The bass music world has been somewhat fascinated with the comings and goings Ivy Lab and Halogenix since their split in early 2018. Ivy Lab, now comprised Stray and Sabre, were a bit quiet at first but are now working to take their sound in new directions with lots collabs on their 20/20 imprint, including tracks on Amon Tobin/Two Fingers’s upcoming album. Halogenix, however, hit the ground running with a literal gallery tracks and collabs and his first solo album on Critical, Deep News.
What was interesting about Deep News (aside from the beats and engineering, course) was that Halogenix declared quite firmly with the album that he wasn’t abandoning halftime, as many fans assumed. A full five tracks on Deep News were halftime, including a VIP one Halogenix’s most popular pre-Ivy Lab split D&B tracks, Blej. In the VIP, Halogenix stretched out the minimal beat, added some hip hop elements and made the synths glitchier and darker than the original. It created a whole new feel to the track and those sent fans and critics who thought they had solo Halogenix pegged reeling.
Today, with no prior warning, Critical dropped yet another remix “Blej” by Fade Black to the shock and joy the bass world and heads up: it’s completely different from both the halftime and the original versions. We’re back to 174 with this remix but the big question is which stems did Fad Black use to make this lush, heavy techy remix?
At first sniff, the remix sounds more like the halftime VIP than the original, at least in the synths. That said, the beat is much richer and less minimal than either the other mixes and the super-grindy, techy second half the original has been sort turned inside out. Further, some the ambient synths that appeared in the very background the original mix have been brought to the front end this version and wound out into a melody that is very much part the intro and break.
It is possible Fade Black used both sets stems to create this other, otherworldly version “Blej?” The world may never know but what matters is bass music now has three versions one the most well-produced tracks in history, each as itneresting, complex and jaw-dropping as the last. No matter where Halogenix goes from here, with creativity like this from both himself and his collaborators, there will more than likely be more surprises to come.
“Blej” fade Black Remix is out now on Critical Music and can be streamed or purchased on multiple platforms by clicking here.