Established in 2017, Nokturnal Drums is a sound‑design label founded and curated by Nokturn. Specializing in original, unique, and professional Hip Hop drum samples, drum kits, one-shots, and loops, our sounds are trusted by Grammy® Award-winning producers, top musicians, and industry heavyweights around the world. Nokturnal Drums has been used in records by artists such as Drake, J. Cole, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Cordae, Snoop Dogg, Redman, Method Man, X Ambassadors, Giveon, Marsha Ambrosius, Bas, Mick Jenkins, J. Stone, Jane Handcock, October London, Tha Dogg Pound, Tha Eastsidaz, Styles P, and many other rising artists. Each sound is crafted to strengthen your drum foundation, add character to your mixes, spark creativity, and help you stand out from the crowd.
Official Biography
Serhii Melnikov, known as Nokturn, was born and raised in Kyiv, Ukraine. Thanks to his older sister, he was introduced to hip-hop culture in 2003 when he first heard artists like Cypress Hill, 2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, and Dr. Dre. In 2004, he became passionate about street art, painting graffiti on the streets of his city while continuing to listen to cassette tapes and CDs of his favorite artists. During his high school years, he became interested in music production for the first time and made every effort to find useful information and learning opportunities.
In 2009, he met TEKA - a young yet already well-known and experienced beatmaker who introduced him to FL Studio, taught him the basics of music production, shared valuable knowledge, and provided constant support. This became one of the most significant and defining moments in his life and future career.
Determined to turn his dreams into reality, he committed himself to learning and improving every day - despite financial difficulties, a lack of opportunities, and no support from his family. Ignoring others’ doubts, he made a firm promise to himself: to become a music producer and create music for the artists he had admired since childhood.
In 2011, he first heard the album Behind The Curtain by !llmind, marking another defining moment in his life. Inspired by the producer, Nokturn began shaping his own style and perfecting his skills. That moment set a new goal and promise to himself - to one day work with his newfound idol and mentor.
Time passed, and Nokturn balanced daily life and work with music, dedicating every free minute to it. This was a relatively quiet period in his career, full of challenges, difficulties, uncertainty, and a lack of progress. At times, it seemed tempting to give up and return to a normal life. However, despite everything, he never gave up - he continued making music, striving every day to be better than yesterday.
Rise and Breakthrough
In 2015, Nokturn first caught !llmind’s attention during his weekly stream, where he listened to and critiqued beats from aspiring producers. The beat Nokturn submitted represented everything he had learned up to that point, infused with inspiration from !llmind himself. The producer noticed and appreciated it, but Nokturn walked away with more than just feedback - he gained a clear realization: to achieve his goal, he had to surpass himself. This became his challenge - to push his limits so that on the next Friday stream, instead of critique, he would hear the words he had been dreaming of: an invitation to collaborate.
On one of those pivotal Friday streams in 2016, Nokturn finally achieved his dream - he received high praise from !llmind and, shortly after, an invitation to join his label, Roseville Music Group (RMG). That August, !llmind announced the formation of his own production collective, The H!ttaz, sharing his excitement with followers on X (Twitter) and Instagram:
“Over the last two years, I’ve quietly assembled a group of individuals who are, to me, some of the FILTHIEST on the production boards across the globe. I am so humbled and proud to announce the formation of my brand-new production crew. We are THE H!TTAZ. Although we come from different parts of the world, our mission is simple: to push our artistic creative limits to the MAX, with nothing holding us back. Attention to detail. Musicality. Sound design. Swing. A sense of effortlessness.”
On August 26, 2016, the world saw the release of the self-titled beat tape The H!ttaz, featuring works from all members of the collective: !llmind, Nick Pacoli, Fouche, Nokturn, Bigg Kid, Jedi Jordan, and EFF3X. This event marked the starting point of Nokturn’s major professional journey, attracting the attention of the producer community in the U.S. and worldwide, introducing him to new industry connections, and opening numerous opportunities for further growth.
During this period, Nokturn became friends with his teammate Larry Fouche. Later, they co-produced the album Elevate by singer Tangina Stone, featuring Crystal Caines and the legendary Nelly Furtado. Released in 2017, the album debuted at #27 on the iTunes Top R&B Albums chart and reached #44 on the Apple Music Japan Top R&B Albums chart.
Sound Design and Nokturnal Drums
That same year, under the guidance and recommendation of Atlas (A&R at RMG), Nokturn delved deeper into the world of sound design and founded his own sound design label, Nokturnal Drums. In May, he released his first sample pack, which instantly became a bestseller on the KitSohard platform curated by !llmind. The sounds of Nokturnal Drums quickly gained popularity, receiving praise from hundreds of musicians, beatmakers, legends, and key figures in the hip-hop industry including Cardiak, Symbolyc One, Kerry “Krucial” Brothers, Allen Ritter, Boogz Da Beast, Seige Monstracity, AraabMUZIK, Kelvin “WU10” Wooten, Jay Fab, Soopafly, Vinny Idol, Dr. Evo, Quazedelic, and others. His sounds soon found their way into hit releases and instrumental albums by top music producers.
In 2018, Nokturn launched his own online store, nokturnaldrums.com, and began a partnership with Sounds by Native Instruments, making his sample packs available for download on their new platform. This further expanded his audience and solidified his influence in the sound design industry. As of 2021, over 3,000 units of various drum kits had been sold, and downloads on Sounds exceeded 150,000. His customer base spanned dozens of countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Chile, Brazil, the Netherlands, Germany, France, the UK, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Slovakia, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, New Zealand, Australia, the UAE, and Israel.
Global Recognition
Today, after nearly a decade, Nokturnal Drums sounds and loops can be heard in tracks by artists such as J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Cordae, Drake, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound, Method Man, Redman, Tha Eastsidaz, Styles P, and many others. The label continues its journey, constantly evolving while staying true to its core principles - originality and quality. Thanks to this, Nokturnal Drums has earned an impeccable reputation and respect among producers worldwide. Currently, Nokturnal Drums boasts a catalog of over 30 unique sound packs and it continues to grow. Nokturn’s portfolio includes collaborations with West Coast legends such as Ice Cube, Kokane, Tha Eastsidaz, Snoop Dogg, Butch Cassidy, and Mr. Shadow, as well as Spanish rapper Cres and numerous independent artists. Additionally, he actively works on collaborations with leading musicians and producers, expanding his creative influence.
Nokturn fulfilled the promise he made to himself nearly two decades ago and continues his creative journey, producing new music with a unique and recognizable style. His work inspires young producers and sound designers, and his story serves as a shining example of dedication, perseverance, self-belief, and a true love for music.
The most remarkable fact - he has never been to the U.S., yet he has proven that talent, determination, and big dreams know no borders or barriers.