Sound Advice: Wilkinson

Join Wilkinson on Sound Advice, the weekly interview series covering artists’ journeys and their creative process. In this episode, we discuss the drum & bass DJ/producer’s latest album ‘Infinity,’ his influences and the importance of artistic integrity in today’s music landscape.

‍

Welcome to Sound Advice, the series spotlighting artists’ creative process and their SoundCloud journey. We’ll get the inside knowledge straight from the source on how musicians, producers and creatives are leaning into everything SoundCloud offers to elevate their sound, get heard and catapult their careers. Sound Advice is now available in audio format on the SoundCloud Stories profile.

‍

In this episode of Sound Advice, we have a chat with one of drum & bass’s biggest DJ/producers, Wilkinson. Southwest London’s Mark Wilkinson has been showing a talent for melodic drum & bass bangers since he debuted on RAM Records with singles like “Moonwalker” and “Afterglow,” featuring a young Becky Hill. His 2013 debut album, ‘Lazers Not Included,’ shot to the top of the dance charts, solidifying him as the king of anthemic, singalong tunes and a true album artist with a vision to share. 

Wilkinson just released his fifth solo album, ‘Infinity,’ and in this exclusive interview, we discuss the making of the record, its visual language and insights on how to approach the process of doing an album rollout. Wilkinson also shares some great tips on vocal production and sound design in drum & bass. He also shares how he put together his recent sold-out show at London’s Alexandra Palace, recalls some great memories with Andy C and Goldie, and gives advice on maintaining artistic integrity in the fast-moving world of dance music.

‍

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO EPISODE OF SOUND ADVICE FEATURING WILKINSON

‍

LISTEN TO ‘INFINITY’ BY WILKINSON ON SOUNDCLOUD

‍

Things We Talked About In This Episode of Sound Advice

‍

Wilkinson’s Journey as an Album Artist in Drum & Bass 

• Since he launched his career in 2013 with his debut album ‘Lazers Not Included,’ Wilkinson has been dedicated to the craft of making albums. To begin our conversation, Wilkinson reflects on his commitment to creating albums as opposed to focusing on club singles and EPs. He believes that “albums bookmark a chapter in your career,” allowing him to convey a more complete artistic vision. 
• After signing with RAM Records, he was inspired by the label’s roster, which includes influential drum & bass artists like Chase and Status and Sub Focus. This environment fueled his ambition to become an album-centric artist, as he felt a deep sense of excitement — and responsibility — to produce work that could stand the test of time. “That gave me a lot of confidence,” he shares. 
• The evolution of the music industry, he goes on to say, particularly with the rise of streaming, has made it challenging for artists to maintain a cohesive body of work. Wilkinson shares that while he initially shifted his focus to singles during this transition period, he soon realized that he missed the “bookmark” of an album. 
• With his 2026 album ‘Infinity,’ “I didn’t want it to fade into the background; I wanted this album to stand out and tell a story,” he says, reflecting his desire to create meaningful releases in a fast-paced dance music environment. “When I look back on albums in the past, you don’t think about the singles — you think about the body of work.” 

‍

Wilkinson on Tapping into Drum & Bass Sound Design, Energy and Innovations on ‘Infinity’

• As we hear more about the making of ‘Infinity,’ Wilkinson goes into detail about the sub-genres and trends within drum & bass (like jump-up), and how he’s navigating through them to keep his sound unique — especially given the vast quantity of drum & bass-leaning sample packs and plug-ins that are available on the contemporary market. 
• “I’ve always looked outside of drum & bass for influence,” he says. “I love performing and DJing it because of the raw energy, but often enough, I take songs and try to put them into this drum & bass format. That’s my production sound.” 
• From working with a broad selection of vocalists to tapping into the trance sound, he reflects on how he’s often been just ahead of the curve of public tastes — which has served him and his audience well. This exploration leads to a sound that resonates with his roots in drum & bass and showcases his versatility as an artist. 
• In the current dance music industry, there’s often a struggle to capture an audience’s attention. And, if you’re committed to making albums, that attention can be harder to grasp. Here, he talks about how he balances creating long-form projects, structuring a release schedule for singles and putting together a marketing plan across platforms that draws listeners in — and holds their interest, becoming committed fans. 
• Here, he also reflects on how the creative freedom of working on an album allows him to experiment with different tempos and emotional journeys. “It’s about emotion and how you take people on this journey,” he says. 
• In the process of making ‘Infinity’ and in the lead up to his sold out show at London’s 10,000-capacity Alexandra Palace, he felt driven to create fresh material for his audience. He notes the inspirations of Jamie xx on his recent sound, with a more minimal, melodic approach to certain tracks. He talks about how on “Ultraviolet,” there’s a UK garage influence that he was drawn to, as a way to surprise audiences who have a keen ear for familiar drum & bass tropes.
• Tapping into that variety of influences, the album artwork conveys a sense of potential through the playful use of mirrors and reflections. Here, Wilkinson talks about the aesthetic of ‘Infinity,’ how he worked with his team to get it right, and how the visual element of the album-making process relates to his music-making.

