That ripple in the time-space continuum you’re feeling isn’t the result of two supernovas colliding in some far-off corner of the universe; it’s the collision of two legendary drum & bass acts here on Earth that’s no doubt causing a disturbance in the force.
While both artists need no introduction, there’s no doubting that the past few years for both Wilkinson and Sub Focus have been epic in every sense of the word. From Wilkinson selling out Brixton Academy with his live show on the heels of his chart-topping Hypnotic LP, and Sub Focus’ own genre-bending forays with the likes of Rudimental, Alma, Chronixx, Stylo G, and more, the long-overdue collab between the two artists is the result of the stars aligning on a shared flight home from a New Year’s Eve gig in New Zealand.
As Wilkinson tells it, “We actually started writing this record together randomly on the 24-hour flight back from New Zealand. Then when we got home in January, we jumped in the studio and finished the tune. We had to call it ‘Take It Up’ after that! Kinda mad, really.”
It’s a sentiment that Sub Focus echoes in his own recollection of how the tune came together: “I’ve been collaborating a lot more in the last couple of years than I did the past, especially a lot more with other producers. It’s really interesting for me to see other people’s creative processes and it feels a lot more vibey than working on your own all the time. I’ve even done a lot of stuff with friends who don’t produce as a way of getting back to the fun of the creative process.”
A long-time fan of Wilkinson as well as label mates on Ram Records and Virgin EMI, when it came to that fateful flight home with Wilkinson, Sub Focus realized that the collaboration between the two was not only long-overdue but a welcome return to their shared roots in the “tight-knit scene of the London drum & bass scene.”
With both artists responsible for countless classic tunes, sold-out tours, and millions of records sold between them, “Take It Up” gathers the very best of each artist and serves as a kind of manifesto for where they’ve been and where they’re headed in the future.
“I liked the concept of the lyric being about trying to take a scene up to new heights,” Sub Focus explains. “Sometimes I feel like electronic music and particularly DnB doesn’t get the recognition it deserves compared to other genres, despite being one of the most technically accomplished, and as producers of the style it’s all of our jobs to take it further.”
While at its core, ‘Take It Up’ is straight up festival fire designed to get the masses moving, it lives up to its name and serves as a call to all established and budding producers out there to keep the faith and stay the course as drum and bass continues to barrel its way into the future.
“Take It Up” from Wilkinson and Sub Focus is out now on Virgin EMI so stream/download your copy of this heater here.