I totally get where you're coming from, and it's so exciting to see electronic kits breaking into all these different genres! I've been experimenting with using electronic drums live to layer complex sounds that would be impossible to replicate on an acoustic kit. One cool thing I've tried is mixing electronic pads with an acoustic setup, which gives you the best of both worlds.
For expressive play, dialing into the sensitivity settings on your e-drum module is key. I use positional sensing to create different tones based on where I hit the pad, making every stroke feel more dynamic and natural. As for custom samples, there’s a whole world to explore-try mixing your own recordings with library samples for a unique sound palette!
Artists like Jojo Mayer with NERVE are really pushing the boundaries in live settings by integrating technology seamlessly into their drum performances. Their hybrid kits bring a whole new level of creativity and freedom. If you haven't already, definitely delve into his work for some major inspiration! Keep experimenting and sharing what you discover-there's so much potential to unlock with e-drums!