring wacky ideas and concepts for collections of sounds. I got bored of making the same sounds the usual ways, so I took to recording foley, field recordings, and the like, to stockpile original one-off sounds that would serve as the sound sources for me to work with. What ended up happening was the success of my first ever sample pack, “Glitch Kitchen” with Loopmasters, showed me that other artists and producers were thoroughly enjoying the sounds and this process, and most importantly, getting loads of use out of them in their productions. That sample pack went on to be awarded the #1 Glitch/IDM sample pack on the entire Loopmasters site. All of these circumstances pushed me in the direction of making curated sample libraries as a main facet of my career. From there, I went on to produce the Elements Series, which includes AER, with Black Octopus Sound- I did so with two main intents: A.) To create conceptual libraries that were genre-purpose built for a variety of artist/producer styles and B.) Do so without sacrificing the experimental nature of my process, and by consequence, the entire series. This has given me the chance to create high-quality and original sounds for producers that are purpose-built, but with flexibility in mind.

Q: Do you have a different mindset when designing sounds for other producers making a track for yourself?

Yes, and oftentimes in a sound design session for a new sample library, I’ll end up designing or writing something that I intuitively feel should go into one of my personal projects because there’s a lot of “me” in it! Haha, it’s a funny answer, but ultimately, I want the samples and presets I deliver for other producers to walk a fine line of being just enough of my signature style without taking up too much space for the other producer’s uniqueness. I aim to keep the sounds as agnostic as possible without sacrificing energy.

Q: What gear, plugins, or DAWs do you rely on most when designing for sample packs?

Too many to mention, and some secrets should be kept, but Logic Pro, Xfer’s Nerve and Serum 2, my collection of guitars and instruments, and my trusty TASCAM DR-05 for foley recording. I’ve also got some PVC pipe that makes awesome drums.

Q: What’s your typical workflow when building a sample pack? Do you start with drums, bass, or something else

Its always changing but with one constant: I always do pre-production first, which involves confirming the overall direction and the number of different samples and presets I want to include. Having a production checklist keeps the flow consistent and sessions free of having to think of anything outside of design. When it comes to designing, I begin with whatever I feel most inspired to get into. If that’s lacking, I’ll start with the drums since they usually inform the energy and style of the rest of the collection.

Q: How do you keep things fresh when designing multiple sounds in a tight genre like Drum & Bass?

By not recognizing its tightness. Sure, there are very specific and genre-dependent parameters like tempo, but no genre with legacy, like Drum & Bass, has stuck around because of contemporary thought. I keep things fresh by revisiting new ways to achieve classic results, or thinking outside of the genre, and more about how a sound I may be designing would sound or behave in the context of 172-174 bpm.

Q: How would you describe your personal take or signature style within the DnB space?

A blend of taking what I love about harmony, melody, a riff-centric writing style, progressive rock philosophy, cinema, and sound design.

Q: When creating your DnB sample pack, did you aim to capture a specific vibe, era, or energy of the genre?

AER and Foley Drum & Bass had different philosophies behind their making. AER is focused heavily on Liquid and Anthemic styles because of their shared aesthetic properties with the natural element of air. Because of this, there was more intent around the overall aesthetic and style. Foley Drum & Bass was more open-ended; the variety of original foley recordings, which were the source material for all of the final produced sounds, gave me freedom to explore different kinds of energy and vibe. That pack explores everything from riff-centric dancefloor styles, neuro, rollers, and even liquid, with my sound design and production style creating the cohesiveness between the varied energies.

Q: Do you have a favorite sample or section in your pack that producers should check out?

AER: The atmospheres- these are integral to the theme of the library- melodic/harmonic colorful atmospheres to capture the aesthetic of big open air.

Foley Drum & Bass: the basses overall- I had a lot of fun writing and designing the loops in particular. Besides the writing and sound design, this library boasts a nice variety of bass sounds for a wide range of production styles; everything from heavy neuro and rollers, to rich and dynamic liquid and anthemic.

Q: What DnB subgenres or eras influence your productions the most (e.g., liquid, neuro, jungle, rollers)?

For a long time, the sound of Liquid and Power Liquid had a massive grip on me. Big drums, supersaws, and synth solos. As I’ve expanded outside of producing strictly drum & bass tracks, I still find myself combining my favorite pieces of groove and sound design from neuro, rollers, and anthemic styles, an important component of my signature sound.

Q: Who are some of your biggest DnB influences — both musically and from a sound design perspective?

Netsky, Dimension, Metrik, Pendulum, London Elektricity, Document One, Noisia, Fred V & Grafix, Joe Ford, and Spor. The very best of songwriting, production, groove, and sound design.

Q: Are there any iconic DnB tracks you wish you made, either for the groove or the sound design?

No, and what I mean is I love the music and styles so much that I have a deep appreciation for the tracks that have absolutely stolen my attention. I love them for what they are, and they could have only been created by those who made them. If, however, I had to choose one, I would be kidding if I didn’t say “Dead Limit” by Noisia. Yeah, plenty of epic and classic tracks before it, but that tune in particular was an explosion in all capacities!

Q: What are some common mistakes you hear in DnB production that your pack helps solve?

Not necessarily mistakes, but “samey-ness” in production- both sample packs, AER & Foley Drum and Bass, feature unique textural elements and loops that can easily be layered with drums, for example, to inject that extra character. Many of these loops were also designed to add cinematic depth, and work great as rhythmic and “scene-setting” elements. Since all of the sounds from these packs were created straight from original foley recordings, producers will get one-off sounds that don’t and will never sound like anything else from any other sample pack out there, not even my other libraries! I aim to bring a unique edge every time to keep other producers’ sample libraries sharp.

Q: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve run into being in the music industry — and how have you handled them?

Not realizing exhaustion sooner. I’m the type to grind away forever, even doing so in spite of being told to take breaks. I see my brain as a soaked towel, and it can only be wrung out so much until substance dries up. Substance is everything, and lack thereof can be heard and felt.

Q: Do you have any advice for emerging producers trying to make a name in Drum & Bass or sample pack design?

The only thing that matters is what you do next.

Q: What upcoming projects (music, packs, collabs, shows) are you most excited about?

Lots I’m under obligations not to discuss, but you’ll want to see when it all comes out…remember my comment on crossing the frontier?