Pirate Rebrands to PIRATE SOUND

When Pirate opened its doors in 1990, it did so as one of the first audio houses to build independent sound studios, defying the trend of outsourcing audio production to external facilities. This one-stop studio approach helped to quickly establish Pirate as an international audio powerhouse with a reputation for industry-leading sound expertise. Cannes Lions advisory board member Karen Howe notes, “Pirate became an international sonic force, one of the most storied and awarded sound shops in the world."

Pirate owners Tom Eymundson and Vanya Drakul are widely recognised as leaders in the field of sound, with numerous accolades from prestigious organizations such as Cannes Lions, The One Show, D&AD, the CLIOS, LIAS, Marketing, and the ADCC.

During the pandemic, Pirate was forced to vacate their home of 30 years to make way for yet another condo. However, the changing landscape provided an opportunity. As Tom Eymundson, co-owner of Pirate, explains, "The pandemic allowed us a moment of reflection and a chance to reimagine the future."

At the time, business culture was fragmented by work-from-home. The Zoom-fueled hangover compromised the in-person collaboration, so key to creating exceptional sound. Pirate’s philosophy is that the composing, directing, bending, and reimagining of powerful sound is borne of communal creation. As Travis Shorrock, national creative director, The&Partnership, notes, "We all made it work with remote collaboration tools, but nothing compares to being in the studio, bouncing ideas off each other, and experiencing that intangible magic that only happens in person."

As part of Pirate's innovative post-pandemic vision, Eymundson and Drakul chose to honour their rebel roots by providing unbridled creative audio through progressive and collaborative methods. Pirate's new facility embodies their passion for cutting-edge audio production. Featuring exceptional, purpose-built, state-of-the-art sound studios, the space emphasises comfort and visual sight lines, which are key to creativity.

Drakul notes: "The studios also bring immersive sound to life with Dolby Atmos, the ground-breaking spatial technology that is the new frontier of audio."

In addition to new studios, Pirate has rebranded as PIRATE SOUND (PIRATESOUND.COM). The new brand, created by Broken Hearted Love Affair, boasts a fresh logo, positioning, and look anchored in Morse Code – the earliest form of sound communication. Uniquely black and white, the fearlessly stripped away look captures the ethos of the renegades, the radio Pirates that broke free from the government rules that would have drowned out the great musicians, genres, and lyrics that healed, comforted, and shaped us.

Brilliant sound now has a new home and name: PIRATE SOUND.