High-quality sample packs are a staple for producers all around the globe. Enabling artists to innovate and express themselves in different and unthought-of ways. First-rate sample packs are no longer just a luxury, but a key part of the production process.

Chinese producers are no different – they have been waiting for quite a while to have access to a one-stop solution for their business and artistic needs. One that operates in Chinese, that accepts payment methods native to China (such as Alipay, WeChat, UnionPay, etc), and is importantly convenient and easy to use. That wait is now over!

Travelling back to 2021 Kanjian Music teamed up with industry leader Black Octopus to launch a brand new store dedicated to offering the best sample packs exclusively for the Chinese audience. Fast forward to January 2022, the domestic sample pack store has now officially launched with a whole array of localised Black Octopus sample packs. Coupled with IP protection provided by Kanjian Music, this store is the only way to officially purchase Black Octopus samples in the region.

Available via Kanjians own music licensing platform Coolvox, the dedicated sample pack section empowers Chinese artists to create groundbreaking music with the confidence that they’re using officially licensed packs of the utmost quality.

We caught up with Toby (CEO) and Slade (COO) from Black Octopus Sound to discuss the company, sample pack market and the venture. Read on to delve into the story of Black Octopus and their journey into the orient so far!

Black Octopus Sound was started by a long time music industry and electronic music producer veteran Toby Emerson (C.E.O.) in 2011. He had a passion for producing sound design and bringing his own touch into samples and sounds, and this lead him to start up the company; providing the world with a special touch that couldn’t be found anywhere else. Steve Roland then joined shortly after to co-pilot the business and become C.B.O. Slade Templeton then came on a couple of years after that, first as Mastering Engineer to a Black Octopus Sound Mastering services, before eventually moving up to C.O.O. rounding out the C-class team. Steve, Toby and Slade all knew each other as producers in a thriving dance culture from 2007-2011 as International touring DJs and producers, releasing on top tier record labels worldwide off and on together. It was only natural that their paths collided on a deeper-industry level and start providing the world tools and sounds to enrich the audio community even further.

Skip forward to today, and Black Octopus Sound now has over 100 artists and sound designers, along with over 300 packs released. The Black Octopus Sound Leviathan series is one of the best-known series of samples packs in the industry and is used by the biggest names just as often as the newcomers. 

We are very excited to reach a new audience and expand our sample packs and products to China. It’s an area filled with loads of talent and inspirational producers, and for this reason, we have always had China on our mind. When Kanjian approached us about bringing us there and we had our meetings; we knew we were in good hands from the very start.

Our ultimate goal is to become the go-to brand for producers looking for inspiring sounds for their own productions. We already have that stronghold in other parts of the world and hope to also achieve this in China. To become a brand known for consistency and unique quality there, would be a huge achievement. We believe Kanjian can help be that beacon to take us there.

The utmost thing is knowing that Kanjian Music has faith in our products and work ethics enough to bring us over there to their marketplace. That does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Their way of working in an innovative approach to expanding into new places in the music industry coalesces perfectly with our own goals, strategies and visions. The future of possibilities of working together in this way will open up many doors for driving our ideas as a mutual team and bringing even more possibilities to the producers in China.

The team at Kanjian have been extremely professional, laying out the groundwork from day one in such a way that we have been able to navigate with certainty that it will be executed without failure at the end. They have shown us much support and great insight, and we appreciate this. We really enjoy working with them. 

We often have many exciting projects going on at one time. As cheesy as it sounds, we make a joke inside the team that it’s similar to the tentacles of an octopus, with each reaching for goals at once, and in many different directions at once. This keeps us on our toes and our staff busy.

We have a new cutting edge platform to enrich the audio community even further about to be launched that has been a couple of years in the making. We also have a record label Black Octopus Music, which is the first of its kind to break down albums that are released traditionally on all shops into all original Samples, Stems and Loops, for producers to use in their own productions; all royalty-free.

We also have many new amazing artists and production team members pushing the boundaries with genres and styles at an intense pace. Sometimes almost faster than we can keep up with! We would not be anywhere without the massive team and support around us, and that includes Kanjian Music. 

2022 is going to be a big year. 

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Our journey with Black Octopus has just begun and we look forward to furthering our cooperation with them. 

Kanjian Music is looking for sample packs of all kinds. If you’re interested in licensing your sample packs onto Coolvox please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Check out the sample pack store: https://coolvox.com/sample

Follow Black Octopus:

• Website: https://blackoctopus-sound.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackoctopussound

Remix Shirfine’s track “Illusionary Daytime” for a chance to win an official release on the “Illusionary Daytime” remix compilation as well as some top notch sample packs from industry leader Black Octopus Sound! Hosted by Synth Alley and Label Radar.

