[Release] Bixx / Dreamy - No Surrender [High Voltage]

 

/// Prefer audio or video? Enjoy this interview on Youtube or Soundcloud!

American Bob Bickert, aka BIXX, and Danish Jack Aiman Høye, aka Dreamy Dawn, have teamed up on their first collaboration together and recently released on Allen Watts label High Voltage Recordings.

We've had the chance to connect with Bob on multiple occasions, both here in the US when he made a trip to play in Minneapolis is 2022, and in 2023 in the Netherlands for Luminosity Beach Festival, where we had a chance to sit down with him for an in-depth interview about himself and his music - you'll find this coming soon here at the Church of Trance. When we received this promo we had to reach out to learn more about the meaning and journey of its creation.

What is the meaning behind the track title "No Surrender"? 

The meaning of No Surrender means basically keeps driving for a better way, you know, a better life, and then when you fall, get back up and make basically make no surrender your mantra. Because the music industry is quite difficult for a variety of reasons and no surrender is just a catchy saying that refers to don't easily give up.

And for sure, don't quit. And if we make a healthy habit of not giving up, then this is definitely going to serve us well in many other areas of our life. And Dreamy, who's Jack Høye, he's been making music for a long time and he keeps at it, never giving up in spite of any setbacks that he might have experienced.

So I really, I really respect that with Jack. The music in the track doesn't have a whole lot to do with the title other than just hopefully delivering a very happy feeling.

Similar to achieving, you know, that feeling of success you might have after lots of small failures along the way. It's just a catchy title that creates a little curiosity and hopefully a  listen.

Working with Jack (Dreamy Dawn) on this track what moment sticks out from the creative process bringing it to life?

The workflow and the process to create the track was extremely easy and natural. It was, quite honestly, it was seamless.

It's not always the case in collaborations. I think that was sort of a combination of our skill sets and what we like about music. We're just very complimentary. Dreamy, Jack, he sent me the melody and my job was to develop multiple layers of leads, the harmony and the rhythm of the track and build out the structure.

Then I sent it back to Jack to finish it and, for example, he would decorate and enhance the track with things like unique vocal samples, percussion sounds, things that he thinks that would make the track different and he did a great job with that.

What is your favorite part of the track and from a production perspective what makes it "different" than others you've produced?

It's typical for me that my favorite part of most tracks are the parts that get very emotional. So in No Surrender, at the very beginning of the climb, when there's very soft leads that start faintly, it's really beautiful.

With the main sound in the break playing over the top, that's my favorite part. And then the new leads start to open up to create more energy. And the vocal sample comes in, and then new counter melodies come in, all building up kind of magically to a very, very happy drop, the epitome of uplifting trance.

And what makes it different? I think it's just where both artists sort of add their own unique styles, and it's really a balanced track in terms of what, I guess, particular sounds from Dreamy and particular sounds from myself that make our tracks unique.

It's a perfect balance and a blend that I think really works. And when I first heard Jack's track, Amanda, 10 years ago on A State of Trance, I just really started to love his style. So when he asked if I wanted to do a collab, it was an automatic yes, because it was just a natural blend of complementary styles.

The beginning of the track is very light and airy as it journeys into the piano breakdown and trails off into a light atmosphere, and builds climbs into a massive melody that carries into a soaring cord progression and driving beat.

Enjoy the official video now on Youtube and the full track on Spotify!

 

Grab amazing track today, and listen for it in the February 2024 #churchoftrance mix now on  Soundcloud & Youtube

Release Date: Feb 3, 2024

Label: High Voltage Recordings

Stream/Buy: https://lnk.to/HVR111