How Wilkinson Uses SoundCloud to Test Demos, Engage with Fans and More

• As an artist who’s tapped into the landscape of music streaming and social platforms, Wilkinson places a lot of importance on SoundCloud’s role in his artistry. SoundCloud has been an essential tool for Wilkinson: he’s been on the platform for over 17 years, making him both a longtime listener and artist. 
• Here, he recalls how early uploads of his music, especially his DJ mixes, helped him build a following and connect with listeners who truly appreciate his take on drum & bass. “SoundCloud feels like the place where the heads are — the people who really love the music,” he explains, illustrating how the platform allows for genuine engagement with his audience.
• Of the features available on SoundCloud, Wilkinson loves that he can create private playlists of albums-in-progress. By being able to move the tracklisting, he can experiment with the album’s flow and send the playlists out as private links to his peers through direct messaging. As an artist, he also values the data that’s available to him. By being able to see who plays a track, and interact through comments, he gets a better sense of how his demos are progressing. 
• All of this comes together for Wilkinson as a great way to be an independent artist and build up a core, online fanbase around your music that can bypass traditional music industry systems and commercial radio play. Here, he notes British dance-pop DJ, producer and vocalist PinkPantheress as an artist he admires in this space, reflecting on how she uses SoundCloud to raise her profile and engage authentically with listeners.  
• Wilkinson also utilizes SoundCloud to release snippets of his tracks, enabling fans to engage with his new music before its official release. He values this direct connection, because “it’s important to connect with listeners in real-time.” From there, he values the data that he can tap into to get to know his audience and their tastes better; especially as, through his experience, he feels like listeners on SoundCloud are more deeply engaged with new music discovery than on other platforms he uses.
• Through SoundCloud, he’s been able to share behind-the-scenes content and engage with fans, creating a community around his music that’s nurturing and supportive.

‍

Wilkinson on The Art of Collaboration and How to Craft Impactful Vocal Dance Tracks

• Over the course of his career, Wilkinson has worked with a variety of vocalists, from dance vocalists like Becky Hill to soulful pop acts like Rag’n’Bone Man. On his latest album, ‘Infinity,’ he’s worked with 10 vocalists, including Julia Church and Mougleta. With so much experience in collaboration, what advice does he have to share with fellow artists? 
• When it comes to collaborating and creating, he stresses the importance of staying true to yourself and not being swayed by trends. “Write what you want to write, and don’t feel pressured to conform,” he says, encouraging new artists to trust their instincts and embrace their individuality. 
• Here, he talks about the different microphones and equipment he uses to tap into different genres and energies, and how someone’s vocals and the recording setting can affect those decisions. 
• Going into more detail, he talks about how drum & bass’s love for loudness and high impact drops affects how he approaches vocals, song structures and instrumentals differently, and what equipment and production software tricks he recommends for artists starting out on their vocal collaboration journey. “I’m still using the plug-ins I was using five years ago,” he says, showing that once you find  tools that work for you, you don’t need to switch up the routine — just refine it in your own way. 
• “I always look to the neurofunk guys in drum & bass,” Wilkinson says, “because they’re so technical in their sound design.” Here, he goes into more detail about the sound design elements and mixdowns of drum & bass that he finds inspiring, and how he brings that inspiration into his own productions; from artists like Noisia, Sub Focus and Culture Shock.

Wilkinson on Learning from Drum & Bass Legend Andy C, and Career Advice for Fellow Artists 

• Not long before Wilkinson signed to RAM Records, he remembers the encouragement that Andy C gave him. Here, he tells the story of a memorable night at the famed London nightclub Fabric. When Wilkinson was on the dancefloor, he heard one of his own tracks pumping out the soundsystem, “Moonwalker,” and witnessing the reaction from the crowd — including from drum & bass icon Goldie — boosted his confidence as a producer. 
• Now on his fifth solo album, and with sold-out tours and a dedicated global fanbase, Wilkinson is riding high in the world of drum & bass. So what advice does he have to share with other artists, who are aiming for those same heights? 
• “Take the rough with the smooth,” he says sagely. Releasing music into the world is a vulnerable experience; when you spend your time, money and emotions on it. But the main thing is to be consistent and release music that is meaningful to you, because you never know when a hit can come along; “some records do nothing and others are huge,” he says. 
• With the release of ‘Infinity,’ Wilkinson is embarking on a summer-long tour of the UK, Europe and North America — you can check out the tour dates here — and is already working on new music. We end our conversation by hearing about what’s exciting Wilkinson in the drum & bass scene right now, and his enthusiasm for where it can go next. 

‍

Links and Extras

Follow Wilkinson’s journey on SoundCloud.
Press play on Wilkinson’s 2026 album, ‘Infinity.’
Follow RAM Records.
Hit play on Wilkinson’s collaborative track with Mougleta, “Eternity.”
Go back to where it all began with Wilkinson’s breakthrough track, 2013’s “Afterglow.”
Explore some of Wilkinson’s wide-ranging influences, including Andy C, Goldie, Sub Focus and Noisia, to name a few. 
Listen to the Jump-Up D&B playlist on SoundCloud.
Never miss an episode and follow the official Sound Advice playlist on SoundCloud.

Getting The Most Out of SoundCloud

Learn more about using DMs to connect with fellow artists and potential collaborators.
Learn more about how to make a custom playlist on SoundCloud.
Learn more about unlimited uploads, available with an Artist Pro subscription.
Learn more unlocking access to unlimited distribution, available with Artist Pro.
Learn more about getting heard with SoundCloud’s updated algorithm, available to Artist and Artist Pro subscribers.

To discover additional features a SoundCloud Artist or Artist Pro subscription offers, visit here. To catch up on past installments of Sound Advice and make sure you don’t miss out on future episodes, visit here.

_{CREDITS Host: Vivian Host, Executive Producer: Mike Spinella, Producer: KC Orcutt, Audio Engineer: David “DibS” Shackney, Coordinator: Trevor McGee, Editorial Associate: Lauren Martin}‍