Aphex Twin has launched a sample mashing app called Samplebrain alongside audio engineer Dave Giffiths. The app is designed to translate inputted sounds into similar samples, and has been in development for the past two decades. Samplebrain chops up inputted audio into ‘blocks,’ and then connects these blocks with others in its network based on similarity. The app is free to use.
Speaking on the concept behind the app, Aphex Twin said in a statement, “What if you could reconstruct source audio from a selection of other mp3’s/audio on your computer? What if you could build a 303 riff from only acapellas or bubbling mud sounds? What if you could sing a silly tune and rebuild it from classical music files? You can do this with Samplebrain.” The producer also credits Shazam for spurring the idea, revealing that at the time of Shazam’s launch in 2002, he had contacted the software’s founders “to discuss further creative uses of their genius idea but they were busy making an automatic DJ programme.”
Griffiths meanwhile, describes the app as a sort of “giant brain.” Speaking on its functionality, he said, “If you gave it enough, it would be able to take all the right bits to recreate a new sound you fed it.”
You can try out Samplebrain now via Gitlab.