“Illusionary Daytime” has received billions of plays on major music platforms and social media networks across the globe, including more than 440 million plays and 280,000 comments on Netease Music. Since July 2020, “Illusionary Daytime” has been in the Shazam Top 50 and Top 200 charts in twenty countries for several months. For several weeks in 2019, it was in Spotify’s top 50 Vietnam Viral Chart. Listen to the original.

Powered by Kanjian Music, the Synth Alley remix contests are a series of global remix contests that focus on discovering and promoting quality music producers around the globe. We work to enable artists to kickstart their journey and promote them on the international stage.

Shirfine, a.k.a. Shirley Guo, currently based in Los Angeles, is an award-winning independent musician, animator and multimedia artist with an M.F.A. in Animation. We caught up with her to discuss the competition, her music, arts and future plans!

I guess everyone is curious about it as I’ve kept it a secret for such a long time. It was after I finished college and left the city where I went through my lowest point. When I went back home I felt a little relieved but I was still uncertain about a better future. I kept writing music to heal myself like I was living in a daydream. By the way, the cover of the track is a photograph I took on my flight as I finally left the city. It was my last goodbye to the past.

I wrote the intro “Into Your Daydream” first, and thought about turning it into a longer piece. Inspired by the short intro, the melody of “Illusionary Daytime” just flowed into my mind so smoothly and I loved it. After perfecting the tune on the piano, I finished the arrangement and mixing within just a few days. It was one of those tracks that are completed very fluidly and without pause. It was a very natural process.

Good question. It’s hard to say, there isn’t really a specific element that comes to mind. I think the audience resonate with it because I really poured my heart and soul into the music. I have a strong and very deep connection to this song. When you deliver your true feelings in any type of art form people can relate. It doesn’t even need any words, the melody says it all.

As humans, we share the same basic emotions and feelings, so we connect in this way regardless of our backgrounds. Also, that’s the power of music. Music is abstract, and usually we can’t read it as we read words, but with the messages in its own way, people read it.

I was so busy with my graduate study of animation back then that I couldn’t spare any time to be active as Shirfine. Making animation is long-term and labour-intensive. So it was like separating myself from the role of Shirfine and watching someone else’s success. Haha just kidding. I was really touched and I still am. When I hid behind the screen seeing my track spreading around the world with so many comments and stories from my listeners. It was a private and unusual experience. I could never have imagined one day my music would be everywhere and connect with so many people. It changes people’s lives in some way as music once changed my life. As a dreamer and an incurable idealist, that was everything. Much more important than being famous.

I’ve heard lots of covers, rearrangements, and remixes from my listeners. Some of them are just so beautifully done. I love sharing beauties. I hope to offer a chance for both the remixers and my listeners to explore various versions of “Illusionary Daytime”.

I’m not really looking for a favourite type. As long as it’s good music! The goal is to find the best versions of “Illusionary Daytime” from different participants by their own comprehension, taste, and expression. It’ll be a lot of fun. The guest judges and I are open to all kinds of music, and our selections will not be limited to a certain type.

Release the compilation album for the contest first! I’m so excited for everyone to see what we will have! I switched to a visual artist under the name of Shirley Guo, so jumping between several roles has become the norm. I’m preparing an exhibition collaborating with several composers for my experimental art Project Haze that utilizes optics. Also, I expect to finish a story called “Steps Away”. A sad romance story told as a live-action short. I also just want to try everything within art. Life is too short… My brain is very active and I’m constantly finding new inspiration all the time. I’m born to be a creator. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.

We’ve cooperated for years. I like how convenient and up-to-date your system is. With strong technical support on the platform, musicians are able to release their music to the whole world with simple steps and get what they should be paid. Last but not least, our works are protected.

Flexibility. Like me, I have multiple roles besides being an indie musician, and I need the space and time for each. As indie artists, you have the freedom to customise the cooperation with Kanjian Music to best meet your needs.

I must mention and thank the project manager Weibin Du. He’s very responsible and understands what I want. Everyone who has worked with me knows that I’m focused, strict, straightforward, and with high standards. I need people who have the same pace as me when working. The team was also able to make adjustments in time to meet my requirements.

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Shirfine’s “Illusionary Daytime” remix contest is open for submissions until 25th February. If you want to join please follow the links below. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!

If you want to cooperate with Kanjian music don’t hesitate to reach out via our contact form.

Enter here (International): https://www.labelradar.com/opportunities/illusionarydaytimeremixcontest/portal

Enter here (China): https://www.kanjian.com/synth-alley/remix

About Synth Alley: https://en.kanjian.com/super/synthalley/

Follow Shirfine

• Official Site: www.shirleyguo.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/reshirfine
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Shirfine
• YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/Shirfine
• Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/38v6uRMEOpN2Od2SuL7WKN